The Computer Wore Ray-Bans....

Rating: 5/10 (19 June 2000)

What is "The Matrix"? Lemme tell ya: "The Matrix" is a vast computer network designed to kick butt and take names...oh, and to imprison all humanity - almost forgot that. Did I mention what Keanu Reeves has to do with any of this? No? We'll get to him later, then.
Well, conspiracy theorists, here's your ultimate sci-fi flick. Seems we're all living a virtual reality lie and that this is really the future and we're all slaves to the Pentium gods. In fact, the only thing that stands between us and total oblivion are a pack of rebel freedom fighters and a lone man who will one day destroy the evil.... Hmmm, does that sound familiar to anyone else?
DUH! "The Matrix" cobbles together a story-line from not only "Star Wars" but also "Alice in Wonderland", "The Wizard of Oz", Zen philosophy, Kung-Fu chop-socky flicks, your choice of shoot-em-ups and one of any Oliver Stone movies where we're all living in a daze and there's sinister plots working to undermine our lives and make us all live a live (or in this case, a "techno-lie").
Reeves is Neo, the "Chosen One" as he is sometimes called and must be brought from the "real world" to help an underground resistance in a desolate world of the "future" to train, re-learn and re-think himself in order to defeat the bad guys, save the good guys and (GASP!) find true love in the form of Trinity (Moss).
Okay, plot mechanics aside, this is a movie you'll only be interested in for the FX and let me tell you, there are some good ones here. You know those Gap commercials where people jump, freeze in mid-air then the camera rotates around them 180 degrees until they land? That's what you'll see here, and those scenes are well-done. In fact, a lot of the action here is invigorating and, truth be told, exciting.
BUT, the Wachowski brothers tell a thin plot line that is just an excuse for their speical FX loop. And in it are some talented actors trying to stand out from the swirling and swooping scenery about them. Of the group, Fishburne does best as Morpheus, the Obi-Wan to Reeves' Luke Skywalker. Fishburne teaches, philosophizes and drop-kicks with the best of them and is one of the more memorable characters in modern day film-making.

Reeves is pretty much ineffectual and (understandingly) bewildered by the goings-on, so doesn't have much of a chance to do any acting. Moss plays tough all the way through (even when kissing Reeves!) and Pantoliano seems to be here as a token gesture, since he was in the Wachowski's "Bound".

The bad guys, though, are pretty effective, wearing dark glasses, neat business suits and locked jaws. The main baddie, Agent Smith (Weaving), does most of the talking and threatening and suggests what Darth Vader would have been like in business wear.
In the end, though, once all is said and done, you'll remember FX and gunfire and fight scenes and, maybe, think twice about touching a mirror again. But not much else. But if all you want is cool FX, look no further.
Five stars for "The Matrix", in terms of FX and story.

There are supposed to be sequels coming out for this movie later on. I'll bet Oliver Stone will be first in line.