matrix review

Ok so let me load the paper into my typewriter and put my beeper on silent so I can write a response to one of the most viewed films of last millennium. I speak of this film and this response in the past tense because this film debuted in 1999 over a decade ago so I feel this blog entry may be a bit too late. The story of “The Matrix” is based on one of the most intriguing questions man has ever asked, “What is real?” Since the days of early philosophers such as Plato and Socrates many people have tried to dispel the illusion of what is perceived as reality. Well “The Matrix” takes Plato’s allegory of the cave and adapts it into an action sci-fi film, because let’s face it the only thing missing from Plato’s version was a six minute shoot-out scene. This movie walked that thin line of being an entertaining sci-fi flick without catering toward the geek crowd like battlestar gallactica or various other movies with a loser cult-like following. Similar to “The Truman Show”, the movie made the audience question their beliefs on what is “real” or not. At the time this movie was released I was a junior in high school, all of my friends went to go see it without me because I was short on cash, and regardless of how many times I asked none of them would explain to me exactly what the matrix was. I’m not sure if it was because they really didn’t understand the movie or they just couldn’t explain it, but whatever the reason was, that question ate me alive for months until the DVD was released. Even after watching it the first time I still wasn’t sure what the answer to that question was, maybe I was too dazzled by the fight sequences (they were suspended by wires, and that really just amazed me) or too busy rooting for the agents to kill Mr. Anderson (I always want the bad guy to win) to really pay attention to the story being told. However by the 2nd or 3rd time (I really like the fight sequences) I understood the message and then, like many others after watching the film began to question “what is real?” , “is reality real because I am told it is real?” ,“Which pill would I have chosen?” and “What if I’m the one?” (I know I’m not alone on that last question). My only gripe with the movie is the romance between Trinity and Neo, I mean would this film have been any worse if they didn’t have a storyline that appealed to teenage girls, but hey what do I know. In summation, I think the story was well written, I believe it was acted well, and presented on the screen in a way that was easy for the masses to digest, because Plato’s story told without an element of action and I guess romance too would have just been kinda boring.