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Summary: For this movie, what can I say but...WOW!
Review: The Matrix was, in my opinion, THE movie to see of the year. Forget Episode One: The Phantom Menace; The Matrix blew it out of the water! With it's amazing visual effects, gripping plot and storyline, and wonderful acting, it was a movie that kept me on the edge of my seat, and had me walking out of the theater wondering, "What -is- the Matrix, and is this possible?" This movie is definately a must-see for ANYONE!
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Summary: Great effects, average film
Review: The Matrix was, yes, a landmark in special effects the way tat Star Wars was. The plot, the script, and the acting is very forgettable. The cinemotograpy and editing are top-notch. Part of the problem, I guess, is that all of the famous taglines or scenes have been parodied to death in other films. Yes, I am still looking foreward to 'reloaded (check out my review on that). Some of the best scenes in the Matrix include the pills, waiting room, free your mind (roof), kung fu, and the office...
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Summary: What is The Matrix?
Review: The Matrix will go down in film history books as "The film that changed cinema forever". True, films have done that before: (Jaws, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction et al) but the Matrix is different in that not only did it change audience's expectations of action cinema but also impacted on countless movies to date.The film itself is the epitome of cool that stands out from the slew of unimaginative science fiction that Hollywood reels out, and with Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne Moss making an unlikely duo in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by artificially intelligent machines, the film finds itself worlds away from admittedly second-rate sci fi cinema. You could argue, as some critics did, that the film's plot is simply an excuse to hang cool effects on, but the premise slowly shapes into such an intricate plot, where machines have taken over the world (a popular idea for sci fi films, with this having similarities to Terminator 2) and then the small amount of snotty critics are silenced. What the Wachowski brothers have done is so imaginative that no film has ever come close to its intricacies and futuristic ideas. Add hints and nudges from Vertigo, classic Western films and Kung-fu karate films into the story and the amazing journey is made even more fascinating and involving. The visuals incorporated throughout the story are absolutely amazing; with the "flow-mo" being the coolest visual effect those effects boffins have done since that water tentacle flowed through air in The Abyss. Imitated to death, the scene where Keanu's character Neo dodges bullets is nonetheless the pinnacle of uber-coolness. With thought provoking, mind-bending lines like: "It's the smell, if there is such a thing"; the film's script is peppered with fascinating lines concerning the very nature of "what is real?" Hence the clever advertising campaign for the movie's release: "Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself". The Matrix has indeed changed cinema. Regardless, it's a great film, loaded to the retinas with out- of- this-world effects, great villians (Agent Smith!), great action set-pieces and awesome stunts from martial arts expert Wu Ping. And with the DVD (awesome stuff, everyone has to own this disc) and upcoming sequel in progress- The Matrix Reloaded, the Matrix is a film that not only has affected filmgoers everywhere, but has also leaked into the fan boy culture of the movie world. To quote Neo: "Whoa".
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Summary: woooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww!
Review: The Matrix works because it repackages themes from older movies, and, indeed, older literature and mythology, in a cutting edge, sci-fi cinematic wrapping. It's more than just a wrapping actually. In reworking the old ideas it adds nuances that may or may not have existed (or at least explicitly expressed) earlier.
Cinematically, there's a strong thread going back to Kubrick's 2001. HAL 9000 (each letter of HAL is one away from IBM) turns on his human companions to murder them.
A decade later, Darth Vader appeared on the screen, a lethal, murderous monster, "more machine than man." Again, the creation (machine) turns on creator. (At the same time, there are nice, even heroic machines: C3PO and R2-D2).
In the next decade we were introduced to The Terminator. Governor Arnold (when he was just a mega-star, millionnaire plebian like the rest of us) comes from the future, where Machines have almost wiped out the human race, to kill the mother of the future leader. Once more, inhuman machine turned murderous against its creator.
The Matrix takes this to a whole new level. The Machines have already won. There's just a few stragglers who have not succumbed. The new, ingenious twist is that they are controlled not so much by physical force but by mind: the Matrix software that feeds directly into the brain and leads humans to believe they live normal lives when "in reality" they sit in life support pods providing electrical power for the machines. It truly is the grand illusion.
This theme goes back, cinematically, to classic silent film, Metropolis, as well (in a different way) to Frankenstein.
Before the advent of movies -- indeed, before technology and the Industrial Revolution -- this idea was found in ancient lore and mythology. The Golem of Jewish lore or Beowulf, for instance.
The bottom line of all these themes, though, is the internal struggle that goes on for each human being. The part of us that is human, feeling and has a heart vs. the part of us that is inhuman, unfeeling and cold-blooded. (Jurassic Park also explores the reemergence of cold-blooded human nature; not so much the dinosaurs and T-Rex, which nowadays is assumed was probably warm-blooded, but corporate greed that puts making money above human life.)
In the end, these movies, and other expressions, persist in human culture, because the hero discovers his humanity, and, with it, an appreciation of his humanity.
HAL 9000 is dismantled; David Bowman, a Messiah-figure ("David") survives and is reborn.
Darth Vader, starting with Episode V and climaxing in Episode VI, teaches us that even someone so far gone that he's "more machine than man," can regain his humanity.
Arnold returns in T-2 to be the good guy, the father figure, humanity's savior. He's really all of us who have struggled with our dark side, our unfeeling side, our addicted side (the addict turns monster in pursuit of his fix) -- our tendency toward inhumanity.
The Matrix works for many reasons, and has many facets, but its main one, in my opinion, is this age-old theme. We are not machines. We are not strapped into our fate. We can change. We can escape. We can overcome addiction -- be it to alcohol, some illegal substance, nicotine, porn, greed, food, TV, etc. We can rediscover our humanity, even in a very insane, often inhumane world, whose technological influence is all-pervasive and -- almost -- All-Powerful.
