Quite a ride...

Rating: 8/10 (25 October 1999)

"The Matrix" is an absolute thrill-a-minute ride with a twist: there's a plot and some depth behind the superb special effects. The film is highly entertaining, provocative, is generally well-acted (Reeves does a great job UNDERPLAYING his role here), and it boasts a terrific villain in "Mr. Smith," whose monotone barely disguises his loathing for humans. The producer of "The Phantom Menace" should take note of the use and quality of the fx here, and perhaps get a clue for his next film. In particular, the martial arts scene with Fishburne and Keanu is not new, but is sharp and nicely integrated into the plot.
My main issues with the film (as also noted by Roger Ebert) are that it has a partially derivative screenplay (see "Dark City," the writings of Philip Farmer and Harlan Ellison, and certain stock action films), and that the climax, while exciting, is predictable and well-worn, and implies that the screenwriters and story editors simply ran out of ideas. This leaves the viewer unsatisfied with the traditional "good guy v. bad guy" fight that leaves the intellectual issues raised earlier unresolved. That said, "The Matrix" is great entertainment and a definite "big screen" film. An "8."