A new Wachowski brothers film, the same pair to whom we owe the lesbian thriller Bound, The Matrix offers a new variation on cyberculture, with some twists that were surprisingly good.

Constantly oscillating between virtual and reality, the film recounts the journey of a hacker, embodied by the irascible Keanu Reeves, contacted by a group of resistance fighters with a goal of foiling a cybernetic plot.
Obviously that sounds rehashed and simplistic but the concept of the matrix as well as other findings are pretty interesting. One can’t help but think of Dark Cities, Terminator and certain novels by William Gibson, but the film develops its own version of a "cybered" world that is rather captivating. Contrary to what the previews announce that lead you to believe that this is more or less a "shoot'em up" film, the action sequences are limited to the last 20 mn of a 2 ½ hour movie. Add to that enjoyable visual effects and a shoot out plugged in to the techno rhythm of "Spybreak" by Propellerheads, and you’ll find a certain pleasure if you’re a follower of MTV.

Of course not everything it’s not all roses, beginning with the presence of Keanu Reeves, always so talented, just witness the way he says "Wow": David Charvet of Baywatch fame better watch out. True, he wears his sunglasses well and he looks good in black, but the kung-fu scenes where he attempts to display a menacing air merit appearing in the pantheon of film comedies. Even if the film doesn’t avoid all the usual cliches of its genre, it may also be said that there are ridiculous scenes: from the Beauty and the Beast kiss, the helicopter scene, to the final monologue.

A fun film to watch for its special

  Ed Dantes

     The Matrix Revolutions
     The Matrix Reloaded