The Matrix [HD DVD] dvd movie.|
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In Theaters : 31 March, 1999 |
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The Matrix [HD DVD] description By following up their debut thriller Bound with the 1999 box-office smash The Matrix, the codirecting Wachowski brothers--Andy and Larry--annihilated any suggestion of a sophomore jinx, crafting one of the most exhilarating sci-fi/action movies of the 1990s. Set in the not too distant future in an insipid, characterless city, we find a young man named Neo (Keanu Reeves). A software techie by day and a computer hacker by night, he sits alone at home by his monitor, waiting for a sign, a signal--from what or whom he doesn't know--until one night, a mysterious woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) seeks him out and introduces him to that faceless character he has been waiting for: Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). A messiah of sorts, Morpheus presents Neo with the truth about his world by shedding light on the dark secrets that have troubled him for so long: "You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." Ultimately, Morpheus illustrates to Neo what the Matrix is--a reality beyond reality that controls all of their lives, in a way that Neo can barely comprehend. Neo thus embarks on an adventure that is both terrifying and enthralling. Pitted against an enemy that transcends human concepts of evil, Morpheus and his team must train Neo to believe that he is the chosen champion of their fight. With mind-boggling, technically innovative special effects and a thought-provoking script that owes a debt of inspiration to the legacy of cyberpunk fiction, this is much more than an out-and-out action yarn; it's a thinking man's journey into the realm of futuristic fantasy, a dreamscape full of eye candy that will satisfy sci-fi, kung fu, action, and adventure fans alike. Although the film is headlined by Reeves and Fishburne--who both turn in fine performances--much of the fun and excitement should be attributed to Moss, who flawlessly mixes vulnerability with immense strength, making other contemporary female heroines look timid by comparison. And if we were going to cast a vote for most dastardly movie villain of 1999, it would have to go to Hugo Weaving, who plays the feckless, semipsychotic Agent Smith with panache and edginess. As the film's box-office profits soared, the Wachowski brothers announced that The Matrix is merely the first chapter in a cinematically dazzling franchise--a chapter that is arguably superior to the other sci-fi smash of 1999 (you know... the one starring Jar Jar Binks). --Jeremy Storey |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Half brilliant half silly |
| When I first saw the Matrix on DVD a few years ago I thought it was terrible. Many parts actually made me laugh, or at least groan.
Seeing it again though a few months later I grew to appreciate it more. The plot made more sense to me this time around, and the premise was actually very intruiging. What is real to us? Is artificially induced electrical impulses in our minds any different from "true" reality? I have to admit that after the film finished I did have a few fleeting seconds of doubt about things I always took for granted, to my slight embarrasment. However I found two major flaws with this film, that shatters the sense of immersion. Firstly there is just too much silly Kung Fu/ Jujitsu action sequences with the actors wildly swinging their arms and painfully obviously missing their opponent. It's reminiscent of old "swashbuckling" movies where swordfighters prance about and keep on hitting their opponents swords (and probably saying "en garde!" or "a ha!") Although undoubdtedly there to provide a "whoa! cool!" response from 12 year old kids I just thought they were corny. There are even some sequences reminiscent of the 1970s show Six Million Dollar Man where high speed action is depicted by slowing down the waving arms into a motion blur effect. Secondly the main villain Agent Smith is just too much like a silly pantomine villain with his "You...disappoint me Mr Anderson" and "I'm going to enjoy watching you die Mr Anderson", all spoken in a very obviously fake Canadian accent. It's like watching your Dad try to be funny by impersonating a gangster. IMO the film could have been better by dropping the Kung Fu, and making the agents more menacing. The cyberpunk aspect could have been explored more, as well as the enemy machines themselves. We see only glimpses of them and they were far more interesting and menacing than the agents. And Neo and Trinity are supposed to be computer experts, yet we see very little of this. Show not tell should have been used here more. While I continue on the negatives, the soundtrack wasn't very memorable either. But those are just my views and probably differ from the majority of the reviewers here who praise it. Although I've gone on about the films' faults, I do think that it is worth watching, whether as an action adventure flick or a more though provoking slice of science fiction. |
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