The Matrix movie review

Dark Dreams


"It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to hide the truth ... a prison for your mind."

Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is a programmer, spending his days in an anonymous, grey cubicle. By night he is Neo, guilty of every computer crime on the books.

Neo doesn't believe in fate, because he likes to be in control. But can he ever be?

In the grey-green city there are many secrets; and in cyber space, there are stories of Morpheous, and others like himself. When the superhuman Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) contacts him, Neo is questioned by Agents (Hugo Weaving), impassively-faced, suited characters who affect dark glasses and anachronistic ear pieces. That night, Trinity takes him to Morpheous (Laurence Fishburne.

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Movie Poster, The Matrix
"Buckle your seat belt Dorothy, because Kansas is going bye-bye."
Neo is falling down the rabbit hole, and like Alice he has a choice, a blue pill to take him home, a red will will take him to the truth.

And what a truth it is. A post-apocalyptic science fiction nightmare where he learns the way most of my students want to be taught -- direct plug to the brain.

In a well-balanced marriage of special effects (including computer animation) and wire stunts we discover with Neo the possibilities of manipulating the matrix.

In the process, the audience is treated to an extraordinary ballet of martial arts and pyrotechnic bullet-strewn mayhem. The actors get to merge the black leather clad strike-a-pose with acrobatic martial arts sequences choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping. They spent four months learning Kung Fu and training for their roles, and the result is the best blend of story, photography and action that I've seen.

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Just the facts:

Title: The Matrix (1999)
Written by: Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski
Directed by: Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski
Produced by: Joel Silver, Barrie M. Osborne, Andrew Mason, Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski
The Players: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving
Official website
soundtrack site http://www.intothematrixmusic.com