I say--without hyperbole--that "The Matrix" is the best action/sci-fi film so far this year.

Rating: 8/10 (3 June 1999)

I say--without hyperbole--that "The Matrix" is the best action/sci-fi film this year so far. Roger Ebert can kiss my proverbial a@#$! for not making his review strong enough, because I was not convinced at the time. Of course, the film has its flaws, which I will point out later, but overriding that is the film's complete ambush to the senses. I knew, for example, that once Trinity flew into the window of that building from the roof of another with such dazzling SFX accuracy, that I was going to enjoy the film with or without lousy acting.
Although critically, the Wachowski brothers' previous film "Bound" is wholly of more merit, "Matrix" delivers for its genre. You simply check your brain at the door, let the deluge begin, and pick it back up when the lights go up. Combining, to various degrees, good acting (many exceptions), intense action, and a terrific sci-fi/fantasy story, "The Matrix" has secured a place for itself among some of the more truly satisfying action/sci-fi films, such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Blade Runner, Dark City, Total Recall, GATTACA, Back to the Future, Star Wars Trilogy, X-files: Fight the Future, Aliens, Men in Black, Eve of Destruction, The Puppet Masters, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn and so on. Moreover, although the special effects are key, there must be balance. One need only remember failures such as Waterworld, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, The Postman, Virus, Starship Troopers (Sorry, I read the book), Lost in Space, Deep Rising, Johnny Mnemonic, Vitruosity and so on to know this.
The brilliant special effects and action sequences carry the film, but to its detriment are cartoon characters, the trite (and almost comical) aphorisms with Biblical overtones from Morpheus, the weak lead Keanu, a truly promising story line that is never really fulfilled or elaborated upon, i.e., there is no third act, and the film's clear avoidance of the serious question that Cypher, Joe Pantaliano's character, raises. Aside from that, the effects and other elements work well to balance out these flaws.
The plot, although not completely original--see Dark City--is quite surreal, dark, pulpy, and most comic book-like. There are some literate allusions to Alice in Wonderland such as follow the white rabbit and through the looking glass, but also to the Bible. Neo, for instance, is a weak Christ-like character whose name is an anagram for "One." Morpheus rearranges into "Push Rome" and Agent Smith into "I'm the Angst." And, characters with names such as Trinity and Apoc are obvious enough. In addition, the two worlds in the film make a striking contrast. The wholly bleached, grim, and gothic city seems almost idyllic when compared with the graphic and hellish "real world." Nonetheless, the Gestapo agents of the Matrix practically steal the show. Hugo Weaving's ominous portrayal of Agent Smith is outright superb character acting. Last, but not least, Keanu's marital arts are unintentionally hilarious. I know you laughed, come on now.
Yet, even after you combine this hodgepodge of elements, "The Matrix" will still leave you thoroughly entertained--as much as any rollercoaster ride, but for a lot less money.