Review: The Matrix

The Matrix
Cert: 15 / 136 mins / Dir. Lilly Wachowski & Lana Wachowski / Trailer



And so I sat down to watch The Matrix in the cinema for the first time*¹ on a Saturday night in 2019. And it was packed. I'm not sure if this is a testament to the pulling power of Keanu Reeves or just a standard weekend attendance. Being massively anti-social and an absolute snob, I usually avoid my local on Friday and Saturday evenings. But I digress.

INDUSTRIAL

It's a strong start to The Matrix that we begin in medias res, even if this results in industrial levels of exposition further down the line. And we hit the ground running with beautifully choreographed fight scenes, hyper-kinetic editing and the famous effects-shots. The film is ambitious in its scope (although it wasn't the first to be) but also groundbreaking in its execution - even if Bullet Time isn't quite the jaw-dropper is was in the last millennium. Still not every sci-fi movie gets books of actual essays written about it. The Matrix isn't reinventing the wheel, it's just happy to be a spoke in one which already exists.

The movie's long-lasting appeal lies in it being enjoyable on two levels: throwaway dystopian actioner and/or mythological philosophy piece. Best of all, that balance isn't open to interpretation. No matter which end gives you your kicks, it's overtly a mix of both, and they can be it can be enjoyed on either or both levels simultaneously. Parts two and three went more firmly down that second path of course, hence their more 'mixed' reception*². But even this first film is loaded with symbolism, numerology and literary references, both on the surface and below it. Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard Of Oz and more biblical nods than you can shake a mitre at.

HOUSING

Unlike the majority of action flicks, The Matrix challenges its audience to think. It encourages debate long after the credits have rolled. The characters force the audience to ask some pretty terrifying questions about identity, determinism, society, reality and even farming practices. And while it's tempting to bat these aside (as indeed Neo does, initially), that's the exact point. Because when it comes down to it, both Morpheus and Smith want the same thing - freedom (although the latter is in no way to be interpreted as a sympathetic character). And when the good and the bad guys are raising the same points, it's harder to dismiss them as propaganda or idealism.

Sure, the film is a little clunky in places (the effects-work has aged better than the dialogue), but the definition of Cool™ has evolved over two decades. All of this adds to the charm, and the Wachowskis can be forgiven for the odd falter while taking such large strides.

The Matrix is, by some considerable distance, the best movie they have made.

Dark City, The Thirteenth Floor (both of which pre-date The Matrix).



If you can.



You should already have it, but yes.



For the directors, yes.



I have theories.



There is not.



Level 1: Elan Sleazebaggano is in this.





*¹ Yeah, I just didn't get round to it at the time, even though I was in the cinema for the sequels. While it's well acknowledged that the first movie was something of a sleeper hit, I was just preoccupied with a another film in 1999. ^{[ BACK ]}

*² Although I'm more than happy to go on record in saying that I love all three movies and view them as one long story. Mind you, I haven't watched any of the entries for some years now (no agenda behind that, just scheduling issues), and as a result I watched the latter half of The Matrix waiting for events to occur which don't crop up until Reloaded and Revolutions. It's probably time to break those discs out again... ^{[ BACK ]}


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• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
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