The Matrix

I think the true mark of a great or classic movie really comes down to if you can watch it ten years later and not laugh or groan with negative nostalgia or dated nausea. Fortunately for The Matrix, it not only held up, but held up incredibly well. The concept and blend of numerous film styles and concepts never seem stale despite the legions of copycats that followed and despite some obvious flaws ("whoa") the cast was great. I also love how the final 45 minutes of this movie don't let go. The Matrix may have been tarnished by its sequels. A few points may seem dated but its fantastic, innovative filmmaking years ahead of its time. more

Without a doubt the best in the series and can really be seen as a stand alone film. I think without the others, this would hold up to be one of the best modernizations of classic sci-fi themes. However, the sequels did take place and forever ruin a great idea. The main thing this movie has going for it is great visuals and some truly bizarre characters. I don't think Mr. Smith or Morpheus could exist outside something like this, they are such unique and interesting individuals. While Keanu Reeves/Neo really doesn't do much, it's great that he finally found a role that fits his strengths. While I really don't care for the Wachowski Brothers style or their follow through all that much, this movie wouldn't exist without them. more

The Matrix is the most recent and modern sci-fi masterpiece, in my opinion. The special effects that were revolutionary at the time, are still impressive several years later. It was pretty eye-opening to see all the slow motion stunts and well-done computer effects during the action and fight scenes. Even more impressive than the visuals was the cool backstory and mythos that the first Matrix movie established. It wasn't the most original idea ever, but I'll admit that I was as interested as Neo in finding out WTF the matrix was and what was going on. The following movies fumbled the story a bit and lost some of the potential in an overly-complicated whirl of babble, but the relatively simple and straightforward plot of this movie is probably my favorite thing about it. I've never been a big fan of some of the actors chosen for The Matrix, but they've all become so synonomous with their characters that I don't think I would go back and change any of the actors if I could. It would be like changing an actor from Star Wars, it just doesn't seem right. So yeah, I have a pretty high opinion of The Matrix. It introduced some of the most iconic characters in recent times (Ageny Smith in particular), while popularizing a lot of the special effects techniques that action films thrive off of today. more

Again, the first is the best and this holds strong here. Totally amazing story which really grips you, you wanna know more and more. Reeves is perfect (surprisingly) and the action when it starts will blow your bollocks off hahaha With awesome effects in virtually every scene, with the use of top cgi, this film looks perfect, its dark, gloomy, the perfect distopian future setting. The machines are also cool looking yet quite menacing too and with a soundtrack akin to 'The Crow' in the fact that its fits perfectly, introduces new bands and new songs people may have missed, it rocks bigtime, COME ON!! more

Adolescent nerd fantasy ("you're smarter than a generic cubicle job! In fact, you're smarter than REALITY!") counterbalanced with pop psychology and overworked though admittedly badass action scenes. The movie is exhilarating and the set-pieces are fantastic - ten years from release, that exploding ripple of glass as Trinity swings away from the building is still the coolest shot ever. It's just sad that a studio-bankrolled, mostly formulaic sci-fi actioner is hailed by so many people as much smarter than it actually is. If you've ever taken a philosophy class, there is nothing new to learn here, and the movie's pandering to the egos of disenfranchised geeks is the most hurtful part of the enterprise. The Matrix, more than those worthless Transformers flicks, is a movie that allows you to check your brain at the door; at least here the action is (was?) fresh and exciting and sensibly filmed. more

The Matrix is an excellent movie that combines science fiction, shoot-em-up action, and philosophical questions about the nature of Reality. If you are plugged in to a computer, and that computer presents you with a reality that is completely indistinguishable from your own, is it any less real? This movie has exceptional special effects, beautiful cinematography, an excellent soundtrack, well-crafted dialogue, and respectable acting. Keanu Reeves may be a lousy actor, but I think that the Matrix is probably his best performance to date. The Platinum Limited Edition isn't really worth the extra money unless you're an absolute, die-hard, take the red pill, freak. I wish I had known that before ordering this product. It comes in a box about as thick as an encyclopedia, and is fairly large, so it won't fit on the shelf with the rest of your DVDs. Opening it up, I was rather disappointed -- most of the volume is filled with a cheap plastic tray that contains a celluloid clip of the film with a blown-up photo (decent, but nothing fantastic), a few postcard-sized stills from the movie, and a copy of the normal DVD in a normal case. Nothing fantastic. For this money, I was expecting a DVD with DTS sound, alternate angles, deleted scenes, etc., but just got the same old Matrix disc. A major drag. Do yourself a favor. Buy the basic copy. more

Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this? ) With over 2,000 reviews, there is no sense discussing the movie so I will just address this to readers wondering if the Blu-Ray transfer is as good as they, perhaps, have heard. Yes, it is - it's incredble. I am not a particular fan of the film, especially the sequels, so I say these remarks with no bias. I just rented this first "Matrix" to see how it looked. Well, it Blu (pun intended) me away!! At this point, I've seen around 50 Blu-Ray DVDs and this is as good as it gets. I can't imagine how you could make it any better. It's so sharp, I just sat there mesmerized by it. The sound also is outstanding....another upgrade. I've seen this movie three times now and I swear I heard a lot of background talk and stuff I never heard before. So....if you read that the audio and visuals are 5-star caliber - believe it; it's true. more

I bought Matrix a week age, but I have seen it 4 times already. Picture & sound quality are perfect ! If you have a good sound system, turn it up and you will feel yourself in the Matrix too ! The "Follow the White Rabbit" is excellent ! As well as the introduction to the Bullet-time technique. There is no multi-angle view on the DVD, but the movie itself is full of mult-angle views anyway. Unfortunately nobody can be told how good the Matrix DVD is, you have to see it for yourself ! more

Kinetic, atmospheric, visually stunning, and mind-bending. more

This dazzling pop allegory is steeped in a dark, pulpy sensibility that transcends nostalgic pastiche and stands firmly on its own merits. more