Extraordinary!

Rating: 9/10 (15 November 2006)

When I left the cinema after watching the Matrix, there were so many questions in my mind, so as in my friends'. It's been quite a long time I haven't seen a film drew so much attention and provoked so many debates on the Internet. This is surely one of the best films covering a wide range of issues.
The film starts as ordinary as it can be, and later followed by some strange incidents. Not until meeting with Morpheus and Trinity does Neo realise that he's not in the real world he supposed to be, but in a computer-simulating world. He makes his decision to escape from this artificial reality to fight with the computer, maybe better called a programme.
The development of the story is quite smooth and unexpected (of course I haven't read any reviews or plot outlines before I went to the film). The visual effects can be said to be excellent even we see them with the most up-to-date standard. Some classic action scenes are also taken in other films all over the world for so many times. Die-hard marital arts fans may not be well satisfied with the actions (after all they're quite computerised), but I would say it's up to an acceptable standard.
The idea of the whole film is kind of abstract through the film, but the central idea to me would be decision-making and beliefs. When something you hear from a stranger is out of your knowledge but seems to be very serious, what will you choose and believe? What can you do with your own power? Do you have the courage to change or fight? The way you live is really in your hands, but the truths in the film may sometimes really terrifying.
This first film of the trilogy is surely the most balanced and coherent in the same series as you'll see the failure to handle postmodern ideas afterwards, but if you finish this one, you can't help watching the other two. This is undoubtedly a must-see, even for those who aren't so much into sci-fi, as good films have no boundaries. Just enjoy it!