The Matrix [1999] [DVD]

SF Movies have suffered from a lack of style in recent years. There's only so many times you can see Bladerunner or Alien ripped off cheaply before you start to get jaded. And it doesn't help that they keep casting muscular dolts with the intellect of a plank in violent revenge fantasies that do little more than ape the "Death Wish" movies.

So it's three cheers for The Matrix, the film that restored my faith in SF movies.

It starts with a bang, a chase across rooftops with some spectacular leaps that make you realise that wherever you are, it's not the world you live in.

Or is it?

Neo (or is that Neophyte?) is a programmer by day in a faceless corporation, and a hacker by night, searching for Morpheus, a shadowy figure who may hold the key to Neo's longings for a different world. Morpheus on the other hand is looking for a Saviour, someone who will come and lead the oppressed masses to a new Utopia.

Soon their paths cross, and Neo is shown the real world, a world that is not all he thought it to be. In this world everything is run by "The Matrix", a super computer that controls everything and everybody, body and soul. (Or, as the Oracle so succinctly puts it, "Balls to Bones")

Neo is removed from the system's influence, and is told he is "The One", the long-prophesised saviour who can remake the Matrix to his own will. He is trained in how to fight the Matrix defense programs (or "Agents".....software that takes the guise of super-powerful humans and can take control of anybody still hooked up to the Matrix)

To accomplish this he is given a crash course in martial arts in a manner that would be great if it were possible today (I can imagine the ads - "Learn Kung-Fu in thirty seconds....no philosophising necessary!") . Once he reintroduces himself to the Matrix's world the stage is set for some climactic fight scenes, among the best ever seen in cinema history.

To say more would be to give away too much of the plot, but suffice to say The Matrix is one of the biggest, most explosive, most stylish SF films ever.

It succeeds where lesser films fail by melding a hi-tech glossy look with martial arts battles familar to Hong-Kong film lovers, and overlaying the whole thing with a mythic plot of the Saviour who is slowly coming to realise his destiny.

Even the names hold a mythic quality to them, from Morpheus, the god of sleep who knows who is dreaming and who is awake, to Cipher who is not all he seems, to Trinity, the embodiment of child, mother and lover and finally Neo, the classic neophyte trying to find a path through the mysteries. The ancient Greeks would have had no trouble in following the basics of this story.

Reeves has never been better, portraying confusion and frailty one minute, strength and resolve the next. But it is Fishburne's movie....it is his presence that holds the whole thing together and keeps you rivetted to your seat.

All that and a shadowing of a peril coming to Zion, the last stronghold of the true believers, and we're all set up for a blockbuster of a sequel. I can't wait.

Couple that with an outstanding directors talk-over, and an ingenious "follow the white rabbit" extras feature that lets you cut in and view how any particular effect or stunt was achieved, and you have a DVD that's hard to ignore for quality, quantity and entertainment.

All that, loads of black leather gear, big boots and guns. What more do you want?

And any film that contains a clip of the cult classic "Night of the Lepus" is always going to be worth a look.

[I've added a photo to the item page showing the back of the Blu-ray box which details the disc specification and content. I have written Amazon reviews for the Blu-ray disc of each film in the trilogy...]

'The Matrix' is the first film in a trilogy written, directed and produced by the Wachowski brothers. Although dating from the 1990s, it will continue to stand as a benchmark for the use of special-effects in films for many years to come....

It is arguably THE series of films which should be watched first on any new Hi-Definition video format to fully appreciate it and the film; Blu-ray is no exception to this 'rule' and I can confirm that it is simply astounding to watch (and listen to !) in this format. The remaining films are 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions' and you can buy all 3 films in a Blu-ray boxset; Amazon links below for product and my review :

The Matrix Reloaded [Blu-ray] [2003]
Matrix Revolutions [Blu-ray] [2003]
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The Matrix/Matrix Reloaded/Matrix Revolutions [Blu-ray] [1999]

The film is notable for including imagery produced using a special filming process to digitally enhance the simulation of variable speed. Although 'The Matrix' was not the first film to use the technology, it did so in such a way that it essentially pushed the process into mainstream film-making; so much so that it was quickly given the registered trademark of 'Bullet Time' by Warner Bros (the film studio which financed the film).

The overall plot for the trilogy is novel and extremely complicated, requiring 'mere-mortals' to watch the films several times to start appreciating everything that occurs and all the reasoning behind it; quite a lot of the dialogue is involved and needs to be properly understood for everything to make sense....

