Rating: 
Summary: "There is no spoon"
Review: In the Matrix, which is the virtual world we all(think that we) live in, the laws of physics don't apply. If the hero of this film Thomas Anderson aka Neo(Keanu Reeves) had gotten hold of that concept there would be no film. I was tempted to give this film 4 stars rather then five, but that would've been hipocritical since I went back to see it twice since its release. I will explain. The most riveting scene in the film for me was a very simple one, the group of rebels led by Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) lead Neo back inside The Matrix for the first time since he learned of its existance. He watches the hussle in the streets he used to walk, he points out a resteruant he used to visit "I used to eat there, great noodles." I wish there was more of that in the film, more observing of those hopeless (or are they?) humans that unwittingly walk through a manufactured existance. I wish there was more of a human element to the film, wouldn't it have been incredibly fascinating, to actually observe a couple of characters who live within The Matrix through the eyes of one of our heroes. What happened to Neo's friends (virtual they maybe). The Wachowski's only provide hints of this, instead they throw at us incredible action sequences that are unsurpassed in movie history. There are no words to describe how exhilerating the action is, and its reason enough for the five star rating. But by going for an action overkill they lose the poignancy that a film like DARK CITY created. The Matrix frequently breaks its own laws, for example if Neo and his gang of cyber rebels can jump from rooftop to rooftop because they recognise that in a virtual world there is no gravity, why don't they employ this technique when being chased by the agents? Ofcourse this kind of nitpicking would have deprived this very thrilling film of its thrills. The action geek within me is saying "This movie rocks", but on an intellectual level, it is a near masterpiece that doesn't quite follow through on its compelling premise. Consider this. This review you are reading right now doesn't actually exist, but it is infact a collection of tiny electrons projected on to your screen. If amazon doesn't transmit it, it would cease to exist. Take a little of The Matrix, throw in a portion of Dark City and add the entirity of Orwell's 1984 and you have a documentary made in 2048. Hey, if Carrie Anne Moss would be there I wouldn't mind it one bit.
Rating: 
Summary: A instant Sci-Fi/Thriller has become a Classic.
Review: In the Near Future, when a Computer Hacker named Neo (Aka Thomas Anderson) Played by Keanu Reeves, has discover that the World, he lives in, is the just fictional Computer World, Created by Articial Intelligence. When Neo has been resurrected in the Real World thanks to a Rebel named Mopheus (Laurence Fishburne) and the Second lead in Command:Thinity (Carrie Ann Moss) and the Team (Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chang, Julia Arahanga, Matt Doran, Belinda McClory & Anthony Rae Parker) have to fight to Survive for the Computer World, they live in. One of the Most Dangerous Man, Created by the Computer is Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) wants to Kill the Team and to get himself to the Real World. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity and the Others, they have to find a way to Overthrow:The Martix. Written & Directed by Andy & Larry Wachowski (Assassins, Bound, The Martix Reloaded, The Martix Revolations) made a terrific, unique, Sci-Fi, Action-Thriller. This film has Win 4 Academy Awards (Winner of all Nominations) including:Best Visual Effects, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Sound Editing. This film has Some of the Best-Visual Effects ever to put on a Film. DVD has an strong anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an terrific Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:An running Commentary Track by the Film Crew. Another Commentary by Composer:Don Davis. Behind the Scenes Featurette and DVD-ROM. This film has become a Modern Day-Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller Classic. This is One of the Highest Successful Box Office Films of 1999. Followed by Two Sequels. Panavision. Grade:A-.
