Great special effects does not a great movie make!

Rating: 6/10 (3 January 2001)

What can be said about The Matrix that hasn't already been said about every other 90s MTV generation movie? You want special effects? You got it! You want action? You got it! You want violence? You got it! You want loud? You got it! You want characters you'll like? Um, look elsewhere! You want emotion in those characters? Um, look elsewhere! You want to root for the good guy? Um, look elsewhere! Let's face it. Today action movies rely on alot of bullets and computer generated effects, and acting is put on the back burner...Is it any wonder that most characters in the Matrix look and sound as if they got the typical Generation X labotomy before the cameras rolled? So robots are, yet again, at war with the humans who created them. I think The Terminator did it better, even a monotone Arnold shows more emotion than Keanu Reeves. The plot itself takes us into a dark world of reality that tells us our "real" world isn't real at all. Who would want to live in that dark world anyway? Why bother to fight the battle at all? I mean any logical person would rather live in this world we've been lied about, as opposed to the dark world that represents reality, and shows no hope for mankind. Something happened to motion pictures about 15 or 20 yrs ago. Fun science fiction programs like the original Star Trek, hammy acting, Romper Room props and all, made way for The Next Generation and brain dead acting, with the scripts to match...Somehow, society has been brainwashed into believing anything with great special effects is worthy of high praise. Sorry folks, I've been around for many yrs, and I know a classic when I see one. The Matrix is just more of the same, throw in a man vs. robot story, alot of gunfire, special effects and martial arts, and Hollywood will have another hit...They were right, but unfortunately, many of us have seen it all done much better before...Terminator's script blows away this rehash. The worst of the Bruce Lee movies gave us REAL kung fu magic(not some computer generated effects that mocks our intelligence). Next time, how about making us care about the characters a little, have a woman cry in a man's arms. Make us believe these people FEEL...Maybe then we'll find ourselves rooting for Keanu, instead of the robots.
6 stars out of 10. Mostly for special effects, that by now only contribute to put us to sleep.