The Matrix ---- **** (out of 5) (1999)
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving
Director(s): Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Screenwriter(s): Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Released on: March 31, 1999
Reviewed on: September 14, 2002
Rated: R - for sci-fi violence and brief language
Reeves plays a supposed average guy that lives two lives. In one of these lives, he is Thomas Anderson, an executive for a large software company. In the other life, he is a computer hacker under the alias Neo. His lives are interrupted when he is confronted by the man he has been searching for, Morpheus. This man reveals that Neo was born into a world of chaos where robots have taken over and begun to grow humans and use them for energy by turning them into batteries. The peaceful life he's been living recently is simply a dreamworld called the Matrix that was created to blind him from the truth and make him think that everything is normal. Morpheus and his group have been tracing him because they believe that he is the One who will save them from cybernetic terrorists hellbent on destroying both worlds.
I believe this to be a rare flick so brilliantly crafted that any viewer could easily be enthralled in its overall premise. The style of fighting included within has actually been spoofed many times in various comedy films and is easily recognizable because of how unique it is. Believe it or not, there isn't much character development but they still manage to become three-dimensional. I feel the cause for this is because they are involved in such a dangerous situation that you actually care if they die or not. Sure, the 'humans vs. cybernetic organisms' idea could easily be considered a ripoff of TERMINATOR or WAR OR THE WORLDS. But I advise you to look at MATRIX for what it really is: One different piece of work. I am pretty sure there shouldn't be any stereotyping involved because the plot build-up of the world this takes place in will help you to forget about the sides in the war. This defines what an excellent film should be.
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