Hoary concept; seamless execution

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 1999)

The plot and concept of THE MATRIX are decades old and will be immediately pegged by even the most casual of science fiction aficionados, but only now is the technology available to put these old ideas into live-action cinema. Although very high-tech and effects-ridden, this is not a CGI extravaganza. Reeves, Moss, and Fishburne trained months for the martial arts scenes, and their accomplished athleticism and physical aesthetic makes this much more than a 32-bit version of TRON. I think a lot of people will be going to the theatre to see this film a second time. There's too much to absorb in a single viewing.