Reviews of The Matrix

Sci-fi that actually makes you think

Posted : 3 weeks, 6 days ago on 10 July 2008 03:11 (A review of The Matrix)

The Matrix is a movie that harkens back to a time when effects weren't that spectacular, so you either had to focus on the creepy critter that you had to keep in the shadows, or where you had few to no effects at all, and focused almost completely on stories. Except with the Matrix, you can have the effects and the story. It's just too bad that they decided to try to continue.

With this first film, they had everything they needed, both story and character-wise. In stretching out what they had, they entirely lost that plausibility that made the first movie work so well.

The Matrix is one of those stories where the interpretation is broad enough to allow for layers of meaning, and the twist of having the real world versus the Matrix allowed for even more. But losing the secret of that twist meant that they lost that power in the sequels that followed. The Matrix was still there, but it was now a known quantity that could be twisted and moulded as desired.

I think this movie was the pinnacle of what developed starting with Kubrik's 2001. Sci-fi that could actually give you pause for thought, effects or not. It wasn't just there for the cheap thrill, but to make you think.

I just wish Hollywood would allow more like it to be done.

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The Matrix re-viewed

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 08:55 (A review of The Matrix)

Such was the popularity of The Matrix that is broke through the sci-fi niche audience and sprawled into the mainstream. It now pervades popular culture on a momentous scale, regardless of the relatively disappointing sequels and questionable games that tarnish the franchise.

It is, perhaps, one of the most visually impressive movies ever made. The Matrix was a cinematic benchmark upon its release, not only for science fiction films, but for all action-orientated movies. I don't think I've ever been as literally impressed with new film-making techniques as I was when I watched my VHS copy of this amazing film. I can't believe I missed this at the cinema, that would have been a truly mind-blowing experience. Dripping with cool in the form of dramatic costumes, revolutionary special-effects and an adrenaline-thumping soundtrack, The Matrix achieved cinematic eminence.

Keanu Reeves portrays Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer who leads a secret life of a hacker under the alias 'Neo'. He is consumed by an urge to uncover the answer to the question: "What is the Matrix?". His perseverance leads him to a mysterious group of rebels, led by Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne), but not before a terrifying encounter with nefarious 'agents' decked in black suits and the arcane ability to alter Neo's reality. After agreeing to join Morpheus in order to discover the answer to his question, he is shown the shocking truth about the reality perceived by human beings. The Matrix is in fact a computer simulation of life that is broadcast for a human population of the future whose bodies have been harnessed for energy by a rampant self-aware army of machines. During his initiation, Neo is 'unplugged' from The Matrix and becomes aware of the shocking conditions that survivors of humanity actually thrive in deep underground, toward the centre of the Earth, living in constant fear of the machine overlords who span the Earth's surface.

Unplugged individuals are able to jack into the computer-simulated matrix, and their deeper understandings of the programme allow them to bend reality. It is here that the films special effects run riot as Neo learns countless abilities which range from jumping across impossible distances to learning scores of Martial arts disciplines in a matter of seconds. The Matrix is not without dangers however as the 'unplugged' are relentlessly pursued by sentient constructs - the agents - who seek to destroy all those who resist machine supremacy. A rivalry between Neo and a ruthless Agent escalates throughout this film, only to be resolved in a latter movie. The intense hatred between both characters borders on the brutal, and although I prefer viewing this film as a single entity, an idea of the sequels does put into great perspective, just how deadly Neo's foe actually is. Neo's adaptation to life in The Matrix culminates in unbelievable martial arts duels and superb gun fights as his abilities and confidence prosper, eventually leading to the acceptance that Neo is 'The One' - a much prophesied saviour of humanity.

The roles are cast with relatively unknown actors, but the performances are not the strong point of the film anyway. Notoriously wooden Reeves is adept at playing a perpetually confused and dumbfounded programmer who relies heavily on physical, rather than emotional displays of acting ability. He manages to convey a character who eventually gets our sympathies, and come the end of the film we are rooting for him as one of humanities last hopes. In a story filled with treachery, deceit and an extremely ponderous subject matter, our cerebellum is well and truly worked over by the philosophical nature of the plot and the raw, intense action sequences.

Ignore the two sequels and countless spoofs that this film generated, both of which are either either utterly subpar or chronically unfunny. This film is definitely a self-contained masterpiece that requires no further explanation or extrapolation. Perhaps one of the reasons the sequels were so disappointing was due to the fact that they were nowhere near as visually appealing or ground-breaking. I almost feel sorry for anybody new to the franchise, as their opinions may be tarnished by the universe of animation, comics, sequels and short stories that were generated by the success of The Matrix.

