Stunning but a lil silly.

Rating: 7/10 (27 January 2003)

The Matrix is an exciting, stylish, thrill ride that unfortunately ultimately goes nowhere. It has one of the best openings and first half that you are ever likely to see. And then it all comes down to gun fights and fist fights. Mind you they are spectacularly well staged and shot gun fights and fist fights, but that's as much as the movie can offer as any sort of conclusion. The premise sets up so many wonderful ideas and possibilities it's too bad the script makes no attempt to explore them in any substantial way. We are introduced to The Matrix. We see The Matrix as a kind of playground, then as a kind of battle ground. And then that's it. Questions like if you were rebels fighting against an evil enemy that had enslaved mankind, why would your method of attack be the equivalent of going to their house and playing Nintendo against them? Ahh, well, The Matrix is born waiting for a sequel and not one but two are in the offing. Hopefully they can bring a more rounded experience to what is, in The Matrix alone, essentially a very stylish, action packed piece of fluff.