Everything That "Phantom Menace" Wanted To Be (may contain spoilers)

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2001)

"The Matrix", which owes its look and style to modern films ("Blade Runner", any Hong Kong martial arts movie starring Jet Li), actually tells a mythical story more reminiscent of the tales of Hercules, or of Robin Hood. Despite its ingenious sci-fi trappings, at its core "The Matrix" is a simple tale of good versus evil, David versus Goliath . . . and it introduces its audience to an unexplored, wondrous mythos of murky history. In the process of telling its tale, "The Matrix" hints at a richly plotted past that's never fully defined, but only hinted at with offhanded scraps of dialogue. In this manner, it introduces a fictional world in many as breathtaking as the original "Star Wars" did twenty-two years earlier -- but "The Matrix" also tells a compelling story, unlike the more contemporary "Phantom Menace".
The hero of "The Matrix" is Neo (Keanu Reeves), who at first glance is just a geeky software programmer at a dull and boring company, looking to earn a paycheck just like everybody else. At home, though, in the small hours of the night, he's a computer hacker, and a good one. His hacking activities draw the attention of two cyberpunk iconoclasts: Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who exudes Zen-Master cool; and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a leather-wearing femme fatale. Morpheus and Trinity reveal a profound truth about the world to the disbelieving Neo: the world doesn't exist. Everything that seems real is in fact a forced form of virtual reality, designed to make the people of the world blindly subservient to an alien-run "system." Morpheus and his group of cyber-rebels want to bring this system -- "The Matrix" -- down, and firmly believe that Neo is the messiah-like "One" who can lead his rebels to victory.
The look of "The Matrix" is absolutely fantastic. Taking a page out of literary works like William Gibson's "Mona Lisa Overdrive", the film blends film noir with "dirty" high tech -- there's nothing bright and shiny in "The Matrix"; nothing to suggest the happy future of "The Jetsons". What's left is a gritty world where both intellect and imagination rule. From this world, directors Larry and Andy Wachowski create an epic comic-book conflict where the conflict between good and evil is blown up into slick, stylized, spectacular proportions. The special effects, which includes CGI, traditional animation techniques, model work, and martial arts wire work, are all blended to make jaw-dropping action sequences . . . and to enhance the story. (The opening scene with Trinity alone makes the film worth watching). I don't know if anybody really knows what cyberspace will ultimately look like, but I hope when the time comes when people can immerse themselves in a world of virtual reality, it looks as cool as it does in "The Matrix".
The performances, for the most part, are perfect for the film. Keanu Reeves doesn't exactly flex his acting chops as the impassive Neo, but the low-key approach seems appropriate for the role. As Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne is sensational, making the character a perfect mix of a martial arts master, a cryptic philosopher, and a full-blown action hero. Fishburne never raises his voice once during the film, but he has so much presence and confidence, he still comes across as the most commanding, authoritative character in the entire movie. Hugo Weaving is also impressive as the main villain, Agent Smith, although by the end of the film he's glowered and barked exasperated orders so many times, it looks like he's watched Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive" once too often. The biggest waste of a character, however, is Carrie-Anne Moss and Trinity, who still shines despite the criminal under-use of her character. Trinity absolutely sets the incredible tone of "The Matrix" in the opening scene, showing off her potential as possibly one of the greatest female action heroes in cinematic history . . . and then she's immediately relegated to supporting character status the instant Neo and Morpheus show up. Memo to the Wachowski Brothers: Actually USE Trinity in the "Matrix" sequels; it'd be nice to see her live up to what was hinted at in the first film.
"The Matrix" presents a number of interesting concepts, ranging from the philosophical nature of existence itself to the pure adrenaline rush of combat in the cybernetic world. (Although, it's slightly disappointing to see that despite all the brilliant originality of `The Matrix', wars are still apparently fought with mundane nine-millimeter handguns and AK-47s.) These concepts alone would make `The Matrix' a terrific movie, but they're presented with such panache, the film rockets into the realm of the all-time greats. `The Matrix' is nearly everything one could hope for from a sci-fi blockbuster. Grade: A