User reviews

When this came out, I was living with a roommate. He went out and saw it, came home and said, "Dude, you have to go see The Matrix." So we left and he sat through it a second time. This movie is splendidly done. The mystery about what the Matrix is, unravels and you see a dystopian future unlike any we as a race would want. I have watched this over and over and never tire of it. Everyone does a great job acting in this, the special effects are above par and the story is engaging.

The Matrix - 1999

This was a real change in filmmaking. Like watching it again in 2020, i.e. after 21 years and it still feels fresh. Iconic scenes are still having benchmarks setting up.

If we say it sci-fi at its best, it won't be wrong. The hype was real, it is still not easy to match the level of Matrix where we experience the connection of humans and science, that too with amazing action fight and chase scenes, not just normal scenes they were, multiple exposures, slow motion 3D moves, Oh My God, and it's understandable as well like what are the characters up to and what storyline they are entering into. The script was very well written and executed otherwise it could have been a mess. A special appreciation in managing the theme with those black color costumes and a scientific zone with unimaginable equipment and props doing unbelievable things in the two worlds created. No spoilers, but the action scenes in the climax where the protagonist goes to save someone from agents are really breathtaking. The technology used at its best.

A salute to Wachowski Brothers and the team for creating this masterpiece. It will be a great competition and motivation as well for many films coming in the future.

This film doesn't age, it will be contemporary even in 2030 or 2040. Wachowski's best one, by far.

The story of a reluctant Christ-like protagonist set against a baroque, MTV backdrop, The Matrix is the definitive hybrid of technical wizardry and contextual excellence that should be the benchmark for all sci-fi films to come.

Hollywood has had some problems combining form and matter in the sci-fi genre. There have been a lot of visually stunning works but nobody cared about the hero. (Or nobody simply cared about anything.) There a few, though, which aroused interest and intellect but nobody 'ooh'-ed or 'aah'-ed at the special effects. With The Matrix, both elements are perfectly en sync. Not only did we want to cheer on the heroes to victory, we wanted them to bludgeon the opposition. Not only did we sit in awe as Neo evaded those bullets in limbo-rock fashion, we salivated.

But what makes The Matrix several cuts above the rest of the films in its genre is that there are simply no loopholes. The script, written by the Wachowski brothers is intelligent but carefully not geeky. The kung-fu sequences were deftly shot -- something even Bruce Lee would've been proud of. The photography was breathtaking. (I bet if you had to cut every frame on the reel and had it developed and printed, every single frame would stand on its own.) And the acting? Maybe not the best Keanu Reeves but name me an actor who has box-office appeal but could portray the uneasy and vulnerable protagonist, Neo, to a T the way Reeves did. But, come to think of it, if you pit any actor beside Laurence Fishburne, you're bound to confuse that actor for bad acting. As Morpheus, Mr. Fishburne is simply wicked! Shades of his mentor-role in Higher Learning, nobody exudes that aura of quiet intensity than Mr. Fishburne. His character, battle-scarred but always composed Morpheus, is given an extra dose of mortality (He loves Neo to a fault.) only Mr. Fishburne can flesh out.

People will say what they want to say about how good The Matrix is but the bottomline is this: finally there's a philosophical film that has cut through this generation. My generation. The Wachowski brothers probably scribbled a little P.S. note when they finished the script saying: THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT YOUR EXISTENCE. What is the Matrix, you ask? Something that's closer to reality than you think.

Either that or it's my personal choice for best film of all-time.

Writing a review of The Matrix is a very hard thing for me to do because this film means a lot to me and therefore I want to do the film justice by writing a good review. To tell the truth the first time I saw the film I was enamored by the effects. I remember thinking to myself that this was one of the most visually stunning films I had ever seen in my life. Also having always been a comic book fan and a fan of films that were larger than life, the transitional element of the story was very appealing to me and this probably heightened my enjoyment of the film very much. It wasn't until some time later (and after having seen the film a few times more) that I started to think about the film. I recognized the Christian elements quite quickly but it wasn't until I wrote an actual 15-page essay on the film that I tapped into some of the philosophical and religious elements and that made me appreciate the film even more. I won't say that I have recognized all elements because the film is quite literally packed with them.

