Don't believe the hype

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 1999)

Well, well...everybody want to know what The Matrix is, right? For me, it's just an OK sci-fi movie. Nothing more than that. The storyline is pretentious and yet doesn't develops that well during the 144 minutes or so. It seems like the directors had a real good idea but didn't know what to do with it.
And, come on, the plot is not even so original as one might think. "Terminator" has a story that's just too similar to "Matrix"(we humans live in a world that no longer exists and the future is ruled by machines and robots, then someone crosses the dimension [future or past]to fix the whole thing). And I got to confess that Arnold is more charismatic than Keanu and he didn't even had to play the nice guy...
"Matrix" has its highlights though. The special effects are superb, the references to computer games are cool and some sequences come close to be breathtaking. However, all this buzz around the film can be only explained by the good marketing campaign of its producers. You ain't going to regret watching "The Matrix", but if you're looking for a real remarkable experience (which contains the same basic elements: man/machine/body modification/reality /fantasy), try Cronenberg's "Videodrome". That's the real thing. An authentic underrated breakthrough release.