Perfect sci-fi, great action and perfect plot for the internet loser generation (like me!)

Rating: Null/10 (20 June 2002)

Neo is a computer programmer by day and a internet hacker by day. When he is approached by the shadowy terrorist Morpheus he chickens out and gets caught by the secret police. However later Morpheus grabs him again and shows him the truth  that his life is a virtual reality provided by computers while his body, and the bodies of all other humans are harvested in pods for energy. Morpheus believes that Neo is the one who will bring down the matrix and return humans to the planet's surface, however the computers seek to kill the small group of humans who exist outside of the pods. Neo learns to control the matrix to battle the computers.
Has anyone not seen this? The plot is a perfect set-up for all teenagers who believe their dull lives must be fake and that they can be a gun battling hero. That's the story of Neo and it's well told  we have Neo in the matrix, Neo getting trained by Morpheus and then returning to battle the computer drones. The story is involving and the effects make it totally convincing. The plot is clever and never totally falls into action for action's sake. Although the first half is far superior is better than the second which does tend to give into the rules of Hollywood excess.
The action is fantastic. After so many spoofs and rip-offs of the effects and martial arts (Charlie's Angels etc) it's easy to forget how amazing it was when it was first done here. Here it is done well and isn't treated like a joke like it was in Charlie's Angels. The plot being set in the matrix means we can accept the effects as part of a VR creation and take them seriously without thinking they are OTT. The only thing is that the action is so attractive that it's almost sexy  but should we find two trench coating wearing people walking into a building and killing dozens attractive?
That aside it's cool to see wire work put into Hollywood movies (and done well too). Reeves is cool and is suited to the role. Fishburne is even better  how does he keep those glasses on? Carrie Anne Moss is good but falls into the role of love interest later on. Pantoliano is good and Weaving is slimy as one of the computer sentinels.
The plot is good and opens itself to a nice religious interpretation that isn't very well hidden. Neo is `the one' who has come to save mankind, Trinity is a character etc etc. How this sits with the violence is anyone's guess but it makes it quite a nice distraction.
Overall this is very enjoyable and very well scripted. The only down side is that the fantastically choreographed fights and gun battles really glamorise violence to a worrying degree. However if you're watching an action movie then that's what you accept otherwise don't watch. For me  I can't wait for the sequels.