Acting wise the film works excellently. I won't say that there aren't any issues because there are but overall the acting is pretty flawless. Keanu Reeves plays the main character, Neo, or Thomas A. Anderson and while he is not the perfect actor I think he does a pretty good job in The Matrix (and the sequels). He doesn't have the longest of lines which was probably a deliberate choice from the directors and it works because this gives him a better opportunity to work on posture and facial expressions and I must say that overall his body language is very good. Very clear and well defined. Laurence Fishbourne plays Neo's mentor Morpheus and he does an excellent job of it. His lines flow with a certain confidence and style that makes his character somewhat unique and interesting. Carrie-Anne Moss does a good job as well and succeeds in looking both cool and sexy in her leather outfit. Joe Pantoliano, a critically underrated actor does a brilliant job of bringing his character, Cypher, to life. I can't say much about him because his character is pretty essential to the plot and I certainly don't wan't to spoil it for anyone. Gloria Foster appears in a relatively small role that will have greater significance in the following films and she does a very good job. The best acting is provided by Hugo Weaving, however, in his portrayal of Agent Smith. It is really something to watch him act out the changes in his character. Agent Smith gains some human traits like anger, sense of dread, hate and eventually even a sly sense of humor (mostly in the sequels). Two thumbs way up to Weaving who has created one of the finest screen villains of all time.

Effects wise the film is simply stunning and it deservedly was awarded the Oscar for best effects (and was regrettably cheated out of a nomination in the Best Film category) ahead of even Star Wars. The reason that I think The Matrix deserves the Oscar for best effects is simply that the effects in The Matrix are more innovative than the ones in Star Wars. Just take a look at how many times the effects have been spoofed and you'll probably agree. The effects also help in the symbolism of the film and in creating a very dystopian atmosphere not unlike the one seen in Blade Runner and this works brilliantly. The film looks beautiful at all times and today 6 years later (my God has it already been 6 years?) the effects still hold their ground against new science fiction films. Add the effects to the brilliant editing and you have a visual masterpiece on your hands. Very well done.

The reason that I think The Matrix is more reviewable than pretty much any other film is the story and the philosophical and religious elements of the story because with every viewing I catch something I didn't see the previous time I watched it. Without spoiling the film I think I can mention a few of the more obvious elements. Obviously the film draws on the Messiah myth as Neo is a clear reference to Jesus with the analogy of his name (Neo = one, as in The One) but also hidden in his other name, Thomas A. Anderson. The first part of his last name, Anderson comes from the Greek Andros meaning "man" and combine this with the second part of his last name "son" and add a little creativity you will come up with the combination "son of man" which was a title Jesus came up with about himself. Also the first time we meet Neo a man calls him (and I quote): "You're my Saviour man. My own personal Jesus Christ." It doesn't get any more obvious than that. Aside from the Christianic elements the film also gets its inspiration from Budhism, Gnosticism (Gnosis = knowledge) but is also inspired by Plato and his analogy of the Cave and Jean Baudrillard's essay, Simulacra and Simulations. Explaining these elements would make this review go on forever so aside from mentioning them I will not comment on them further.

To all the people who doubt the profound nature of The Matrix I can only give one advice: Free your mind and watch the film again. You won't regret it. If I had to choose a favorite all time film my choice would probably fall on either The Matrix (obviously I don't expect people to agree but if they do thats great) or The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and I recommend it to all fans of sci-fi and people who like philosophy.

10/10 - on my top 3 of best films.

The film is as well crafted as the matrix itself! On another level entirely to any other science fiction film from the last 20 years . Getting lost in another world, is interly what Cinema is made for. This one takes you into a whole new universe interly .

At first, I wasn't interested in seeing the Matrix. But after hardly hearing any bad reviews for it (and believe me, I hear bad reviews for every movie I enjoy) I decided to give it a try. At first, although I really loved the fights, graphics and characters, the plot confused me. (Anyone confused by the plot at all should go to www.knowthematrix.com and you'll find out everything you could want to know) By the second time I watched it, I really understood it, which made the movie even more enjoyable.

I really loved this movie. Just about every character, good or bad, is very interesting and cool. The acting was excellent. Even though I think this was Keanu Reeves at his best, the best acting jobs were done by Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity). Hugo Weaving did an excellent job as Agent Smith and Joe Pantoliano was great as Cypher as well.

The plot is one of the best movie plots I've seen in a movie. An accountant by day, computer hacker by night guy suddenly finds out that reality as we know it is fake and that we are actually in a giant computer program run by robots (that we created, of course) in order for them to get power. Not only that, but he finds out that he is one who is, according to prophecy, going to put an end to it. The greatest thing is that you learn things just as Neo does, so you can really relate to his character.

