Ok, here it is: my personal take on what has become a rather controversial series in discussions among myself and friends. Opinions vary greatly about the merits of these movies, ranging from the intensely loyal fan base who fiercely defends the trilogy as a whole against any an all who would dare speak any ill of its philosophical and pseudo-spiritual magnificence to other viewers at the other end of the spectrum who (generally) see a falloff of quality in films 2 and 3. I tend to count myself in the second category of Matrix fans, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
The film follows the classic pattern of character progression molded after Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Odyssey, Beowulf, King Arthur and countless other hero stories. Our main character, Neo, starts out as a average, unspectacular person called into an adventure, is forged and hardened through trials and tribulations of the most difficult kind and emerges a warrior, a hero, a legend. He has a wise mentor to guide and help develop him, a turncoat to confuse and hinder him, a love interest to anchor him and even minor jester to entertain. Its a structure that's been used before an untold number of times, but it is a structure that works well. One of the things I feel is most important about Neo is that he is a normal, average person at the outset. The Matrix tells a story that requires a lot of outside-the-box thinking just to understand, and it helps the viewer immensely to have the main character be just as confused as we are about the order of things. I feel it is vitally important that we can connect with Neo, and that the viewer progresses toward understanding alongside him.
I do not, however, believe the actual story of the Matrix is as mind-blowing as it is often perceived to be. The idea of humans being enslaved to their own creations is not an original idea, after all. The Wachowski Brothers add enough of their own ideas to help their vision achieve a certain level of uniqueness, but the concept itself has been explored before. What makes this movie so enjoyable to watch is the delivery. The first third of the film, its almost like you can sense the movie laughing at your feeble attempts to understand it. The Matrix has a secret to tell you, but it only reveals enough to keep you coming back for more. It knows it has you hooked, but it just enjoys toying with your mind too much to spoil the secret too soon. It drags you along till you've just about had enough of its crap, then, almost as if it becomes offended that you're not having as much fun as it is, the film gives in and smacks you across the face with the reality of things and you're left wondering what the heck just happened. One minute, Neo has the mercury-like mirror substance crawling up his arm, then he wakes up in a jelly filled life-pod, then he's flushed down the proverbial toilet, then he's whisked up into a crappy looking hovercraft. The first time around, the Matrix is definitely a mind job, but that's exactly what makes it so appealing. The moment where it finally clicks, when you finally understand what the Matrix is and the implications such a thing carries with it, is what makes the movie such a powerful experience. The story is very good; it's definitely solid. But without the expert delivery, it would be a much less satisfying experience.
Another thing I like about the film is how well things are tied off at the end, but still enough intrigue is left for the viewer to wonder about what is to come. All the immediate problems presented in the first film are addressed. Neo completes a full hero cycle, the mystery of what the Matrix is is solved, Agent Smith is destroyed, Morpheus is saved, the spy/turncoat is found out and eliminated, and Neo and Trinity declare their love. But the story is not entirely complete and the viewer still is left wondering how mankind will be freed and the machines as a whole will be eliminated. Of course, the fact that the humans now have an all-powerful near-deity on their side makes the future seem just a little brighter than it once was. All in all, I appreciate how the film stands on its own legs and can be enjoyed independently from its sequels, despite the fact that it is only the first installment.
The Matrix is a landmark film. Its bold storytelling and expert delivery paved the way for other films to try creative and unique approaches to filmmaking. For those contributions alone, I feel the Matrix earns its spot among the most influential films of all time. An all-around incredibly satisfying experience.
10/10
The Matrix
Written, produced, and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski
Produced by Joel Silver
Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving
Rated R for sci-fi violence and some language
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