THE MATRIX
*** 1/2 (out of 4) - a great movie
Release Date: March 31, 1999 Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving, Marcus Chong Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski Distributed by: Warner Brothers MPAA Rating: R (sci-fi violence) URL: http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio/reviews/1999/matrix.htm
Perhaps the most dramatic changes in the motion picture industry in this decade have to do with special effects. There is no question that action-adventure and science-fiction/action movies are now judged by the character of their light and noise. Whereas classic adventure pics of the last twenty years, such as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, were made in grand traditional fashion; contemporary films like JURASSIC PARK are multimillion-dollar creations of computer technology. The latest in this visually awesome series of movies, the Wachowski brothers' THE MATRIX, is a testament to the skilled use of special effects and its ability to enhance a movie's story.
Unlike many sci-fi movies which promote themselves as effects-heavy blockbusters but fail to deliver on that promise, THE MATRIX is a carefully constructed special effects event. It runs 135 minutes in length and employs a countless number of computerized tricks which range from gimmick to grandiose, and the quality of the effects remains constant throughout the film's length. Contrary to popular trend, THE MATRIX commits itself to being a spectacle of light and sound.
In this regard, the movie is something like a card sharp. With its flashy mass stripped away, THE MATRIX would be quite shallow and untalented. The script is characteristically weak, and the dialogue suffers in lieu of a far more innovative visual approach. But, like the card sharp, THE MATRIX wows its audience to such a high degree that actual content is irrelevent. The viewers don't care about what THE MATRIX has to say as long as the next special effects sequence is right around the corner.
And right around the corner they usually are, for the script tells a fast-paced, albeit frequently revisited story. As the movie explains, the world as we know it is nothing but an elaborate computer program constructed by an artificial intelligence for the purpose of placating mankind. Billions of human beings lie in this dormant state while the intelligence -- the Matrix -- "farms" our life energy. Only a select group of individuals knows of the "real" world, and a particularly ingenious squad of these rebels is led by ultra-cool Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). Morpheus and his crew recruit a computer expert named Neo (Keanu Reeves), believing he is a prophesied individual who will help them overthrow the Matrix and return peace to Earth.
The cast plays out this story in stylish fashion. The set design is very dynamic, running the gambit between cramped and dreary to bright and airy. The costumes, as well as the actors who wear them, add to the roles. For instance, the manifested antagonists in the movie, a group of "agents" created by the Matrix in its computer program, all dress in matching Secret Servicewear; the rebel fighters, on the other hand, dress in rich hues of leather. The casting cannot be criticized, for the typically stoic Reeves isn't required to say much and Laurence Fishburne gets plenty of time to be so damn cool. Supports in Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving are all effectual.
One of the best comparisons to THW MATRIX is last year's science fiction masterpiece DARK CITY, particularly if one ponders how this same premise would've worked from a different approach. The Alex Proyas film was far more dark and introspective, requiring a bit of thought before themes became clear; here, the Wachowski brothers have managed to construct a thrill-ride motion picture with little abandon and much noise. The better picture between the two depends on the viewer, but the key to the success of THE MATRIX is that the noise did not get in the way of the fun.
all contents © 1999 Craig Roush
-- Craig Roush kinnopio@execpc.com -- Kinnopio's Movie Reviews http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio
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