In a word: "Whoa!" - iconoclastic sci-fi actioner sets a new standard.

Rating: Null/10 (16 May 2003)

THE MATRIX (1999) **** Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano. Waycoo state-of-the-art visual effects and some kickass blending of cyberpunk sci-fi, action, film noir, religious oracle imagery and oh yeah a mind-bending story line of Neo, The Chosen One for the 21st Century in the form of lovable lunkhead Reeves (`.whoa!') who finds himself in a nightmare of virtual reality being controlled by an alien race hellbent on total domination and destruction of mankind. Some excellently edited and choreographed sequences by wunderkinds, flavors-of-the-decade directing brothers Wachowski, Andy & Larry, whose graphic novel (read: comic book) depiction a la `Blade Runner', `Dark City' and any other sci-fi fable of humanity questioning What's It All About navel gazing gives off a giddy, guilty rush of adrenaline and one head rush of a movie viewing experience. Kudos to production designer Owen Paterson's sleek, sexy visionary and cinematographer's nifty, tricky photography.