wow wow wow

Rating: 10/10 (1 April 1999)

Ok, first off, I am not a critic or reviewer by profession. I'm just a regular science fiction fan just like any other. I like my action fast and furious, my story-line engaging my characters detailed and believable and just as importantly my technology amazing (after all, isn't that what science fiction is about?).
Unfortunately for the science fiction genre, movies that have all of these things are few and far between. There have been decent entries such as (and some may disagree with me here) Starship Troopers and the Fifth Element as well as some movies that i found fun to watch but far from being able to be considered good sci-fi flicks (Wing commander and Johnny Mnemonic).
So I was expecting to be fairly disappointed with The Matrix.
Boy was I in for a shocker. The best way to explain the first 5 minutes is by comparing it to the beginning of a roller coaster. About 40 seconds setting up the scene and then a furious drop into white-knuckle grip action. The way that they show how much more powerful Trinity is than the police and then how much more powerful The Agents are to Trinity is awesome.
While the plot may not be 100% original it is very well done and I found it very enjoyable. The locations give a feeling of confinement even in open spaces which adds atmosphere that fits the story line perfectly. I don't want to comment too much more here for fear of adding spoilers.
The characters in the film are detailed and have quite a bit of depth. Even the minor supporting roles had enough detail to make them believable. I especially loved Agent Smith. I could almost watch an entire movie about him because his character and mannerisms were so engrossing. The characters really draw you into this film.
Now for the action and technology. All I can say is damn. The action sequences blew me away. With each sequence better than the previous. The directors use of 12,000(yes thats twelve thousand) FPS during key sequences provided some never-before-seen effects that made my jaw drop. Trust me, you have to see it to believe it. And my personal fave as far as the technology is concerned is what I can only describe as an ELF (electron flux gun) that fires off blue-white bolts of lightning. Incredible.
Well that about wraps up my schpiel. As you can tell I love this movie. Do your self a favor and go see it as soon as you can.