The Matrix

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2005)

From writers, producers and director Andy and Larry Wachowski, aka The Wachowski Brothers (Bound) this was, and still is a milestone with imagination and digital effects technology. Basically Thomas Anderson (Speed's Keanu Reeves) lives an ordinary life as a computer programmer by day, and by night as a malevolent hacker known as Neo. Then one day he finds himself warned by Trinity (Memento's Carrie-Anne Moss) and chased by police and agents. Thomas has always questioned the reality he lives in, but when he eventually meets like-minded Rebel warrior Morpheus (Boyz n the Hood's Laurence Fishburne) the truth is revealed far beyond his imagination. Morpheus tells him he has been living in the artificial reality world of The Matrix, basically everything we see, hear, feel etc is a big program, and the human race are all slaves. Anyway, Thomas, now mainly known as Neo is woken into the real world, a ravaged wasteland with most of humanity captured by the race of machines that live off their body heat and imprison their minds in The Matrix. Neo is taught all about The Matrix, the real world and more importantly trains him to go back into The Matrix to battle with the agents, including leader Agent Smith (The Lord of the Rings' Hugo Weaving), who are super powerful computer programs dedicated to snuffing out Neo and the entire human rebellion. The Oracle (Gloria Foster) at one point in the film told Neo he was not "The One" like Morpheus says, but of course this was to boost his confidence to make him believe more, and confirm that he actually is. Also starring Memento's Joe Pantoliano as Cypher, Belinda McClory as Switch, Julian Arahanga as Apoc, Matt Doran as Mouse, Marcus Chong as Tank, Paul Goddard as Agent Brown, Robert Taylor as Agent Jones and Anthony Ray Parker as Dozer. The action and stunts are fantastic, the actors are all well cast, the use of colour (to remind you where you are particularly) is impressive, it is just an unmissable action thriller film for science-fiction fans. It won the Oscars for Best Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound, and it won the BAFTAs for Best Special Visual Effects and Best Sound, and it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Production Design. It was number 66 on 100 Years, 100 Thrills, and it was number 15 on The 100 Greatest Films. Outstanding!