The Matrix (1999)

3 out of 4

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Ann Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano

Director: The Wachowski Brothers

Time: 136 mins

I first heard of The Matrix when it was being shot here in Sydney, Australia. There were newspaper reports of Keanu sightings, parts of city streets being cordoned for shooting, and even Larry Fishburne showing up at a local film festival. But the closest I got to the action was when the office building next to the one I worked in had a helicopter on its roof. During the day the helicopter would do sweeps around the skyscrapers, which while interesting didn't really stir any excitement in me. There are only so many action films with helicopters I can handle.

When the film premiered in the US around Easter, however, reports and reviews were glowing. Here was a sci-fi special effects action film to whet the appetite before the onslaught of Star Wars Episode 1. Of course, many of the favourable reviews I read were from the Internet, which is just the sort of audience the cyberpunkish Matrix appeals to. When I finally saw it, in a THX cinema no less, I was underwhelmed. It is a very stylish film that draws from many genres, notably The Terminator and Hong Kong martial arts epics, and the special effects are, indeed, special. But I thought it took too long to get where it was going, especially after the incredible opening scene, where Carrie-Ann Moss leaps into the air, the camera does a 180-degree pan while she is in suspension, and then she kicks a policeman in the face. The story is quite complex, and probably needs the expository time, but it slowed down the narrative. Compare with Total Recall, another sci-fi special effects action film that dealt with alternate realities. The story was just as complex, but the pace never flagged. The kinetic energy picks up a notch in the second hour of The Matrix, but by then the damage had been done. The film is good, but could have been better.

Anyway, enough of my misgivings. Let's cut to the story. Neo (Reeves) is an office worker by day, computer hacker by night. He is contacted by the legendary hacker Morpheus (Fishburne), who reveals that what Neo believes to be real, is actually false, and that Neo is the "One" who is destined to restore right and order to the world. With the help of a group of misfits, including the beautiful Trinity (Moss) and the cynical Cypher (Pantoliano from Bound and The Fugitive), Neo is taught kung fu and how to manipulate the false reality in order to defeat the agents of evil, led by Mr Smith (Weaver from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert).

The Matrix is, at its heart, a good vs evil film, but, as already mentioned, it unashamedly borrows from many films and genres to create its own stylised mix. The actors (Reeves, Fishburne, Moss and Weaver) prepared for the martial arts sequences by practising for six months under renowned Hong Kong kung fu choreographer, Yuen Woh Ping. Though these fight scenes are good, you can tell by some of the actors' stiff movements that they're not as fluent or natural as a Jackie Chan or Jet Li. The gunfight montages are suitably John Woo-ish, with lots of slow motion, gun-in-each-hand leaps, and rolling-on-the-ground-and-shooting-while-down coolness, but this is hardly groundbreaking anymore. The best part is the special effects, which enhance rather than overtake the story. Well, actually, the best part is when the helicopter flies by my building (it's the one with brownish-gold hues)!

Keanu Reeves is a limited actor, but occasionally he can turn in a charismatic and likable performance, like in Speed. Here his woodenness helps, as his character slowly grapples with the juggling of realities. Fishburne adds presence, similar to the way Morgan Freeman adds dignity to whatever role he plays, while Moss looks very sexy in her black leather outfits. Australian actor Weaving hams it up gleefully as the odd-accented enemy in suit and black sunglasses.

In summary, The Matrix could have been one of the best sci-fi films of the decade. Its blend of story, action, and special effects, however, is derailed by the slowish first half. After the opening sequence, I was in awe, and prepared for a grand adventure. After the film was over, I was slightly let down. Still, it's one of the better sci-fi pics out there, and a worthy enough experience to savour.

(c) Joe Wong