The Matrix
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Movie Reviews of The Matrix
Movie Review: Amazing
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the kind of film that you must have if you like the ideas that contradict your mind's paradigms.Movie Review: The Matrix is What You Make of It
Summary: 4 Stars
Way back in 1999, The Matrix was a surprise hit, and while this movie is ten years old, The Matrix still surprised me. I wonder if that's what people thought when they first saw this science fiction movie, the science fiction movie that was supposed to be passed under the much hyped Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. My mind, until recently, was probably the same figure. The Matrix never really seemed like much of a movie that would be of interest to me, even though it's in a movie genre I have interest in. Lest to say, it's 1999 again.
Legimate criticism are there, of course, but those criticisms are easily transcends by good pace, great action, and an intriguing premise that can easily become more pretentious if your not careful. Keanu Reeves is an extremely wooden actor in this movie (somewhat in Bill and Ted, though some of his fierceness is pretty undeniable. It also helps to ignore whoever says The Matrix is deemed to be significant in the department of social commentary, high philosphy, and other pipe dream of that nature. Maybe it's the moviegoers fault more than the movie itself. Whatever it is, it's still science fiction to me, with a very cool premise that of course, in real life, would probalby never happen. I think it's pretty safe to say our world is the ideal world to use us. I do, however, think it's funny that the movie's premise of how something (the Matrix itself in this movie) is what you make it, is an exact representation of how the viewer will probably intepret it, whether it being a farce, pretentious, or a "powerful source of philosphy". Whoa.
Yeah, despite the fact that it's still an action science fiction film at heart, it's premise is more than just the mindless action akin of it's inspiration, including John Woo's Hardboiled. If you don't let the Matrix become too pretentious in your eyes, you'll have a blast, and will enjoy this movie greatly. It's parallel world itself is interesting, a "what if" kind of question (well, okay, some unpretentious, interesting philosphy is on display in this movie) It's true that the Matrix can be pretentious if you try to tout it as some kind of deep meaning akin to religion, but I think I've made my point across that. I hear from many people that the Matrix really can't be explained until you've seen the movie, so let's just go with that.
However, what I can vouch for is the Matrix's action. Probably the best thing about the Matrix is the action and art direction. The Matrix's dystopian future is portrayed with a cyber techno thriller, and the Matrix is fully visioned. However, the action, and it's patened "bullet time", is of course, one of the biggest stars here. The use of slow motion to emphasize bullets, explosions (that building explosion in the last half of the movie is amazing), and certain punches are emp. And it doesn't induldge into any way so it feels like an empty -G@$m. Energetic as well, something some of those Asian movies (which is one thing that makes Kill Bill better than it's predecessors. F*** Lady Snowblood) kind of dull to watch. The Matrix's "techno-slamming visuals" also thrive in this world, it's use of green, cyber text ( The Matrix Digital Rain) at the beggining is an example of the many cyber, still cool special effects. The sound itself is equally crafted well, with those irrerestible sound effects for every action. Also, cool use of Mindfields by Prodigy in the club, nice little touch that only a music geek would care about.
Indeed, this movie was still a surprise, and I definitely am glad I own it. As a result, I definitely will see it more than once, and will make sure to continue the story by watching the sequals.
B
Movie Review: Visually impressive...and it has a plot too.
Summary: 4 Stars
Keanu Reeves plays Thomas Anderson the software techie by day, and Neo the computer hacker by night. In the Matrix, Neo waits for an answer of the question of existence as he stares at his computer screen. The answer comes in the form of a message on his screen, and this leads to his meeting a mysterious woman, Trinity, who introduces him to a dimension where reality and illusion are fused. Morpheus is the leader of this group of futuristic warriors, and tries to explain the existence of the matrix, a type of artificial intelligence system. Morpheus opens Neo's mind to some startling news: that people are being imprisoned in a form of reality, and that Neo is "the one" who will break this code and free, both physically and spiritually, those who are trapped. Neo certainly has his doubts, but as he examines the world around him, he realizes that this is the chance he's been waiting for, and it seems that destiny has called.
