The Matrix (1999, R)

Imaginative, innovative, complicated, bold and risky, the Matrix is a

lethal combination of action, fighting, martial arts, and slo mo.  In reality, it adds little beyond that.

Keanu Reeves stars as Thomas Anderson, also known by his computer hacker name as Neo. He works as a computer programmer.  One day, while typing away and hacking away on his computer, a question pops up on his screen that reads ‘what is the Matrix?’  He eventually finds out that he can find out by a mysterious man named Morpheus, who has been branded a terrorist by the Agents who seek to kill him.  He is eventually taken to Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who offers Anderson the secrets of the Matrix.  Anderson finds out that the real world he is in is a hoax, a computer program.  In reality, the human race is at war with ‘the Machines’.  In the Matrix, the Agents, led by Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), have the responsibility of keeping the Matrix safe and intact.  Morpheus and Trinity (Carrie Ann-Moss) train Anderson, now being called Neo, in the arts of fighting, hand-to-hand combat and weaponry.  Morpheus believes that Neo is ‘the One’ a person prophesied to defeat ‘the Machines’ by being able to control the Matrix.

The Matrix is high entertaining, state-of-the-art cinema.  The special effects in the movie are very cool and neat looking.  The Wachowski brothers (the writers and directors) have crafted together a memorable sci-fi movie 

The plot is good until we get to where Morpheus is captured by the Agents, and Neo and Trinity go out on a rescue mission.  There, the plot becomes thin and full of action, and it all becomes one big act of hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, shooting, stabbing, running, chasing and such, and loses its original sense of focus.

  All in all, this is a cut above your usual popcorn theater entertainment, though it’s still no masterpiece and isn’t a brilliant piece of work.  The Matrix was released to positive critical reviews and whopping success at the box-office.  To complete the story, the Wachowski’s release two sequels (Reloaded and Revolutions) to complete the story arc. 

            Inevitably, the Matrix ended up starting a whole new movie franchise.  There’s nothing much wrong with that, but the Matrix in its own way feels a lot like a comic book brought to the screen.  Nevertheless, the Matrix was for the most part a well crafted sci-fi actioneer, and with a more technologically advanced concept.

                                  *** ½/5