A better film than its fans believe and great entertainment.

Rating: 7/10 (20 July 2002)

By that I mean there is far more to it than the average 13 year old appreciates. It is actually like Flip Wilson. Obvious, but with much more underneath than his fans ever knew. Nevertheless, its special effects have been borrowed by other films (without the logical underpinnings for those effects), but not its various premises (e.g., humans as a virus {not original but well expressed} and the world as a virtual reality {ditto}). Even Keanu Reaves seems less wooden than usual (how anyone can interview so well and act so stiffly is beyond me!). I doubt that it will be as influential as Blade Runner and it certainly isn't as beautifully shot, but it is quite good nonetheless. Even its fascist amorality is interesting. If one dies in the Matrix, one dies period. How many unsuspecting humans do they kill? True believers always think the lives of the ignorant are of no consequence. However, it does give one pause to think how easily this was ignored by the legions of fans.
Highly recommended, though not exactly for the reasons most often expressed.