cool effects, but too many story holes

Rating: 8/10 (14 April 1999)

I enjoyed watching "The Matrix." However, it's no "Blade Runner." The martial arts sequences were pretty cool, especially the very first fight sequence, which took me by surprise. The costumes were cool, and some of the lines were damn funny, those which were very specific to the weird world of the Matrix.
What kept this film from being a real winner for me were the slow pacing and the large character and plot holes riddling the story. The world of the film didn't seem to make any sense, and I question what goal our heroes are actually fighting for.
Surprisingly, I thought Keanu Reeves did a fine job in his role. He even made me laugh with him (as opposed to the usual "at him").
So see the film if you want to see good use of gratuitous special effects and the first real look at a "virtual reality"-themed film. But if you're looking for a mental twister, look elsewhere. Some holes really bugged me during the film, and once I'd left the theater and started thinking about it, the whole thing crumbled. Alas.