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not bad

Posted : 4 months, 3 weeks ago on 14 March 2008 09:00 (A review of The Matrix)

Keano reeves is a horrible actor but after my 8th time watching I saw some flaws but it's still a mind bending film makes you look at everything with suspicion but the sequels recked it completely they made the series suck

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The Matrix

Posted : 6 months, 1 week ago on 31 January 2008 08:58 (A review of The Matrix)

I saw this movie for the first time when I was studying philosophy in college. It illustrated and brought to life many of the concepts we were studying about epistemology, plus it had a great story of betrayal and sacrifice.

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It was good

Posted : 7 months, 4 weeks ago on 11 December 2007 08:21 (A review of The Matrix)

it was great, but... after my third time watching it(a month ago(i dont watch it much) i realized that the effects were wierd... when i was a kid i loved it, but with an older mind(sumwhat) i noticed a few flaws and stuff, but overall i loved it, and completely original

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Pretty Good

Posted : 10 months, 3 weeks ago on 18 September 2007 12:36 (A review of The Matrix)

I admit its good, but not exactly the best. But i can say that it got me into Keanu Reeves, who is an amazing actor!

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Talk about a mind blowing movie

Posted : 1 year, 2 months ago on 24 May 2007 11:17 (A review of The Matrix)

The Matrix-1999+ Matrix Reloaded & Matrix Revolutions
“Talk about a mind blowing movie. The Matrix was off the charts. The special effects were revolutionary the first of their kind. The story was thought provoking and the action non-stop. The sequels were a little less inspiring story wise, but the special effects made it obvious that anything was now possible. Seeing Keanu Reeves fly was amazing. I knew some spectacular Superhero movies had to be on the horizon.”

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Matrix

Posted : 1 year, 3 months ago on 19 April 2007 01:51 (A review of The Matrix)

En primer lugar voy a reconocer que soy uno de los que, al salir de la sala de cine cuando vi Matrix, dije aquello de: 'esta película va a suponer un antes y un después en la historia del cine fantástico'

Es evidente que los Wachowski colaron alguna imagen subliminal durante el metraje, ya que yo no como palomitas ni bebo liquido marrón con burbujas en los cines, por lo que descarto que usaran sustancias para convencerme de ello.

No voy a despotricar sobre la película, puesto que me sigue gustando (acabo de revisitarla en DVD), pero desde luego mi impresión en esta ocasión no ha sido la misma.

En primer lugar la historia no es original. la lucha entre humanos y máquinas por el poder ya la vimos en Terminator. Y la historia de una realidad virtual que nos engaña ya la vimos en Dark City.

Los Wachowski no se conforman con realizar un film de pura acción, y pretenden vestir la historia de referencias filosóficas, literarias e incluso religiosas. Todo esto no estaría mal si se quedasen en simples referencias. El problema viene porque, a mi entender, esas referencias se comen la película, abarcando la mayor parte del metraje.

Es decir, que la película es pobre para ser considerada profunda, y como película de acción en realidad solo tiene 2 escenas destacables, por una parte todo el proceso de entrenamiento de Neo, en lo que no deja de ser una película de chinos sin chinos, y el asalto final al rescate de Morfeo, donde si que la película nos deja satisfechos después de algún alarde visual muy bien acabado.

Si a eso le añado que para mi gusto los 5 últimos minutos de una película pueden hacer que esta merezca la pena o hundirla en la mediocridad, se comprende que mi valoración final no sea la que tuve en caliente.

Si a eso le añadimos una secuela visualmente mucho más pirotécnica, pero también más farragosa en su trama, en la que en un momento dado Neo está más preocupado de su vida sexual con Trinity que de salvar a la humanidad, gatillazo incluido, uno reflexiona si no hubiese sido mejor para él (y para ella) que hubiese pasado de la píldora roja, y se hubiese tomado la azul.Burla

Verla situada en el puesto 34 del top250 de la IMDB, justo por delante de Vértigo de Hitchcock es sangrante, aunque en realidad la mayor parte de la lista es un pequeño despropósito, en mi opinión.

Para que mi opinión sea debidamente ponderada he de aclarar que solo he visto Matrix y Matrix Reloaded, no habiendo visto ni Matrix Revolutions ni el resto de productos de la saga.

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Matrix Links

Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 10 April 2007 12:02 (A review of The Matrix)

Official Matrix Trilogy website

The Matrix @ Box Office Mojo

The Matrix @ Wikipedia

The Matrix @ RottenTomatoes

Review of Matrix @ Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics

Matrix Wiki

Actors that were considered for 'Matrix' roles

Matrix script & drafts

Who Unplugged the Matrix @ MSN Slate

note: this obviously isn't a review, but an example of how great and useful a 'links' section would be for item profile pages here at Listal. We can add photos, videos, edit titles and descriptions, but we're seriously missing valuable links to external sites for trivia, reviews, stores, fansites, and encyclopedias.

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The Matrix review

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