Review of The Matrix (1999) by Dov D — 23 Sep 2013

The Wachowski brother's groundbreaking sci-fi masterpiece The Matrix has become one of the most widely appreciated films of the past two decades. While I don't necessarily think that this is a classic, I do think that the script and the story in general are incredibly innovative and deserve all of the praise it's received.

The mind-bending aspects of this story haven't been seen since Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys. As far as technical aspects go, this film nails it. The effects are quality and hold up even today, and the acting is phenomenal overall.

This is the role Keanu Reeves was born to play. The emotionless qualities of Neo fit perfectly with Keanu Reeves' extremely limited skill set. I'd go as far to say that this is the only film that he's performed well in, and he didn't just perform well, he was a revelation.

Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving are also exceptional in this film. Both of there monotone deliveries and expressionless dialogue are absolutely perfect for the post-apocolypticish world the Wachowski's created.

All of that being said, this film is not without it's flaws. The story and the logic involved have several significant holes and the themes become muddled down in explanatory dialogue and fight sequences.

Bottom line, The Matrix is a sci-fi classic that nearly all audiences will appreciate. I'd recommend it to everyone.