Good but not great sci-fi

Rating: Null/10 (2 April 1999)

The dialogue is pretty consistently terrible, Reeves' acting is, as usual, pretty much limited to looks of dazed indifference, and the religious imagery is a bit ham-handed, but _The Matrix_ is still a very worthwhile movie. The direction and cinematography are outstanding, and the plot, while somewhat predictable, is quite compelling and surprisingly well thought-out. Commercials have been relying heavily on the claim that "no one can be told what the matrix is," but that's really not true. The matrix, as we learn almost immediately, is an artificially intelligent computer program which feeds sensory data to millions of oblivious humans, who in turn provide raw power for the machine's operation. Of course, Reeves becomes aware of the matrix, and spends the rest of the movie trying to expose humankind to the 'real' truth. His methods, while not particularly surprising, are interesting enough to maintain attention and so beautifully filmed that it is east to forgive the film's more formulaic scenes. _The Matrix_ isn't philosophy, but it's well worth seeing.