Astounding.

Rating: Null/10 (5 April 1999)

After word-of-mouth spread like wildfire days after its release, I prepared to be blown away by this film, and I was. "The Matrix" is probably the best sf film since Blade Runner (with the possible exception of Dark City), and beyond a shadow of a doubt the best non-Cameron sci-fi action flick EVER.
The film is ambitious on practically every level. Visually it's nothing less than the best eye-candy ever. The basic premise may be nothing new (a friend of mine wrote a sf short story with a nearly identical premise when he was in high school!), but it's treated with such inventiveness and style that it seems compelling and fresh. The action sequences play out just like anime, right down to the slow-motion shots and sudden, violent action.
Any fan of sci-fi action absolutely should not miss this. Neither should anyone who enjoys visual style and impact.