Great fx, good thrills, okay acting, so-so story

Rating: 6/10 (27 December 1999)

The Matrix is a pretty good film, but if one is introduced to it with high expectations, such as an IMDb ranking of 35th best all time might cause, it can be pretty disappointing. Sure, the movie has excellent special effects, perhaps even second to none. It is also good as thrillers go, though I reserve "best" for thrillers that rely on guns a little less and make me cheer on the hero a little more (e.g. The Fugitive). But the acting is varied, ranging from Fishburne (great) to Keanu (good) to Weaving (frequently annoying). The story is inconsistent, as Messiah parallels give way to new video game setups. I vote 6 of 10.