The Matrix

1999 • 136 minutes
4.7
9.5K reviews
83%
Tomatometer
R
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

Have you ever had a dream that you were so sure was real? What if you couldn't awaken? How would you know the difference between dream and reality? When a beautiful stranger (Carrie Ann Moss) leads computer hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves) to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence. Neo joins legendary and dangerous rebel warrior Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) in the battle to destroy the illusion enslaving humanity. Now, every move, every second, every thought becomes a fight to stay alive--to escape The Matrix.
Rating
R

Ratings and reviews

4.7
9.5K reviews
Paul T Sjordal
March 15, 2015
The first time I watched this movie, I thought it was all style and no substance, but then I read all those philosophy and religion essays they used to have up on the official web site. Once you learn to read between the lines, this movie crams in more big ideas than all the Star Trek movies put together, and yet none of the narrative suffers from this. Stylistically, it seamlessly blends together Chinese action/martial arts movies with Japanese anime with Western action/sci-fi in a slick package that is thrilling even if you turn your brain off and ignore all the symbolism. The Matrix completely destroys the idea that movies have to choose between being slow and smart or fast and dumb. It's really a shame that the sequels didn't measure up.
47 people found this review helpful
Yang Zhong
February 25, 2017
Watched this movie as a kid, feel enlightened when I watch it again as a young adult. Matrix is not only a good action movie, it explores deep into the very concept of reality and consciousness, and Descartes's famous skepticism might the inspiration of this series. Neo, or Thomas Anderson, as the main character who finds himself living in the world of digits and programs, wakes up in the midst of a dystonian reality in which people like him are living in their minds but as slaves for machines. Like many other Hollywood films, Neo is portraited as the person of destiny, which is the key for miraculous moments in the film: the unique one can accomplish whatever he wants as long as he takes a leap of faith. The ending, where Neo is resurrected by a romantic kiss, does not make any sense and ruins the beauty supposed to have in this sci-fi film. Overall, this film is to be listed as one of the classics and be seen as a milestone of fiction movies
28 people found this review helpful
A Google user
June 30, 2015
Without a doubt something that stands the test of time. Funny thing of all person's 'WIRED" thinks it's officially "weird & outdated" by now. This in my opinion (as this is all that it is is it not) only applicable to the sequels. Mind you the Wachowski's [did] mention they wrote the original's script with a trilogy in mind, it doesn't matter: The Matrix is easily the only thing that comes to mind when I'm asked what my favorite film is. Breathtaking visuals. Funny but irrelevant plot holes. Underground appeal. And an everlasting fountain of philosophical matter that applies to all ages, throughout the ages. Maybe if the machines take over, and eventually the film becomes prophetically worked out, and seen through , the film may act as a Bible to those still plugged in. Metaphoricall [and/or] literally speaking. Could a film be any more helpful in trying to fund your imagination on what the outside world looks like, to someone who's never seen it. (They could have simply called this film 'The Allegory of the Caves'. Enjoy 5/5
102 people found this review helpful