Matrix

The story of a reluctant Christ-like protagonist set against a baroque, MTV backdrop, The Matrix is the definitive hybrid of technical wizardry and contextual excellence that should be the benchmark for all sci-fi films to come.

Hollywood has had some problems combining form and matter in the sci-fi genre. There have been a lot of visually stunning works but nobody cared about the hero. (Or nobody simply cared about anything.) There a few, though, which aroused interest and intellect but nobody 'ooh'-ed or 'aah'-ed at the special effects. With The Matrix, both elements are perfectly en sync. Not only did we want to cheer on the heroes to victory, we wanted them to bludgeon the opposition. Not only did we sit in awe as Neo evaded those bullets in limbo-rock fashion, we salivated.

But what makes The Matrix several cuts above the rest of the films in its genre is that there are simply no loopholes. The script, written by the Wachowski brothers is intelligent but carefully not geeky. The kung-fu sequences were deftly shot -- something even Bruce Lee would've been proud of. The photography was breathtaking. (I bet if you had to cut every frame on the reel and had it developed and printed, every single frame would stand on its own.) And the acting? Maybe not the best Keanu Reeves but name me an actor who has box-office appeal but could portray the uneasy and vulnerable protagonist, Neo, to a T the way Reeves did. But, come to think of it, if you pit any actor beside Laurence Fishburne, you're bound to confuse that actor for bad acting. As Morpheus, Mr. Fishburne is simply wicked! Shades of his mentor-role in Higher Learning, nobody exudes that aura of quiet intensity than Mr. Fishburne. His character, battle-scarred but always composed Morpheus, is given an extra dose of mortality (He loves Neo to a fault.) only Mr. Fishburne can flesh out.

People will say what they want to say about how good The Matrix is but the bottomline is this: finally there's a philosophical film that has cut through this generation. My generation. The Wachowski brothers probably scribbled a little P.S. note when they finished the script saying: THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT YOUR EXISTENCE. What is the Matrix, you ask? Something that's closer to reality than you think.

Either that or it's my personal choice for best film of all-time.

At first, I wasn't interested in seeing the Matrix. But after hardly hearing any bad reviews for it (and believe me, I hear bad reviews for every movie I enjoy) I decided to give it a try. At first, although I really loved the fights, graphics and characters, the plot confused me. (Anyone confused by the plot at all should go to www.knowthematrix.com and you'll find out everything you could want to know) By the second time I watched it, I really understood it, which made the movie even more enjoyable.

I really loved this movie. Just about every character, good or bad, is very interesting and cool. The acting was excellent. Even though I think this was Keanu Reeves at his best, the best acting jobs were done by Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity). Hugo Weaving did an excellent job as Agent Smith and Joe Pantoliano was great as Cypher as well.

The plot is one of the best movie plots I've seen in a movie. An accountant by day, computer hacker by night guy suddenly finds out that reality as we know it is fake and that we are actually in a giant computer program run by robots (that we created, of course) in order for them to get power. Not only that, but he finds out that he is one who is, according to prophecy, going to put an end to it. The greatest thing is that you learn things just as Neo does, so you can really relate to his character.

My favorite thing about this movie is that no matter how many times you watch it, you will learn more about it. I guarantee this. Some may not like this movie because the plot is too complicated, but I recommend that anyone who enjoys movies should go buy this one right away.

This film doesn't age, it will be contemporary even in 2030 or 2040. Wachowski's best one, by far.

When this came out, I was living with a roommate. He went out and saw it, came home and said, "Dude, you have to go see The Matrix." So we left and he sat through it a second time. This movie is splendidly done. The mystery about what the Matrix is, unravels and you see a dystopian future unlike any we as a race would want. I have watched this over and over and never tire of it. Everyone does a great job acting in this, the special effects are above par and the story is engaging.

The Matrix...when I first heard about it, I expected just another sci-fi action thriller. Good and filled with insane stunts, but not terribly intelligent.

Boy, was I wrong. Oh, the stunts are there in spades, all right, and yes, they are awesome. And the special effects are absolutely amazing (even if similar ones have been used in other movies as a result- and not explained as well).

But the movie has plot as well. It has characters that I cared about. From Keanu Reeves' excellent portrayal of Neo, the man trying to come to grips with his own identity, to Lawrence Fishburne's mysterious Morpheus, and even the creepy Agents, everyone does a stellar job of making their characters more than just the usual action "hero that kicks butt" and "cannon fodder" roles. I cared about each and every one of the heroes, and hated the villains with a passion. It has a plot, and it has a meaning...and lo and behold, a plot does help the fight scenes! Just try it, if you haven't seen the movie before. Watch one of the fight scenes. Then watch the whole movie. There's a big difference in the feeling and excitement of the scenes- sure, they're great as standalones, but the whole thing put together is an experience unlike just about everything else that's come to the theaters. Think about it next time you're watching one of the more brainless action flicks...think how much better it COULD be.

All I can say is WATCH THIS MOVIE. If you haven't, you're missing out on one of the best films of all time. It isn't just special effects, folks.