Review: THE MATRIX

WANT A MIND BENDING SCI-FI CLASSIC? LOOK ELSEWHERE

(reviewed at AMC Marple 10 with jack)

    I’ve always hated films that critics love because of their ‘smartness’. “The Matrix” defines this and more. The film is too smart for it’s own good. If it had only been dumbed down two notches and had much more hardcore action it would have been a good film. I’m not saying I prefer pure Hollywood films, but critics and audience members who enjoy “The Matrix” only say that because it’s different. Why do you think bad independent films garner rave reviews. Just because something is different from the pack doesn’t mean you have to reward it.
    I will not give the plot away. It’s better to know absolutely nothing. I’m glad the previews for this film gave no hint as to what the hell the film is about. Warner Brothers knows that the plot isn’t going to bring in any more money. Just show some killer special f/x and Keanu Reeves in dark glasses and we’ve got you hook line and sinker.
    I’ll brief you on some of it, though. No reason to tell you I didn’t like the film but can’t explain why.
    Reeves plays a computer hacker by night, 9-5 computer programer by day. One day someone writes a mysterious message on his computer to him. How did it get there? Who sent it? Why is what was written coming true? Mysteries lead to answers pretty fast, about a half in hour into the movie, and for a solid hour I was in Awkwardville.    
    The beginning is awesome. I really thought it was a great opening and a cool way to show us a preview of what was to come. Unfortunately, there’s not that much cool stuff to come. There’s action but it’s condensed in the last twenty minutes. I thought the film was an action film. It’s not. It’s a sci-fi film with bits of action, bits of 1941ism, bits of silliness, and a chunk of stupidity.
    “The Matrix” is the sort of film that would be a killer comic book, and be the kind of comic book that fans would rant about making it into a feature. Unfortunately, the movie ain’t that great. It has a killer chick in tight leather, some halfway decent special f/x, a good climactic battle scene, but nothing else.
    “The Matrix” has a few great scenes here and there, unfortunately the final product just doesn’t add up to anything special. **