Grand concept, inexcusably sloppy execution

Rating: 3/10 (7 September 2002)

*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
Actually, nothing could be more of a spoiler than the movie itself. The concept is brilliant -- the "real world" we think we inhabit is actually a matrix of induced illusion, but there is a "real" real world outside of it, one that the characters manage to reach.
Okay, fine.
But for this to work, there must be an entirely consistent physics and set of natural laws in the real world, and either a different but equally consistent set of rules inside the matrix, or at least a consistently inconsistent set of rules which change in some predictable way, or which are changed intentionally by someone -- heroes or villains or both -- and we see them making the changes as part of the unfolding story.

What we get instead is constantly changing rules both in the world and in the matrix, and they change for no good reason except to advance the hobbling plot, or to showcase a lame special effect. Sometimes the same rules apply in both, then one changes, then the other changes to what the first was, then the second changes back, then they switch. Or something like that.
The first time this happened, I could not believe the director and/or editor had let it slip by. It completely spoiled the flow of the movie, worse than an actor stepping out of character (lots of that in this movie, too). But then it happened again and again, with increasing frequency as the climax approached, and I realized that they just did not care.

Maybe it wasn't their fault; maybe the studio garbled it up. Maybe some day there will be a director's cut which does make sense. But given the popularity of the movie as is, that is not likely to happen.

Rated 3 out of 10, and that is generous. I would pay not to have to watch it again.