Review 132: The Matrix

What if our reality is an illusion? What if our lives are one big dream even. Those are the questions that The Matrix forces us as viewers to ask. An innovative, mind bending blend of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects the serve as the layering and icing to an intriguing premise.

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is is secretly a hacker known as "Neo" in 1999. He is restless, and driven to learn the meaning of cryptic references to the "Matrix" appearing on his computer. Thomas meets the acquaintance of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who has some interesting news for Mr. Anderson -- none of what's going on around him is real. The year is actually closer to 2199, and the reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality created by sentient machines to pacify and subdue the human population known as The Matrix, while their bodies' heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source. Neo is then drawn into a rebellion against the machines, involving other people who have been freed from the "dream world" and into reality.

The plot is intriguing and interesting,

a work of sheer genius, its got so many ideas and themes: the central one being "What is real and what isn't" and I think that makes for not just very appealing and extremly entertaining but also very thought provoking, phsychological and philisochical entertainment.
There are also several philosophical meanings and metphors so thought provoking and complex they are to mind boggling for any human mind, even my own, to comprehend.
One such metaphor is a religious in which Morpheus deduces that Neo is the "One" as in Christ to lead them freedom.
Virtural reality can be imensly entertaining for a lot of people, you cam loose yourself in that world and believe whatever you want to believe and create your own facts, history and opinions which in turn make it an almost inpenatrable prison. No one would know they were imprisoned. In a film like this that is a truly terrifying prospect.

There are however times when The Matrix gets a little too flashy, ostentatious and groundbreaking for it's own good

the setting is ingenious, The Wachowski Brothers direction is unobtrusive, the cinematography looks like its been developed using computer technology, the editing is best I've seen since Star Wars, the score is a excellent mixture of bombastic and monumental, the action scenes are monumental and are transfixating, the special effects are unbelievable, the martial arts moves are extremely well choreographed, the production design is breathtaking, the costume design is autentic and the ending was just brilliant.

The acting was also superb, Keanu Reeves was quite possibly born for this role, Laurence Fishburne shows how wise an actor he can be, Carrie-Ann Moss is both strong and hot and Hugo Weaving is a scary villain and the rest of the cast is great.

Whoa, 5/5.

The Anonymous Critic