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Summary: And the winner for best movie is...
Review: The Matrix! This is the best movie I've seen. Thomas Anderson, or Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) is 'the one', the girl of the movie is no-trash Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) And then we have Neo's mentor, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburn) After the cool opening for the movie, it's kinda slow, except for the bug part, but the action makes up for it. After hacker Neo finds out the truth about the 'real world', he joins with a ragtag group of rebels. Together, they fight Agents, or basically the programs that try to kill them (they're just men in tuxes) I have to say, this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. The plot is awesome, and the action is excellent. I gave this movie 5 stars. By the way, when Neo walks in the lobby door, make sure you're watching the movie. :)
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Summary: What should have been -THE- #1 movie of the year..?
Review: The Matrix! Absolutely the -best- movie I've ever seen! The effects were -awesome-, if you haven't seen this movie and are awaiting it's release on video to buy it, I strongly recommend you rent it and watch it, you'll be even more persuaded to buy it! This is one movie that made me even consider buying a DVD player for my TV AND my computer to get the earlier-released DVD!
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Summary: The Best Sci-fi action I've ever seen
Review: The Matrix, a blend of complex sci-fi and spicey action to make your teeth bleed. Matrix is so good. The best special effects I have ever seen since Jarassic Park. It is as if you were part of the cyber world inside your computer. I recommend this to all you Sci-fi lovers and action lovers. This is the Christmas present that keeps on giving.
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Summary: Re:Gen X
Review: The Matrix, a film masterpiece for the 21st century. There are many reasons to own, watch, or rent the Matrix, and I will give you a few of the most important. 1) The special effects & sound are like no other movie to date. This movie blew me away. I had the privelege of viewing this movie on a very large screen with digital sound in Washington, D.C. The small screen does not really do this movie justice, but it can suffice if need be. The sound is so crisp, and when the scenes go in slow-motion, it is like nothing you have ever seen before. 2) Keanu is actually tolerable. Reeves does a good job of being the main character, Neo, and it seems like the role was written for him. He shines with the interplay between him and Larry Fishburn, and with the Special Agents who are trying to destroy him. 3) The themes! Is this our future? Will computers rule the world? Have we lost our soul? What is real? Will you swallow a blue or a red pill? All issues you will be drawn into and have to digest as your view the Matrix. Those are just a few, but all important reasons to see this generations new anthem of malaise and questioning. The matrix is a movie, you just have to see.
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Summary: The Matrix- An Astonishing Piece of Science Fiction
Review: The Matrix, an amazing and unique sci-fi thriller from the Wachowski brothers stunned the world. It had a unique concept, in addition to remarkable and fresh visual and special efffects.
Now the premise of this film is probably the hardest to explain,
for it surely is intricate and complicated. The film takes place sometime in the distant future, Reeves plays Thomas Anderson, a man who is searching for an answer to a certain question: What is the matrix? Laurence Fishburne who is perfectly cast, plays Morpheus, a leader of a bunch of rebels searching for "the one." Carrie-Anne Moss plays Trinity, a part of Morpheus's group and cause. In this film there are many references to the bible, which you can easily figure from the names of characters. All in all, confusing as you can tell.
The Matrix was a sleeper hit of 1999, and soon became a box-office smash and global phenomenan. The film intruced a fascination effect called Bullet-time, which was later copied in numerous movies, for example Charlie's Angels. The action in this movie was innovative and inventive, and certainly appealing, from amazing kung-fu fights to intense shootouts.
Though in comparison to the sequels, the origianly remains the best. Of course in terms of action, the sequels definetly win especially Reloaded which featured the amazing "burly brawl" and "freeway chase sequence." Revolutions also featured the amazing battle in Zion, which was groundbreaking in digital animation. The sequels are a worth addition to the trilogy though and are definetly worth owning too, by the way Revolutions comes out on April 6, 2004.
The Matrix is rated R for Sci-fi Violence and Brief Language. The violence includes a lot of gunplay, including the amazing Lobby shootout sequence. Some of which is bloody. The Matrix is suitable for kids 14 and up probably, for the violence isn't over the top. cheoreographed by Yuen Wo Ping, who later did work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The language is mild and not particularly strong. There is also mild sexual innuendo. The Matrix, infact as I stated earlier the entire trilogy is worth owning espeically on DVD, if you haven't seen any see one of them today, and obviously start with The Matrix, the one which started it all. Now available on Video and DVD.
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Summary: Best gunplay. Ever.
Review: The Matrix, as other reviers will attest to, is a slick cyberpunk thriller set in a dismal world. However, there is one thing that must be noted, above all. No, it is not the coolness of bullet-time, though that is cool. It's not the martial arts, though they are well coreographed. And it's certainly not Reves acting. The best part of the Matrix is described in one word: Lobby. If you haven't seen the Matrix yet, I won't spoil the plot for you. However, I will just breifly describe the scene I'm refering too. In it, Neo (Reeves) enters the lobby for a high security building, of purpose unknown, and steps through a metal detector. It beeps. One of the guards walks up to him and asks him to for his keys, change...
Reeves opens his trenchcoat and exposes his hardware (and no, that's not a sexual pun): about twenty assault weapons. He pushes the guard... That is the start for what is the lynchpin, the strongest scene of the film. Take out the Lobby, and you still have a fair movie. But it's missing something. The Lobby scene is easily the best gunfight ever recorded on film. The tiles of the floor shatter beautifully as Neo flips around, unscathed. And at the end, where Trinity (Moss) grabbs the bag and heads towards the elevator before the last gun can hit the scarred floor... That, more then anything else, makes me crave the Reload.
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