Classic Review: The Matrix (1999)

What is the Matrix? Unfortunately no one can be told what the Matrix is. One has to see it for themselves. Fortunately for us, twenty years ago the Wachowski sisters, were kind enough to show viewers how deep that rabbit hole went. These visionary filmmakers introduced the world to ideas and concepts that had never been explored on screen before, teaching a generation what “cool” was all about along the way. So many of the visuals became iconic as the film not only solidified itself alongside the blockbuster films from the late 1990’s, but it elevated itself into the stratosphere of pop culture, reaching into the realms of music, anime, toys, video games, magazines, fashion, everyday conversations and countless other aspects of life. There’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path, and The Matrix is The One walking.

The story begins with some police officers storming in on Trinity (Moss) before she stuns the audience with a slow-motion jump while the camera circles around before she chest kicks an officer across the room and then escapes by doing superhero jumps across rooftops with an agent wearing dark glasses in close pursuit. After she escapes by disappearing in a telephone booth as it gets rammed by a dump truck, we meet Thomas Anderson (Reeves), an everyday citizen who moonlights as a computer hacker by the name of Neo. From there, Trinity hacks his computer and has him following a white rabbit to a club where she meets him face to face and speaks to him using terms and analogies he doesn’t quite understand. Neo goes to work the following day only to get a cell phone call from a man named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and is then chased around his office building by the same agents in black suits and sunglasses that were chasing Trinity. The film continues to lay groundwork for something big but more questions are raised that aren’t answered until Neo finally gets to meet Morpheus and at that point the Wachowskis open up a can of whoop-ass on viewers’ mental capabilities.

Once viewers’ minds have been reduced to some form of mucus-like slime or jelly, they’re immersed in a green-hued world of stylized violence and action for a just over two hours but it seemingly flies by within a few minutes. Meanwhile, a common critique of the film would be the several exposition dumps that must happen in order for the world to be set up for which the film does for almost a half hour. However, all that setup pays off once the action and fight sequences, which are second to none, kick into overdrive. The film’s premise may be complex and the full scope of what is happening may fly over the heads of some but that all makes for fantastically satisfying rewatches just to grasp the meaning of all the concepts it presents. The Matrix is the pinnacle of filmmaking in many technical aspects. In fact, its visual effects, sound, sound effects editing and film editing all won Oscars. The direction was impeccable while the writing was excellent and even the acting was great, but not even an Oracle could’ve predicted how big of an impact this film had on the world as well as its influence on the lives of countless millions.

In the end, for the few who haven’t yet seen The Matrix, they should stop what they’re doing immediately and go watch it. Stop reading this, not one more word. This film is a must see for all audiences, it is an all time great, a masterpiece of filmmaking and nothing short of perfection put onto celluloid. Do yourself a favor, even if you’ve watched it a hundred times like me, go watch it again. In face, that’s what I’m going to do right now…

still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

(original review)

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Russell Miller

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