Its beauty is in the details

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2002)

Ever wonder what you would get if you combined cyberpunk fiction a la William Gibson, Japanese anime, and Hong Kong action movies together? Me neither. But let me tell you, it makes a heck of a good movie!!!
Lots of reviewers here have effectively summarized the plot and pointed out the action sequences, but I would ask that you look a little closer at some of the details in this movie that make it great.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then creative team behind "The Matrix" must be feeling very flattered indeed. Think about it: In the few years since this movie first came out, how many other film reviews/summaries have referred to "The Matrix" when describing their action scenes and/or special effects?
The bad news, however, is that they are all copying the wrong things.
Nowadays, "the 'Matrix' style" has become synonymous with two things: kung-fu wire-assisted jumps and slo-mo "bullet time" effects. While it is true that "The Matrix" did much to popularize these effects (although the wirework had been around for quite some time before them), the imitators forgot that these effects were used to support a well-crafted film with an intriguing storyline and excellent camerawork/art direction.
When watching "The Matrix", ignore for once the slo-mo John Woo-style shootout and "bullet time" scenes. Instead, look at the other wonderful touches the Wachowski brothers have infused into their masterpiece:
Look at the use of color--Neo's workplace and the office building used by the Agents is awash in a pale palette of glass, steel, and greenish-grey dullness. The buildings where Morpheus and Co. can hack into the Matrix are decrepit, with lots of noir-ish backlighting, as if the very structure of the Matrix is weakened, allowing the intrusion from outside forces.
Look at the use of mirrors--the Wachowskis have a fun time using mirrored images to frame certain characters and scenes. The best example is when Morpheus presents the two "pills" to Neo; in Morpheus' glasses, you can see Neo's face clearly reflected in both lenses, but each lens only shows one of the pills, suggesting the two paths before Neo.
Of course, don't forget the wonderful set design--the rusty, cluttered interior of the "Agammemnon", and the other jury-rigged equipment used by Morpheus; the sleek, menacing, organic-looking machinery of the computers; etc., etc.
And all of this is shot with exquisite camerawork by the Wachowskis. They have a true knack for "framing" a particular scene correctly, with just the right angle, distance, and lighting to provide the best effect. It's something you can also see in their first feature, "Bound".
As for the story, the plot follows a sci-fi tradition that I'm admittedly a sucker for. It calls into question the nature of our reality--if humans measure reality by our brain's interpretation of our senses, and if our senses and our brains can be deceived, then how can we know what is real and what is illusion? This idea is a sci-fi staple, and one that has become quite popular in recent sci-fi movies, such as "Total Recall", "Dark City", and "The Truman Show" (yes, I consider "The Truman Show" to be sci-fi). Into this mix, "The Matrix" tackles this issue in a grandiose style, fueled with stunning action sequences and visual flair, making it a new masterpiece of sci-fi.
I should acknowledge that this film is not without flaws. First, although it handles the idea of questioning reality wonderfully, its ideas on fate/destiny/prophesy, central to Neo's character, are much more fuzzy and ill defined. Secondly, it stars Keanu Reeves, need I say more. Lastly, I find wire stunts in fight scenes to be annoying (I thought the scenes in "Crouching Tiger..." were absolutely ridiculous) and thought that a few wire tricks in this movie were very poorly done (namely, Neo's summersault during training, and Trinity's cartwheel during the shootout).
That said, I still consider this movie to be one of my favorites, and deserving of the cult following it has received.