bob the happy bastard 's quickie review : the matrix what 's worse than y2k ? how about a fully digital future where nothing is real ?
that 's what computer programmer neo ( keanu reeves )
slowly learns as he enters the dangerous world that is the matrix , a movie directed by the wachowski brothers ( the guys behind the hip thriller bound ) .
before you groan at the presence of reeves in the lead role , hold on .
there 's actually a story with depth here .
it seems that a group of hackers is out to stop the system that is the matrix , led by the bald but brilliant laurence fishburne and assisted by carrie ann moss , who looks quite cool in leather , i must say .
neo
( reeves ) is pretty much a key player in this fight , although he really does n't look it at first .
could this amateur be " the one " as fisburne thinks he is ? credit the wachowskis for putting together a great story that allows suspense to build , something that few special effects - laden films seem to do these days .
there 's plenty of effects to go around , of course , but at least there 's a backbone to build them on as well .
reeves is surprisingly good in his role as neo , particularly in a fight scene with fishburne that comes across as goofy , yet great .
i wish the villains were n't quite so " generic
" ( leftover g - men from looking for a sweet sci - fi actioner with plenty of stop - motion swooping camera angles and , of course , a motherlode of a helicopter explosion .
now the wachowskis are headed into horror films with their next project . bring it on .
credit the wachowskis for putting together a great story that allows suspense to build plenty of effects to go around , of course , but at least there 's a backbone to build them on as well . reeves is surprisingly good bring it on there 's actually a story with depth here who looks quite cool in leather