Overrated, but still excellent entertainment

Rating: 8/10 (8 December 2004)

I remember, back in 1999 (or it could have been the start of 2000), when I first saw The Matrix. It was big, bold, loud, exciting...it had guns, bullet time, Rage Against the Machine, plenty of action, a hot woman in a lead role....I remember thinking "I should like this". But I didn't. Like Kill Bill, it's hard to believe that a fan of extreme blood and gore like myself could possibly dislike a film that sees one lady pluck out another lady's eye, drop it on the floor and stand on it, but it's true. OK, it's a little easier to believe when you consider that every scene in Kill Bill, apart from that one and the Lucy Lui fight was rubbish, but I'm sure you can see what I'm getting at.
Fast forward 4 or 5 years to today, and the rewatch. I have a theory that states that any film that I enjoy cannot possibly be bad, because I watch movies for enjoyment (nobody watches movies to be bored) and if a movie fulfils that need for enjoyment, then it has done it's job and therefore it can't be bad. And I enjoyed The Matrix.
However, I maintain that it's not a great film.
Now, if Pulp fiction has taught us anything; it's that it isn't what you take, it's what you do with it....but by god, the Wachowski Brothers should definitely consider changing their name to the Wachowski Bandits
For a start; the film is Star Wars reincarnated. Keanu Reeves is the one that brings balance to the force, and he even has everyone doubting him for a while(!), Princess Morpheus gets kidnapped and tortured and our hero's must go and save her...him, the bad guys have taken over the galaxy...I mean the world, and there's only a bunch of rebels to save it, they go and see Yoda...I mean the Oracle, who predicts the future and stuff, there's training sequences a la The Empire Strikes Back, Neo must become one with the force, whoops, i mean 'believe', Agent Smith is Neo's father...oh, OK I made that last one up, but you see what I'm getting at.
And it's not only Star Wars that the Wachowski Bandits have ripped off, The Terminator and it's sequel aren't safe either. Of course, they couldn't have made Agent Smith actually be liquid metal, as they'd have a lawsuit on their hands, but he is just another version of liquid metal really...isn't he? Shown by the way he can transform from anyone. And what about the whole 'computers take over the world' thing, you didn't think I wouldn't spot that did you?
And The Wachowski Bandits obviously aren't fascists, because even shitty movies aren't safe. What about the whole SN thing? The way that the hackers are made to look cool....Hackers anyone?
But like I said, it isn't what you take; it's what you do with it. Just like Tarantino did, Bonnie and Clyde...I mean Andy and Larry have stolen all these elements, and mixed them up into one coherent, and trend setting piece of cinema. Also like Tarantino, The Doberman Gang haven't just stolen, they've made some stuff themselves as well. Bullet time, for a start. Of course, it's not much of an expansion on the slow motion in films like The Killer; but still. Also, the idea of the 'matrix' itself is an original one. (unless it's been ripped off a film I haven't seen/heard of)
The soundtrack fits too, which is rare when it's mostly rave/heavy rock music. I think there's only Natural Born Killers and Lost Highway that I can think of when it has worked. Anyway, when Rage's "Wake Up" came on before the credit sequence, it fit very well. Also, the scene during the training with the woman in red and the agent worked well with it's music. In fact, that might even be my favourite scene in the movie. It's cool and it works. In fact, the film does ooze a sense of cool throughout, mostly because of the leather jackets.
It's not a complete piece of cinema, however. I don't know if it's built upon in the sequels, but there isn't a lot of emotion in the movie. Sometimes, it doesn't matter, some of the best films of all time are very cold on that front; my top 2, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and The Evil Dead both are; but then again, they didn't try and be soul searching or have a great depth like The Matrix does. For an example of what I'm talking about; the love between Trinity and Neo. I noticed her saying she is watching him at the start, but other than, the love seemed to be based on the fact that the Oracle said it would happen....so I'm supposed to care? In fact, none of the characters seemed to have any depth, or anything about them at all. What drives them? Why does Morpheus blindly believe that Neo is 'The One'? Why did Neo take the red pill? Is it his character? I don't know.
Also of note is the way that people seem to refer to The Matrix as a confusing film. It uses a non-linear style of storytelling (it runs straight, but you don't find everything out all at once), and that's the only confusing thing about it. When you think about it, it's very simple.
There isn't a great deal of depth, and the film doesn't pose any real thought-provoking questions either. Of course, there's the central theme; "it's all an illusion", but what does that mean? Of course, it's not all an illusion really...so what's the message? Don't build too many machines? There is a central question, though, which is "would you take the blue or the red pill"...and that's not a bad question; but the film, through it's non-linear storytelling and imaginative premise, isn't as deep as it appears to be. Bit like Fight Club really. Of course, the premise in The Matrix does get you thinking in a "what if..." frame of mind, but so do lots of things, like on British TV show, Kenyan Confronts; when he exposes credit card scams etc..."what if mine was stolen", so does that make Kenyan Confronts a deep and complex masterpiece?
(By the way, did anyone think that Lawrence Fishbourne looked stupid during his 'believe' type moments?)
Still, like I said; the film is entertaining. The action sequences are stunning and the film looks lovely throughout, so it gets itself high marks for that. It's well paced as well, and unlike a lot of action films; the non-action scenes in The Matrix aren't boring. But that's all; it's like Song 2 ("wuhoo!") or the "Belly's gonna get you" advert; fun, but not overly brilliant. However, I'm 'down' with fun films, so I'm down with this.