| ACTION BUSYNESS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| MOOD SETTING | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| SCRIPT COHESION | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| PLOT DENSITY | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
This quality of movie simply cannot exist without high budget, great lead actors and a lot of love & dedication by the writers, producers and some supporting cast.
The Matrix is an action-packed, convincing sci-fi thriller with a significant element of martial arts although not performed by martial artists – it’s all about the acting, stunts and special effects here. From instant (computer-assisted) learning of kung fu and other martial arts which are exhibited with great camerawork, to the eccentric use of guns and stunts – this movie is a great example of what can happen when people make a real effort and don’t cut corners in producing a movie that was cutting edge for its time.
A cool plot involving hacking and conspiracies make this sci-fi both believable and doubly entertaining. This is a classic performance by Keanu Reeves, who has made many great action movies, including several John Wick movies more recently, but The Matrix saga stands out as something extra special to Keanu and to his fans who constantly remind him of it. It has transcended the movie industry, especially in recent years where conspiracies abound.
Due to the overall quality of acting and production, I give this movie a 9.5/10 – to get a perfect 10 it would probably need a more genuine representation of great martial arts training exercises, and it would need a deeper, broader or generally more significant base of philosophical teaching behind the movie. These are of course both areas this movie has significantly worked on, I just think it’s still lacking something in these departments.
Still, it’s an excellent movie as it is, from start to finish, and the only real disappointment is how its inevitable sequels don’t manage to maintain the standard set by the original although they are still well worth watching sequentially, but sometimes you might still want to enjoy the original by itself.
It’s not so easy to rewatch every year like Bloodsport is, but what it lacks in sustained comfortable vibe, it makes up for in frequently cutting-edge features. The Matrix has more of an intermittently chilling vibe – it’s not the same genre as Bloodsport and doesn’t try to be – they are both masterpieces in their own niche genres. Like apples & pears, they can’t easily be compared. When asked what’s my favourite movie, I tend to say Bloodsport for simplicity and to avoid pushing something that I have mixed feelings about, but in an objective transparent assessment I can not say it’s definitely any better than The Matrix – I rate them both about equally and can not choose a clear favourite between them.
The Matrix is packed with action in all its forms, with a few drama-ish scenes between. It includes a bit of fighting, a bit of running, a lot of shooting, and there’s a strange kind of war going on. The plot is almost confusing, but it kind of works and has become a massive cult classic. The cast includes several strong performances and a few less strong.