Almost as good as its pretensions...

Rating: 9/10 (16 October 1999)

I read that Keanu Reeves only got his part in this movie because he told the Wachowskis his ideas on the philosophical angles of the 'Neo' character and the script in general... At that was just what the directors needed to help their pretensions of making something much more important than a movie and they haven't done too bad a job. The great thing is that they haven't forgotten the need to be entertaining, too.
The special effects are fantastic, the characterisations memorable (especially Hugo Weaving's Mr Smith), and the action spectacular, but sometimes the pacing drags a little bit.
The story line is intriguing and definitely sets you thinking about the greater implications of the story line (Christian parallels are many and well-constructed). I wonder, though, if the prequels/sequels that are planned will end up adding to or subtracting from (see Phantom Menace) the story so far constructed...