Matrix was OK, but Dark City was better

Rating: Null/10 (7 June 1999)

Interesting plot line, nice plot twists, leather, guns and boffo effects, yeah, the Matrix has that. But having seen Alex Proyas' movie _Dark City_ a year earlier, I expected a lot more and ended up disappointed.
When I left the theatre after Dark City, I left with questions about the nature of my reality, marvelling at how well Proyas had mapped to the symbols in my subconscious, and yes, how delicious the film looked. But with the Matrix, the only thought I was left with was: Hm, that was fun. It never gave me the sense leaving the theatre, "Oh my God, what if all this is a simulation?" because of the unbelievable plot twists like using humans as "bioelectric energy sources". Why not use cows or dogs or rats-- they won't rebel, you don't have to make up a complicated world for them to inhabit, and they put out plenty of bioelectricity. No story, though.
So, bottom line: a fun romp, but won't grab your mind by the gonads...