Three Movies in One

Rating: Null/10 (28 June 1999)

The question what is the matrix, was answered in the movie. However, one burning question the movie did not answer was, what made Thomas Anderson/Neo the one. I walked away from this movie of two minds. On one hand I loved the fight/special effect sequences. And I liked how Neo's character developed. There was a logical progression in his skills from a novice as seen in the fight in the dojo to an accomplished master of the matrix. This progression did nothing for me but beg the question "What made Neo special, why could he do these thing and Morphus or Trinity could not?" My other side thought of the plot. Now I will say it was mind-blowing enough to have to accept and understand the concept of the matrix. I did not feel it help the movie to throw in the various subplots, such as the Oracle or the character that betrayed the group and gloated long enough for the "wounded" character to kill him. And where did this whole I love you from Trinity to Neo come from. Out of the blue if you asked me. It seemed that The Matrix borrowed heavily from three outstanding movies to make one mediocre movie. The AI machines felt like they had been taken out of the Terminator series and the concept changed enough to make the Wachowski brothers' legally safe. I also felt that Neo was being treated like Luke was in Star Wars. In Star Wars, I understood what made Luke special. Finally I feel the Matrix borrowed from Dreamscape. Here is where I felt the plot really fell down. Once anyone understood the concept of the Matrix, they should have been nearly invincible. Morphus seemed to show he understood the concept, yet he could not defeat the Agents. I guess I liked the fights and the special effects, but the plot just left too many holes.