Keanu Reeves, soon to be named king of the cyberpunk action quest, duels enemies Jackie Chan-style in his latest thriller. He is Neo, a cyber-hacker who morphs into a martial arts master after a little cerebral reprogramming.
Neo’s online discovery of a mysterious Matrix plunges him into a dark Alice-in-Wonderland reality. He discovers that his life has been an orchestrated dream and that free will is an illusion. Or is it? He won’t find out unless he unlocks the secret of the Matrix.
Counseled by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and falling for Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss, looking like the model that she is, in tight spandex), Neo battles an ugly future to save the world. Though disguised as standard, sunglasses wearing FBI drones, the enemies are formidable. No mere mortal has ever beaten them, but Neo is the chosen one. Isn’t he?
Nothing is as it seems in this slick big screen comic book noir.
Reeves plays Neo to perfection, obviously enjoying his role as a martial arts master. His fists fly and his legs kick, supplemented with the appropriate sound effects. Reeves can’t help giving us the occasional half-smile or eyebrow raise, letting us know that he’s not taking himself too seriously. The role of Neo was substantial. Reeves had to build the character from an afraid-of-heights programmer to a master of the universe. He handled it well.
Fishburne wows as the velvet-voiced teacher who prepares Neo for battle. Bad guy Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is a solid villain. All of the performances are understated, a smart decision by writers/ directors Larry and Andy Wachowski (Bound, Assassins). The character roles could have easily been over the top, comical, but the directors kept things tight, often letting a look or facial expression propel the story forward. This directing style served to enhance the bang of the hip special effects (like a wicked cyber-scorpion) and supplied a contrast to the fast-paced action sequences.
The movie’s look is futuristic and dark, but fresh, including an ominous sunless sky. The cranked-up score, a hybrid of techno beats and pounding rock, electrifies.
The script did have some holes, and viewers were left with plenty of questions. There is plenty of opportunity for a sequel. The emotional connection to characters could have used some work, but overall moviegoers will enjoy this slick flick. So, what is the Matrix?
+ Kendeyl Johansen
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