One of the refreshing aspects about the Matrix is there is some "meat" to a special effects genre that by now has become mostly visual eye candy for the masses, as special effects extravaganzas in the past decade that overdose on CGI could take a lesson from this film. After all, The Matrix is not ALL about special effects, and incorporates a well-crafted conflict within the film's first twenty minutes. There is a certain amount of good versus evil within the film, and nothing is as cut and dry as it appears. Neo's existence is pivotal to the world that Morpheus introduces him to, and there is a certain amount of build up between not only what Neo believes is real and what is illusion, but also what his ultimate fate will be. Neo's uncertainty about the world is the centerpiece for his choice to join Morpheus, and, he has a slight reluctance because he knows once he's in, there's no turning back.
The aggravation with a film like this is the poetic license, the proverbial "easy" button given once the theme of appearance vs. reality is introduced. After all, many inconsistencies can be explained away by the use of the "oh, but it was just part of a dream" or "it was only in his mind." Because of this, you have to have some "logic blinders" at certain points, but I guess that is to be expected.
I thought the first two-thirds of the film were the strongest in script, tension, and visual display, but that the last thirty minutes seemed to "cave in" to the sol-mo "shoot `em up" style typical of action films. This conclusion is victimized by seemingly never-ending shooting sequences and kung-fu martial arts with blaring techno music in the background. It becomes a bit too repetitive and drawn out. Still, with its flaws, The Matrix has an adequate mix of edge, fantasy, innovation and philosophy without crossing the bounds of outright insanity, and is vastly superior to the spawn of effects clones spewed out in the past decade.
Movie Review: Open your eyes
Summary: 4 Stars
After the death of good science fiction movies in 1994, the genre made a strong comeback with the release of the highly publicized "The Matrix". Since then, the film has become a common cultural reference, and copied in the stylization and use of slow motion.
It was only recently, on a boring friday, alone in my room with my Xbox, that I finally decided to view "The Matrix". I rented it off of Xbox Live, and immediately became sucked in by action sequences I recognized from more recent films, films which no doubt had used the Matrix as a large source of inspiration.
The films main strength lies in it's visual appeal. consistently switching between the gritty harshness of the real, machine-ruled world, and the slick, sterilized feel inside the Matrix and other computer programs. The film impliments visual styles never before seen in any film, and created a world, streching the limits of the human imagination.
The films second strength, is in it's mind-bending philosophies. What is the true state of existance? Is what you know reality, or simply a veil to a bigger picture. Questions such as these that go wild within the human mind but are never able to be truly communicated with others. The film draws heavily on Christian and Bhuddist philosophies and concepts.
Very few times has such a mix of both action and philosophy been but together in film form. Thus creating such an automatic appeal to the viewers.
But as with most films, "The Matrix" does come with its own flaws. As with many science fiction and action films. These biggest flaws lie in the ending. As with films such as "Terminator 2" or "Iron Man" the film succumbs to typical "Spiderman-ish" cornyness toward its ending, that does not seem fitting with the mature vision the rest of the film contained.
Although sequels offer logical reasoning for the over-played sequences toward the end, it still feels as if to little explaination is left to be fully satisfying.
One thing that has to be fully understood with the Matrix, is that it is almost completely dependant on its sequels to be complete. Not all is resolved in the end (in fact, not even the main conflict is resolved). It is truly a three-part saga, and is what it should really be viewed as.
Science fiction lovers will (and have) found this film to put a fresh perspective on the genre and will love this movie for years to come. Non-geek people will probably enjoy most of it, particularly the concepts which are introduced in the movie.
8/10 stars
Movie Review: The One with The Gun
Summary: 4 Stars
One of my favorite sci-fi movies ever. The Matrix puts the 'I' in sci-fi, in my opinion, that is. Keanu Reeves is one awesome actor. The thing I like the most about this movie is the adventure. Even though they don't really go anywhere, I like how they've been through like a lot of stuff, and the music keeps the intensity and suspense in the movie, and is able to show you exactly what's going on. I also love how smoothly they take one half of the movie and make it a scientific explanation for what's going on and all that, and the other half with action. They are able to fit it all in and make it one awesome movie.