I think that the latter part of the Amazon synopsis sums things up very well : 'Reality is a world run by artificially intelligent machines who control the human slaves in a simulated 20th Century'. Although obviously only telling part of the storyline, it is enough to get going with as well as knowing that 'The Matrix' refers to the simulation and that the lead characters are either human 'rebels' who are free from the simulation and fighting for 'true reality' or computer program villains, known as 'Agents', tasked with defeating the rebellion.

Each film stands on it's own as a story, but the plot progresses through the 3 films and all need to be watched to get the whole picture and, of course, the ultimate ending.

Things get moving very quickly in this film and from then on there are several periods of 'explanation' as well as a multitude of stunning set-piece action sequences. There is a lot of violence/shooting/death and some truly terrific fight scenes. The fighting is usually based on techniques originating from the Orient and are extremely complicated/magnificently choreographed; they took a LONG time to produce and, for the most part, are performed by the actors...

Adding to the these notable features are an overall heavy-reliance on spectacular digital special-effects (which blend seamlessly with the imagery and look completely authentic), massive and dramatic explosions, superb 'machinery' creations and a pulsating rock-based musical soundtrack (which often has an injection of synthesised music accompanied by choral vocals !) - this film demands to be watched in a darkened room, on a big screen and at high volume !

The Blu-ray image on this issue is flawless/superbly detailed but I found the sound quality a bit subdued and not as good an improvement over the DVD format as I was expecting (but still perfectly acceptable). The extras on the disc are copious, including a 'Picture-in-Picture' narrative inserted into the film, 4 feature-length commentaries and a load of very interesting 'featurettes' - one covers the 'Bullet Time' process very well; see the photo I've added to the item page showing the back of the Blu-ray box which details the disc specification and content.

*** A final notable aspect of this disc is that the film is uncut with no change to the viewing classification; all previous UK versions (including that in the 'Ultimate' DVD boxset) had head-butting scenes from 2 of the main fight sequences removed....

Anyone who either already knows about, or wants to experience for the first time, this ground-breaking film really should see it in Blu-ray format - it will blow you away !

PS You then need to watch the remaining 2 films in the trilogy....

When I finally got around to getting a DVD drive in my computer there was not question what the first DVD I was going to buy was. It's over 4 years since this film was unveiled yet I have not found a film to beat it yet, and probably won't until The Matrix - Reloaded and - Revolutions are relesed in 2003.

The special effects changed film making forever, the story, although nothing sparklingly original in sci-fi and cyberpunk circles, was carried off in such a brilliant manner it is the most convincing sci-fi film I've seen since Dune (1984, David Lynch) and the original Terminator film.

As far as the actual acting goes it did suit Keanu Reeves pretty well, although his dialog does let him down on occasions but in some ways it reflects the 'panic - I'm feeling a little lost' element of his character Neo/Thomas Anderson. The support is fantastic, Laurence Fishburne as Neo's mentor, Morpheus, and Hugo Weaving as the insidious and evil Agent Smith are supreme in their roles carrying off their dialog with great aplomb and really adding atmosphere for the film. Carrie-Anne Moss carries off her part well, being a good balance of looks and brawn. The sets and cinematography are also fantastic as are the cityscapes, provided by The City of Sydney Australia.

The choreography and action in the film is unparalleled and helped widen the appeal of what might have been a slightly cliquey film had it not been carried off right. As it is the mix of cyberpunk style black clothes, cool sunglasses (I especially liked Morpheus's clip-on-the-nose ones) and huge black boots and the Kung-Fu fighting, gun totting fight scenes as well as the now legendary bullet-time effects really make this film scream to lovers of action and sci-fi alike.

All this is capped by, one might say most importantly, a great dramatic score by Don Davis (which I have just bought the CD of) and punchy metal/punk/techo soundtrack (which I have also just bought the CD of) that really conveys the mood excellently.

All in all it is, in the truest sense, a great film. If you've got the money and you love the film buy one of the special edition double-packs with the 'Matrix - Revisited' documentary DVD in. I have not seen the documentary personally but have it on good authority that it is a really nice addition. If you have not seen the film yet and like the sound of it prepare for stomach churning edge-of-the-seat action that will have you sweating right until the final scenes.

Can't fail to get 5 stars.