Redefining action movies...

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 1999)

I recently had the chance to see an advance screening of The Matrix at Michigan State. And OH MY GOD, this movie is going to BLOW YOU AWAY. A new standard has been set for sci-fi action movies. Move over John Woo. Move over Michael Bay. The Wachowski brothers have redefined what an action movie should be all about.
Right from the beginning, this movie is just one HUGE adrenaline rush. And unlike the sorry, pathetic excuses for decent action movies during the summer, The Matrix delivers. None of that horrendous acting and weak storylines here, The Matrix has been refined down to the smallest details. The action sequences are UNBELIEVEABLE, the choreography is SUPERB, the script is incredible, the special effects are mind-boggling, and the acting is great. This movie has it ALL.
Storywise, like The Usual Suspects, this movie has you guessing and thinking until the end. What IS The Matrix? Who IS The One? The story is incredibly well written and clever, it is definately one of the best sci-fi scripts out there.
However, by far the best part of this movie is the action sequences. The choreographer, Woo-Ping Yuen, known for his work in several Jackie Chan movies, refused to join the crew unless the actors intensively trained in the martial arts everyday for several months. The work paid off, as you will see right away in the opening scene. I must admire and congratulate the dedication and work put into filming the action scenes by the actors, the end result is truly amazing. Fight scenes in The Matrix is to car chases in Ronin, they're both in leagues of their own compared to other movies.
In closing, I honestly think this movie will give Star Wars a run for its money in overall satisfaction after watching it. This movie had me thinking for days afterwards, still in awe of it. It may not be as big or make as much money as Star Wars, but if you're going to see another movie in 1999, let it be The Matrix.