Director Andy Wachowski
Released 1999
Plot A man named Thomas Anderson (also known as Neo), lives an ordinary life. A software techie by day and a computer hacker by night, he sits alone at home by his monitor, waiting for a sign in answer to his question; "What is the Matrix?". One night, a mysterious woman named Trinity seeks him out and introduces him to that faceless character he has been waiting for: Morpheus, who presents Neo with the truth about his world.
Best on Film Rating ★★★★★ FLUSH
Best on Film Rating ★★★★★ FLUSH
Wow. Wow wow wow wow wowsie wow wow. And did I mention? WOW!
I believe most film reviews of The Matrix share this sentiment in one way or another. Apologies if this disappoints you, but my review of this deserved classic will be no different.
There's a really good reason this film is now regarded as a key player in filmic history. In fact there are several really good reasons it is. For here is the film that invented the scene that has been since copied, parodied and plagerised ad nauseum ad infinitum: that of a man in a long leather coat, biker boots and cool shades doing a slow motion martial arts move with various artillery at his disposal, to a heavy metal soundtrack.
Like Star Wars did decades beforehand, the crew invented new technologies as they went along to achieve the never-before attempted special effects. The sheer passion that ignites the making of this film is obvious throughout. The script is like no other and the premise is as original as one can get in this day and age.
When I went to see this film for the first time, a whopping decade ago now (how has it been that long?!), I, like everyone else in the theatre watching with me, was utterly blown away by the story, the style, the suggestion that we are all actually living in a computer-generated world run by machines. Worryingly, the more I thought about the latter at the time, the more I realised it might even be possible. That's the sign of a really, really good film: when you have problems afterwards acknowledging it is just a story, that it's not real.
I love the fact I walked away and immediately bought a book to read about the implications of artificial intelligence. I love the fact that whilst walking away I immediately turned my CD walkman (in those days) to listen to some metal music and daydreamed about myself kicking computer-related backside whilst wearing PVC, doing a triple kick and wielding a machine gun in each hand. That's the effect this film has - the ultimate escapism you're in awe of, but want to be part of. Utter genius.
One of my favourite bits of trivia about this film is that Keanu Reeves turned down a lead role in Speed 2: Cruise Control (a big old turkey as that turned out to be) in favour of doing the months of martial arts training for The Matrix. If only all actors were gifted with this good decision-making. Reeves could so easily, at that stage of his career, been typecast as the hero day-saver for the rest of his days. This film saved him from that - as Neo he's surprisingly good, watchable, and his much-chastised wooden acting style matching perfectly to the necessities of the role. And damn, this man looks fantastic in a long leather coat and biker boots. That always helps.
So, notwithstanding the following two films in the trilogy, this first offering is a must see for everyone, without exception. No really, if you haven't seen this yet, slapped wrists all round, drop what you're doing and go watch it, somehow, right now. No, NOW. Go, now. Or I'll be forced to triple kick you in slow motion whilst wearing leather. Don't say I didn't warn you.
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