worth every cent I paid (I saw it for free)

Rating: 4/10 (30 March 1999)

There are few words that describe "The Matrix," but derivative, loud, painful, and disappointing would be a good start. From a plot straight out of a Dick or Gibson novel, to the agony of watching Laurence Fishburne recite pages of truly awful exposition, this is a film that tries really hard, but often misses the mark. To be fair, the film is aiming high and the middle third works really well. The sets, costumes and effects are terrific and the stunts and fight scenes are pretty wild. There are also some nice metaphors playing out, and there is a serious parable being told here. The dialogue during the middle is also sharp and witty, and makes me wonder who wrote the rest of it, particularly all the scenes where Fishburne and Keanu Reeves play Obi Wan and Luke Skywalker. ("The matrix surrounds us, it penetrates us...." And I thought the next Star Wars movie wasn't coming out until May.) The film can't decide if it wants to be Aliens, Johnny Mnemonic, a Borg episode, a John Woo film, or a Gap ad, so it borrows lots from all of them and ends up being too little of each. Like a lot of sf films lately, there was a really good movie in here struggling to get out. But it never makes it.