Creative Camera/Effects Work, plot drags a bit

Rating: 8/10 (5 April 1999)

I had read the April issue of American Cinematographer prior to seeing this movie, so I had a good idea of how the effects and camera work in The Matrix were going to look. Even so, I was truly blown away by the seamless integration of slow-motion, fast-motion, real time, and CGI work in this picture. The camera and effects crews did a great job. They picked the perfect pacing to match the intricate kung-fu and gun fight scenes. They made my heart slow down, speed up, and stop right along with the action, which was amazing. The action scenes in The Matrix are top notch, and make the movie worth seeing just be themselves.
The story on the other hand could have used some work. I was let down by the weak ending, and the plot tended to drag in places. There was a lot of background information that needed to be relayed to the audience, and this is where the movie tended to crawl. The dialogue was uninventive in its attempt to be pithy, and the over-the-top acting of Laurence Fishburne was a bit much. Keanu Reeves does put in a terrific performance, one of the better performances of his I've seen in an action film, maybe only topped by Speed. This film works in the same genre as Johnny Mnemonic, and Reeves' performance is ten times better in The Matrix. The rest of the supporting cast played their roles, but nothing to write home about. The character of Agent Smith was played well by Hugo Weaving, but again, the dialogue he was given tended to get in the way of that.
Overall, The Matrix is well worth the money to see. The action scenes are top-notch and breakthrough, and the holes in the plot are easily forgotten in light of the effects. I recommend seeing it in a THX theater, it will definitely heighten the experience.