My favorite thing about this movie is that no matter how many times you watch it, you will learn more about it. I guarantee this. Some may not like this movie because the plot is too complicated, but I recommend that anyone who enjoys movies should go buy this one right away.

What if I told you the Matrix is not a Sci-Fi but a Documentary movie?

Without a doubt one of the best and most influential movies of all time, the Matrix is the defining science fiction film of the 1990's and the biggest leap the genre has taken since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. The Matrix is a ground-breaking motion picture that not only raised the bar for all the science-fiction films to come after it but also redefined the action genre with its thrilling action sequences and revolutionary visual effects.

The film tells the story of Thomas Anderson a computer hacker that in the world of hacking goes by the alias of Neo. When he is contacted by the mysterious outlaw Morpheus and having always questioned his reality, he is awakened to the truth that the world he's been living in is a simulated reality called the Matrix and that he's nothing more than a slave in this dystopian world, created and controlled by A.I powered machines.

The direction and script by the Wachowskis is fantastic, as they drew ideas and inspirations from every other great sci-fi and cyberpunk movie and anime before the film, combining it with stunning action and putting it into one picture that has enough style, substance and subtext that everyone ended up giving their own interpretation of the story. The research that went into the preparation of the screenplay is quite extensive but the manner in which it is presented on the big screen is also very impressive. Every character presented on the film, has a well-defined arc and a purpose, and their motivations are clear.

The cinematography is impeccable. It was very innovative in the use of the camera angles and movements, the zooms, the slow-motion captures and the different color palette used to differentiate the Matrix and the real World. The editing is flawless, as it makes sure that every scene is integral to the story and ensures the pace of the film stays ferocious through its entire runtime. Each frame is also packed with so much visual information for the viewer to devour. The visual effects introduced us to the bullet-time effect and their impact can still be felt in today's movies. The performances are also incredible. Each member of the cast gave their best performances and brought the characters they portray to life, but the one that stands out the most is Hugo Weaving's disciplined rendition of his character, Agent Smith; a powerful computer program made to search and destroy the human rebellion, in undoubtedly the greatest performance in his career.

In conclusion The Matrix is a masterpiece everyone should see. It is one of the most thought provoking, inventive, pioneering, influential and stylish movies of all time and it's also full of philosophical and religious allegories waiting for interpretation. Immortal for its contribution to cinema and pop culture, its brilliant combination of inventive visual effects, excellent vision and exquisite action easily makes it one of the best, most influential and most entertaining movies ever made.

Ok, I'm getting sick of comments saying stuff like "The Matrix is the greatest film EVER MADE!"

That's complete and utter bullturd. Yes, it had great cinematography and effects, yes it had a great soundtrack but NO WAY was the acting superb and NO WAY was the storyline great.

Take that storyline and stick it in any other action movie and you would leave feeling disappointed at the end. It's major selling point was "What is the Matrix? You have to see it for yourself." Come on, the only plot twist was that thing to do with Cypher, and that wasn't greatly unforeseeable, there's things like that in every frigging action movie.

The thing that set it apart was the ground-breaking camera effects, gnarly special effects and a funky soundtrack, as well as the costume design bit, with all that leather and expensive sunglasses. Without this stuff, all you would be left with is your average action movie.

I'm not saying it was a bad film at all, just not one of the greatest. Highly entertaining, great to watch with your mates, definitely one of the most interesting films in recent years. But give me The Third Man, Memento or the Usual Suspects any day.

7/10

and this is all. because each explanation sounds wrong. sure, the acting,, the plot, the fight/action scenes are great. maybe unique. but the essence, for me, remains the basic idea . a fake reality against the pure truth. and the magic as clothes of each character. because it is more than a film. it is a revolution in the way to see a film and to discover reality. you are Neo. and the mythological mix of symbols and cultural references and the simple story who seems have more and more levels are more than fascinating - it is real. sure, Matrix has a lot of reviews and around it is very easy to say hypothesis, verdicts, opinions or, maybe, critics. it is enough to say it is a masterpiece. or the perfect fascinating fairy tale.

You name it. Technology, CGI, flow of the story, the concept, action, romance, style, music,... everything you want is realized in this movie to the level of perfection. The scene where Neo and Trinity go to the virtual reality to save Morpheus is so fashionable that I screamed. The camera angle, costume, music, and the gunfights.. all these qualities shine the heroes. The entertainment value of this movie should not be overlooked because of its high quality and philosophy.

