A fabulously green trip down the rabbit hole.

Rating: Null/10 (12 April 1999)

Who says it's not easy being green. Certainly not the Brothers Wachowski who have written and directed one the greenest, most visually spellbinding, and most franchise-promising films in ages. Not since "Batman" has one of our primary colors played such a major role in establishing not only the look of a film, but also the mood. And while it is an unusual choice (it tends to make all of the actors, particularly Keanu Reeves, in his best role since "Speed", look a tad bit ill, like they've all spent too much time under bad office lighting)it gives the entire film a look we have never seen before. And what a look. Like the Brothers Grim, the Wachowski Brothers have fashioned a post-modern fairy tale, complete with "white rabbits" to chase, visits to a cookie-making wise old woman, and a kiss which raises our sleeping beauty from the dead. To give away much of the plot would be unfair because half of the fun is falling down the rabbit hole without knowing where you're going, it is suffice to say that the world our here Neo (Reeves) lives in may or may not be as real as it seems. It takes a beautiful young computer hacker, Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss) and a charismatic leader named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburn) to help him recognize the truth and answer the age old question "What is the Matrix?" (and you thought it had something to do with a chicken and an egg). What makes the film work is its attention to detail and its ability to take the art of martial arts films and apply it not only visually but organically to the plot of the film. When characters tumble through the air with the greatest of ease, they have a good reason to do so. They look great, we're entertained, and the whole thing works. What also works is the acting. Keanu Reeves will never win an oscar. I say that with great confidence because he doesn't have the range that it takes to do so (Marisa Tomei being the exception to the rule of needing a great range to win an Oscar), but he works well in the role. He seems confused much of the time and appropriately so. Fishburne and Moss are stronger and help propel the story to the exciting conclusion. Contrary to Kermit's historical lament, for "The Matrix" it's quite easy being greed, and being number at the box office two weeks in a row, it's quite easy making it.