So-so Movie

Rating: 5/10 (15 May 2003)

People take the Matrix as some sort of existensial movie that has many many layers or something. The Wachowski brothers have made a vivid world come to life, but it is just cyberpunk really. The story of the Matrix is a rehashed theme of human beings creating some advanced AI that eventually wipes out humanity. We all know this and have seen it in some form or another. The most recent example of course being the Terminator movies and Skynet. Same premise as the Matrix except that humans have to give the energy off to feed the Matrix. So that being said, the storyline in the Matrix leaves a lot to be desired.
Secondly the FX of the movie will be considered groundbreaking for a few years at least. They will be copied and duplicated a ton until you get sick of seeing it. The high point of the movie is the fight between Neo and Agent Smith(s). However this has been done in other formats already most notably this Sure the last part of the stick figure fight borrows from the first movie but all in all it is basically the same. As well the "kung fu" of the movie if you will has been done to death in many Asian movies as well and in way better form I might add. The chase scene on the freeway is decent but again the reliance on special FX to carry the movie really detracts from the whole thing.
Third the acting in the movie has really never been very strong. Aside from the hot Carrie Anne Moss, the rest of the cast gives a pretty soso performance. Lawrence Fishburne is back as the monotone Morpheus. He would be ok but his speeches go on and on and on. But by far Keanu Reeves is the worst of the whole lot. I still cannot picture him as any thing other than the guy from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and his delivery of lines fits in perfectly with that picture.
All in all I thought that the movie was soso. The FX gets a thumbs up, though fight choreography is hard to be original with. Storyline is neutral, it does borrow from the Terminator series, though with the added twist of humans powering the machines. But by far the acting is the worst part of the whole thing. The actors are stiff and delivery is barebones.

Rating from me is 5 out of 10.