I can see how much research Wachowski sisters put in to make their imaginations and concepts realized in the two-hour movie in plausible ways. How is dystopian future and present is connected? How does dream within a dream work? All the questions about their imaginary world is answered because they pay attention to details and they explain every existence and terms with logic one step at a time. There is no leap of logic, very tightly well-woven script.

Their concept is not just future or imaginary anymore. In 2020, we see AI taking over many of works and jobs that humans used to do and invading privacy. Virtual reality games gain popularity over time, and you see Neo everywhere who adapts quickly in the Internet world and learn the combat game so fast and naturally.

The impact of 'The Matrix' in the movie industry is more than imaginable. Of course, revolutionary visual effects with elaborated CGI techniques created iconic bullet-dodging scene of Neo. Because the Matrix system in the movie is kindly well-explained, it widens a scale of sci-fi genre. Hunger Games, Inception, Eagle Eye, Wall-E, and so many other movies that followed benefited from this epic work.

This movie is so well written that you can't even prove this movie is wrong about our world. This movie mades you think that our world can be just a reflection, a fake world. It's not just about the war between AI and humanity. It's more about questioning the reality.

And years later the idea is never gets old. This is the movie that you should respect if someone says "I think this is the greatest movie of all time." because it has somethings unique, not special it's just unique.

It's beyond all the Science-Fiction movies. Normally Sci-Fi movies mades you think "Can this subject of the movie be real someday?" and actually only some of them made you think that way. This one mades you think "I can't deny, this could be our reality. We can never be sure."

Besides making one of the greatest Fictional Universes, this movie also achieves so much more.

And not only that, this movie is also achieves something great in Action. It has the most iconic action scenes. Action director is so great. Revolutionary VFX and SFX, amazing Set Decoration and more.

So much greatness about this well done crafty philosophical masterpiece! One of the greatest films ever made; a true benchmark in cinema and huge meticulously brilliant cabinet file of important metaphors. I smile so much while watching The Matrix, I'm so happy it had a 20th anniversary. I'm beyond intrigued by these types of society thought-provoking gems; there aren't enough of them!!

Truly a masterpiece in every way! If it wasn't for Fight Club this would my favorite; I've been on the fence about it. The Matrix along with They Live have the best metaphors about life/society, most of which a lot of the population aren't woke to!

For example the entire speech Morpheus says "The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work... when you go to church... when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. That you are a slave, Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind." Among other brilliant quotes like when he talks about what the world has become, then mentions we have become this referring to a battery. So many genius lines I could list that I won't.

The effects, stunts, lighting, sounds, and tone are outstandingly spot on! They really did train for the fight sequences for months I've seen all the special features plus more. Yes this is a sci-fi film, but I see it as a documentary as well. We're all slaves that take the blue pill throughout many things it's just hard to realize that. I also love what someone else said, it's a benchmark for sci-fi to come, that is very true and it's the last of its kind; movies aren't made like this anymore!

A lot of people worked hard to make this film what it is. I respect that; I've always wanted to work on film just haven't had a way for many reasons. If you've read this far or even at all thanks and sorry! I usually don't leave a review this long, just thought it was worth it for this one. Check out my others if you're interested for now 10 out of 10 phenomenal movie in many ways!

20 years after its release, and several years since I last saw it, some reflections on the experience of rewatching The Matrix. In no particular order ...

1) It still look great. I mean, this is one amazing, stylish looking phone. Very little about the look of the film has dated - the mobile phones, obviously, Neo's computer, and very briefly a couple of visual effects creak. But otherwise, this looks as amazing at it did on release. It's sumptuous.

2) I think I was one of the many who misjudged Keanu Reeves all those yeas ago. I made easy jokes about his vacant stare and apparent intelligent. From this vantage point we can see he's been in a good number of successful, intelligent films. It's also become clear that within the industry he as a reputation as decent, hardworking man who is a pleasure to work with.

3) It's apparent again how literate and cine-literate the film is. I knew this 20 years ago, but since then I've seen a lot more films and read a lot more books, and this time around I especially loved the way the film nods its head to other film genres and influences. I noticed a lot of Peckinpah, and did I see a nod to Kurosawa there too? And I was reminded that for an English Literature graduate like me, this is a goldmine of quotes, allusions and references.

4) Seen 20 years on, its influence on cinema since is clear. There's a lot we could talk about here, but I was especially struck by how indebted a director like Christopher Nolan is (keeper of the flame of intelligent blockbusters), especially with Inception.