Rating:
Summary: The Matrix of Reality
Review: In the visually tantalizing movie, "The Matrix", a breed of AI computers takes over the world. It harvests human embryos in laboratories called "fields". It then feeds them through grim looking tubes and keeps them immersed in gelatinous liquid in cocoons. This new "machine species" derives its energy needs from the electricity produced by the billions of human bodies thus preserved. A sophisticated, all-pervasive, computer program called "The Matrix" generates a "world" inhabited by the consciousness of the unfortunate human batteries. Ensconced in their shells, they see themselves walking, talking, working and making love. This is a tangible and olfactory phantasm masterfully created by the Matrix. Its computing power is mind boggling. It generates the minutest details and reams of data in a spectacularly successful effort to maintain the illusion. A group of human miscreants succeeds to learn the secret of the Matrix. They form an underground and live aboard a ship, loosely communicating with a halcyon city called "Zion", the last bastion of resistance. In one of the scenes, Cypher, one of the rebels defects. Over a glass of (illusory) rubicund wine and (spectral) juicy steak, he poses the main dilemma of the movie. Is it better to live happily in a perfectly detailed delusion - or to survive unhappily but free of its hold? The Matrix controls the minds of all the humans in the world. It is a bridge between them, they inter-connected through it. It makes them share the same sights, smells and textures. They remember. They compete. They make decisions. The Matrix is sufficiently complex to allow for this apparent lack of determinism and ubiquity of free will. The root question is: is there any difference between making decisions and feeling certain of making them (not having made them)? If one is unaware of the existence of the Matrix, the answer is no. From the inside, as a part of the Matrix, making decisions and appearing to be making them are identical states. Only an outside observer - one who in possession of full information regarding both the Matrix and the humans - can tell the difference. Moreover, if the Matrix were a computer program of infinite complexity, no observer (finite or infinite) would have been able to say with any certainty whose a decision was - the Matrix's or the human's. And because the Matrix, for all intents and purposes, is infinite compared to the mind of any single, tube-nourished, individual - it is safe to say that the states of "making a decision" and "appearing to be making a decision" are subjectively indistinguishable. No individual within the Matrix would be able to tell the difference. His or her life would seem to him or her as real as ours are to us. The Matrix may be deterministic - but this determinism is inaccessible to individual minds because of the complexity involved. When faced with a trillion deterministic paths, one would be justified to feel that he exercised free, unconstrained will in choosing one of them. Free will and determinism are indistinguishable at a certain level of complexity. Yet, we KNOW that the Matrix is different to our world. It is NOT the same. This is an intuitive kind of knowledge, for sure, but this does not detract from its firmness. If there is no subjective difference between the Matrix and our Universe, there must be an objective one. Another key sentence is uttered by Morpheus, the leader of the rebels. He says to "The Chosen One" (the Messiah) that it is really the year 2199, though the Matrix gives the impression that it is 1999. This is where the Matrix and reality diverge. Though a human who would experience both would find them indistinguishable - objectively they are different. In one of them (the Matrix), people have no objective TIME (though the Matrix might have it). The other (reality) is governed by it. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
Rating:
Summary: ever get that feeling your in a dream...
Review: in the words of Neo (keanu reeves):"whoa"
Rating:
Summary: The best action Sci-Fi ever created in United States..
Review: In the world of Hi-tech computers and animation, matrix blows away the competition. The movie is mixed with special effects and excellent fighting moves that made me forget our digital world and sucked me into the movie as a participant. Its the best action thriller and the sound is incredible. This is going to be a classic in 22nd century when people will turn back and think how this movie was made long long ago, in a far far galaxy, in a place called earth.
Rating: 
Summary: Crafty filmmaking lacking substance
Review: In this movie, the Wachowskis obviously have a ball working out the technical details of the photography and the digital effects. There's a nice gloss and attention to detail that's lacking in many other films. The brothers have an eye for small details, such as reflections and color tints. What The Matrix lacks is any real intelligence. As an synthesis of comic books, sci-fi, and Hong Kong action movies, The Matrix is just fine. But it's nevertheless disappointing that it lacks an intellectual core--any originality of thought or explication. As other reviews point out, authors such as Philip K. Dick and William Gibson have already trekked down this path with much more thoughtfulness. The bottom line is that The Matrix is fun to watch, much like a Saturday morning cartoon, but does not merit the adoration it seems to engender. If you love The Matrix, I suggest that you head down to your local used bookstore and thumb through the sci-fi rack. There's alot more where The Matrix came from.
Rating: 
Summary: Great effects, dialogue laughable..
Review: Incredible effects, cool stunt coodination but just listening to K.Reeves talk takes the film down several knotches.. riveting lines like, "Whoa", "Yea", and "Dodge this" should have been left for 'Bill & Ted 2'
Rating:
Summary: Excellent story, awesome action scenes....
Review: Incredibly interesting storyline, the action is unbelievable, this is just an enjoyable movie to watch.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie! Awesome Features!
Review: Initially, I was not interested in watching this movie at all. However, once I was finally coersed into watching it, I fell in love! This is a wonderful film! The characters, the actors, the effects: they are all amazing! Buy the DVD! The special features are awesome! The behind-the-scenes documentary is great! And the commentary version of the film was very refreshing after having watched the theatrical version a few dozen times. I highly recommend this movie and am very anxious to see what the Wachowski brothers do with the next two pieces of this trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: A Movie with DVD in mind
Review: Interesting action movie with a very imaginative plot (sort of Buddhism meets Blade Runner). The special effects and image quality seem to have been used with the DVD format in mind, because they are the best I've seen so far. If you are drawn to the possibility of a fully interactive virtual reality computer program, then this movie will appeal to you.
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