Star Wars for the MTV generation.

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2003)

An awe inspiring mix of philosophical debate and spectacular action sequences (in other words that rare occasion of a Hollywood blockbuster mixing intelligence with the usual dose of thrills and spills) The Matrix is a superb film on every conceivable level, doing for my generation what Star Wars did for my mum and dad. The film is one that contains many surprises (not least a fantastic lead performance from Keanu Reeves). Somewhat unconventional for a summer blockbuster, the film goes on a more complex path to most summer releases, opting for a more difficult narrative in the early stages and then going for a story route that goes from being the stylish (the sequences in the Matrix itself) to the downright filthy (the scenes in the real world). The biggest surprise from the film that I got was that I went to see it based on it theatrical trailer which highlighted the action sequences, only to find when I got there that the film was offering up a more intelligent and thought provoking science fiction story with the action sequences being saved until the last half hour, and it is this course where the film suceeds the most. The Wachowski's develop characters that we come to care about. We come to care greatly for Neo, Morpheus (for the record my favourite character) and Trinity while developing a hatred for Agent Smith (perhaps the most interesting villian in recent years). They sucessfully integrate the audience into their universe and once we're settled in, they let rip with a final act that would make even James Cameron proud. At the time of writing The Matrix Reloaded is on the verge of release and now is the perfect time to re-examine a film that has very well changed the course of cinema, perhaps forever. The sequel, along with concluding chapter Revolutions, will have to go a long way to beat this masterpiece of the Hollywood blockbustser, a genre that many thought was dead.