5) I'd forgotten that the narrative ostensibly maintains uncertainty about Neo's identity until just before the end. I'm not sure this really works - anyone who's read many books or ever done an anagram will not find that the most suspenseful part of the narrative.

6) Despite a run time of 2 and a quarter hours, it never flags and attention never wonders. The film fizzes with kinetic energy and the time flies by. It's a lean film, without a wasted moment.

7) The film is, of course, packed with religious allusions. When I wrote a chapter on this for my BA Theology dissertation, I said I thought the film was neo-Bhuddist (forgive the pun, please), and I stand by that on rewatching. Of course, there's lots of allusions to Christian and other theology, and The Matrix spawned some really bad reading of film by Christians which has never really stopped. When will some Christians learn to read a film/book etc with integrity and understanding of what the film is trying to do? It's a spiritually confused mish-mash of a film - but still a gloriously entertaining one.

8) All these years later, it turns out The Matrix was somewhat prophetic about the role technology would play in our lives. Humans permanently plugged in to networks? Different layers of reality that are somehow more real than what we think of as real? The Wachowskis saw all that and more coming 20 years ago. Artists are the weather vane of society; we really should learn to pay attention to them.

9) Bottom line. I still bloody love this film. I'm trying to work out if I have the requisite strength to revisit the sequels....

The Wachowski brothers really did excel themselves with this movie. It's a brilliant movie on a number of different levels - the directing is excellent, the camera work is great, the visuals are stunning, the kung-fu is A+, acting is executed with style and conviction, and the plot is truly inspired. It's really hard to use enough superlatives on this movie!

It'd be a 10/10, except for the ending. Having Neo do what he does at the end really lets it down, in my opinion. However, there's a couple of sequels on the way, so let's see what the Wachowskis can do to make up for it.

Other than that, (and like I said above) the movie is operating on so many different levels that each time you watch it, you pick up something new... this isn't by accident, either. The Wachowski brothers had the actors read a number of definitive works (Simulation & Simulcra was one I believe) in modern literature and psychology, and applied liberal dashings of aspects of the major religions to provide the best sci-fi movie of the decade, if not ever.

I'm yet to meet somebody who hasn't enjoyed it. It's my favourite movie to watch on a good cinema system, too.

Really, my summary says it all.

It's a cute premise overwhelmed by its need to be cool at the expense of plot, characters, meaning, or consistency. It has philosophical and literary pretensions that come off as kindergarten philosophy at best and ham-handed at worst. Luckily, these can be ignored fairly easily.

Good action sequences for the most part. Most of the cast is summer-movie capable. i.e. Their acting is neither embarrassing nor impressive. Keanu gives his second-best performance ever (after Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure). Unfortunately, that is likely merely the convergence of his naturally confused look with the confusion inherent to the character.

All things considered a fun action movie provided you don't buy the hype telling you that it is so much more.

By the way, stop with this one. This movie is watchable and complete in its own and is only degraded by its truly dreadful sequels. If this movie is the triumph of style over substance, its sequels are the cruel beating and maiming of substance by style gone bad.

The Matrix...when I first heard about it, I expected just another sci-fi action thriller. Good and filled with insane stunts, but not terribly intelligent.

Boy, was I wrong. Oh, the stunts are there in spades, all right, and yes, they are awesome. And the special effects are absolutely amazing (even if similar ones have been used in other movies as a result- and not explained as well).

But the movie has plot as well. It has characters that I cared about. From Keanu Reeves' excellent portrayal of Neo, the man trying to come to grips with his own identity, to Lawrence Fishburne's mysterious Morpheus, and even the creepy Agents, everyone does a stellar job of making their characters more than just the usual action "hero that kicks butt" and "cannon fodder" roles. I cared about each and every one of the heroes, and hated the villains with a passion. It has a plot, and it has a meaning...and lo and behold, a plot does help the fight scenes! Just try it, if you haven't seen the movie before. Watch one of the fight scenes. Then watch the whole movie. There's a big difference in the feeling and excitement of the scenes- sure, they're great as standalones, but the whole thing put together is an experience unlike just about everything else that's come to the theaters. Think about it next time you're watching one of the more brainless action flicks...think how much better it COULD be.

All I can say is WATCH THIS MOVIE. If you haven't, you're missing out on one of the best films of all time. It isn't just special effects, folks.