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The Matrix Movie Review

The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film directed by the Wachowskis and starring Keanu Reeves. It’s a hugely overrated movie.

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“Neo, sooner or later you’re going to realize

just as I did that there’s a difference between

knowing the path and walking the path“

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Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer, is led to fight an underground war against powerful computers who have constructed his entire reality with a system called the Matrix. I do realize that this film can be considered to be a metaphor for literally anything. It has its Christian parallels, philosophical musings and brainwashing by the media etc. However, the film is too vague in its themes and way too thin that it ended up being overly slight.

The emphasis on action sequences and blockbuster trappings instead of genuine emotional or thematic resonance bothered me. I do continue to be puzzled by this particular movie’s reception. Of course, the audiences would love this kind of stuff, but why the critics? I have no idea.

The movie is just an action film with some science fiction scenarios that are mostly undercooked and never as intriguing as the movie thinks it is. In fact, the film is one of the thinnest among all the respected sci-fi flicks, and it’s also not that strong as an action movie to be honest.

Why would I say that? Well, mostly because of how dated this movie is. The clothing, the bullet effect that got so tired so quickly, the smug approach at storytelling as a film that always has that air of coolness in it, but is actually far from cool – it’s the type of dated movie that unfortunately influenced countless other dumb action flicks in its wake. So, that makes this movie groundbreaking in all the worst possible ways.

The Matrix is also not that original when you think about it. I have seen movies like this much before 1999, so the claim that it’s this very unique movie is uncalled for. As for the characters, only Morpheus played by Laurence Fishburne is quite memorable and intriguing, but Reeves’ Neo is very boring and his performance here is mediocre. Trinity is underutilized while Hugo Weaving is too over-the-top as Agent Smith.

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The Matrix is also technically not that great if I am to be honest. Its special effects have not aged like fine wine, let’s just say that, and it’s overly dark, the action is not my cup of tea and the film is also overlong. Some of the imagery here is definitely memorable and unique and some of the dialogue is good, but the emphasis on spectacle destroyed any of its potential.

The Matrix is one of the most overrated genre films of all time. Yes, some of its themes and imagery are interesting, but the film favors spectacle over genuine storytelling, it was not that original when you really think about it, and it was groundbreaking in the most obnoxious ways possible by influencing many others with its terribly shot, very annoying action sequences.

My Rating – 2.5

You can get the entire Matrix movie collection on Amazon.