Unique sci-fi action

Rating: 8/10 (25 September 2000)

Many moviegoers have voted The Matrix as one of the greatest films of all time (current ranking on the IMDB 250: 31st), but it does not deserve that ranking. It is however, a very good film for its genre(s); a sci-fi thriller with lots of martial arts.
I won't try to explain the plot, because I only started to understand the story about an hour into this film, and even then am not sure what was going on. That being said, The Matrix is arguably Keanu Reeves' best film. Reeves, who is constantly derided as a mumbling surfer dude, fits his role perfectly as a hacker/possible savior of mankind. The martial arts sequences, while somewhat campy, are amazing, and the video-game-like action sequences are certainly unique (did he really need that many guns, though ?) Laurence Fishburne and the always good Joe Pantoliano are also very good in this unique film. Among the best films ever ? Not by a long shot.