"the first film of the new millennium."

My all time favorite best blend of thought provoking ideas and action and inovative filmography.

Editorial reviews
"...A feast of unexpected fidgets and perspectives, punctuated by trademark overhead shots and teasing detail and detour....THE MATRIX is a wonderland of tricks and stunts..."
Sight and Sound - p.47 - Philip Strick

"...THE MATRIX soars with its feet in the air..."
Rolling Stone - p.76 - Peter Travers

"...A breathtaking rollercoaster ride..." -- 4 out of 5 stars
Premiere - p.134 - Holly Gallo

"...Clever....This virtual-reality saga takes advantage of Reeves' sometimes endearingly boyish personality..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (03/31/1999)

"...A wildly cinematic futuristic thriller..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (03/31/1999)

"...THE MATRIX is a visually dazzling cyberadventure, full of kinetic excitement....It's great looking, both in its design and in the kinetic energy that powers it. It uses flawlessly integrated special effects and animation to visualize regions of cyberspace..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (03/31/1999)

The Matrix

The special effects changed film making forever, the story, although nothing sparklingly original in sci-fi and cyberpunk circles, was carried off in such a brilliant manner it is the most convincing sci-fi film I've seen since Dune (1984, David Lynch) and the original Terminator film.

As far as the actual acting goes it did suit Keanu Reeves pretty well, although his dialog does let him down on occasions but in some ways it reflects the 'panic - I'm feeling a little lost' element of his character Neo/Thomas Anderson. The support is fantastic, Laurence Fishburne as Neo's mentor, Morpheus, and Hugo Weaving as the insidious and evil Agent Smith are supreme in their roles carrying off their dialog with great aplomb and really adding atmosphere for the film. Carrie-Anne Moss carries off her part well, being a good balance of looks and brawn. The sets and cinematography are also fantastic as are the cityscapes, provided by The City of Sydney Australia.

The choreography and action in the film is unparalleled and helped widen the appeal of what might have been a slightly cliquey film had it not been carried off right. As it is the mix of cyberpunk style black clothes, cool sunglasses (I especially liked Morpheus's clip-on-the-nose ones) and huge black boots and the Kung-Fu fighting, gun totting fight scenes as well as the now legendary bullet-time effects really make this film scream to lovers of action and sci-fi alike.

All this is capped by, one might say most importantly, a great dramatic score by Don Davis (which I have just bought the CD of) and punchy metal/punk/techo soundtrack (which I have also just bought the CD of) that really conveys the mood excellently.

All in all it is, in the truest sense, a great film. If you've got the money and you love the film buy one of the special edition double-packs with the 'Matrix - Revisited' documentary DVD in. I have not seen the documentary personally but have it on good authority that it is a really nice addition. If you have not seen the film yet and like the sound of it prepare for stomach churning edge-of-the-seat action that will have you sweating right until the final scenes

The Matrix

In this complex story that aspires to virtual mythology, a computer hacker
(Keanu Reeves) searches for the truth behind the mysterious force known as the
Matrix. He finds his answer with a group of strangers led by the leader
of the group - a man named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). What they encounter
in confronting that truth makes for a lightning-paced, eye popping thrill of
a movie that cleverly combines sociopolitical commentary with cutting - edge
special effects. A great movie for a nights entertainment, that teens and
adults will enjoy with enthusiasm. This is the FIRST of a TRIOLOGY of the
Matrix series that is followed by MATRIX RELOADED and MATRIX REVOLUTION to
complete the series, but the movie will be enjoyed in itself also.

Follow the white rabbit

The first time I saw The Matrix in theaters, I really didn't "get" all of it. I missed so many of the things that make this movie as fabulous as it is. But watching it on DVD makes the movie even that much better... Especially if you choose to "follow the white rabbit."

Following the white rabbit allows you to hit a button on your remote whenever a white rabbit appears in the corner of the screen to get a behind the scenes look at "how did they do that?" Fabulous feature.

As for the movie itself... What can I say that hasn't already been said? Probably not much. But that never stopped me before. So bear with me as I go over some of the finer points that most other people can't leave out of their reviews either. I apologize for any repetition.

The Matrix is a fantastical epic. The amount of thought that must've gone into the script just blows my mind. From the whole Alice in Wonderland parallel to the Neo-Christ parallel to the post-apocalyptic world that is created for us, it is just one amazing story.

The special effects are unmatched. Knowing that it took about two years to come up with the technology that allowed Neo to master the matrix to slow down time and dodge bullets...it just makes me say "wow." What a leap of faith by the production staff, starting the filming of the movie not knowing how or even if they would be able to make that scene work.

I have no complaints as far as the actors are concerned. I think the cast did an excellent job with the excellent script they had to work with. They did not disappoint. Costumes? You can't go wrong with basic black, especially when the actors are sexy and some of them are wearing vinyl.

A driving soundtrack backs up the non-stop action. It's not really my genre, so I wouldn't go buy the soundtrack, but it fits perfectly with the visuals.

This movie is a must see. Not only is it visually pleasing, but its plot is satisfying, and it is quite thought provoking. Definitely near the top of my list. Although I must admit, I try to think of this as a stand-alone movie, as I don't like the later two parts of the trilogy as much.

Know the truth and do something with it!

The Matrix is a complex story which aspires to mythology, focusing on the computer hacker called Neo who is looking for the truth about the mysterious force called The Matrix. His answers are answered by a group of strangers led by a man named Morpheus. When they find out about what The Matrix is, they find out the horrifying truth that is almost too hard to handle. This thrill packing film is loaded with unbelievable fight scenes and astonishing visual effects. The Matrix is one of the first great triumphs that give science fiction films a new meaning.