The Matrix (Blu-ray) (1999)

"...some of the most unrivaled and imaginative sci-fi in years.  Christopher Brandon, TNT RoughCut
"This wildly imaginative thriller is a futuristic head trip you most definitely want to take.  Cody Clark, Mr. Showbiz
"...a furious special-effects tornado...  Janet Maslin, The New York Times
"...intelligible, intelligent, and suspenseful...  Keith Phipps, The Onion A.V. Club
"...combines traditional science-fiction premises with spanking new visual technology in a way that almost defies description.  Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"...a great soundtrack and the best fight choreography this side of Hong Kong...very cool s***.  Manohla Dargis, L.A. Weekly
"...slams you back in your chair, pops open your eyes and leaves your jaw hanging slack in amazement.  Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian

Editor's Note With THE MATRIX, the Wachowskis have established themselves as innovative filmmakers who push the boundaries of live-action films. Like the groundbreaking STAR WARS, THE MATRIX (also the first film of a trilogy) showcases a unique visual style, one the Wachowskis achieved through an array of techniques and digital effects, some never before seen in mainstream Hollywood films. Although computer morphing technology had been used before in films such as THE ABYSS and TERMINATOR 2, the Wachowskis were the first to use "bullet time," a time-bending digital effect that utilizes both computer-generated imagery and still photography. The film itself is a complex story that aspires to mythology, focusing on a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who searches for the truth behind the mysterious force known as the Matrix. He finds his answer with a group of strangers led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). What they encounter in confronting that truth makes for a lightning-paced, eye-popping thrill ride of a movie. Packed with stunning fight scenes (choreographed by accomplished Hong Kong director Yuen Wo-Ping), astonishing visual effects, quotable lines, and a terrific supporting cast (led by Carrie-Anne Moss, in her first major Hollywood film), THE MATRIX is a bold triumph that raises the bar for all science fiction films.

	Marcus Chong
	Hugo Weaving
	Keanu Reeves
	Laurence Fishburne
	Julian Arahanga
	Gloria Foster
	Belinda McClory
	Joe Pantoliano
	Matt Doran
	Carrie-Anne Moss
	Anthony Ray Parker
	Bill Pope - Director of Photography
	Yuen Woo-ping - Fight Choreographer
	Andy Wachowski - Screenwriter
	Dane Davis - Sound Effects Editor
	Owen Paterson - Production Designer
	Joel Silver - Producer
	Don Davis - Composer
	Zach Staenberg - Editor
	Larry Wachowski - Screenwriter
	John Gaeta - Visual Effects Supervisor
	Larry Wachowski - Director
	Andy Wachowski - Director

An imaginative hybrid of action, kung fu, and science fiction, THE MATRIX is a hyperkinetic, mind-bending, and visionary spectacle. Keanu Reeves stars as Neo, a disaffected computer hacker seeking the answer to the question, "What is the Matrix?" His search leads him to the elusive Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who begins to enlighten Neo about the illusions of his so-called reality. In accepting the answer Morpheus provides, Neo is hurled into a futuristic world where old realities are shattered, and he must fight for his life, and the future of humanity, against a dangerous group of inhuman government agents.

"What is the Matrix?"----Neo (Keanu Reeves) to Trinity (Carrie--Anne Moss)

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."----Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) to Neo| |"I know kung fu."----Neo to Morpheus and Tank (Marcus Chong)

"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"----Morpheus to Neo

"Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure."----Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) to Morpheus

"The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."----Morpheus to Neo

"The answer is out there, Neo, it's looking for you. And it will find you, if you want it to."----Trinity to Neo

"Welcome to the real world."----Morpheus to Neo

"Whoa."----Neo upon seeing Morpheus make a gravity--defying leap

Sight and Sound
"...A feast of unexpected fidgets and perspectives, punctuated by trademark overhead shots and teasing detail and detour....THE MATRIX is a wonderland of tricks and stunts..." 07/??/1999 p.47

Rolling Stone
"...THE MATRIX soars with its feet in the air..." 05/29/1999 p.76

Premiere
"...A breathtaking rollercoaster ride..." -- 4 out of 5 stars 11/01/1999 p.134

USA Today
"...Clever....This virtual-reality saga takes advantage of Reeves' sometimes endearingly boyish personality..." 03/31/1999 p.12D

Los Angeles Times
"...A wildly cinematic futuristic thriller..." 03/31/1999 p.F1

Chicago Sun-Times
"...THE MATRIX is a visually dazzling cyberadventure, full of kinetic excitement....It's great looking, both in its design and in the kinetic energy that powers it. It uses flawlessly integrated special effects and animation to visualize regions of cyberspace..." 03/31/1999 p.48

ReelViews 9 of 10
There's no sophomore jinx for the Wachowski Brothers. Andy and Larry, a pair of obviously talented film makers, have returned to theaters with The Matrix, a science fiction thriller that is every bit the match of their debut effort, Bound, for tension, excitement, and intelligence. In an era when movie scripts (especially those pigeonholed into the science fiction genre) are becoming increasingly more stupid and special effects reliant, the Wachowskis prove that style and substance do not have to be mutually exclusive...The Matrix offers a little something for everyone. The die-hard science fiction fan will discover a plot that mixes and matches both new and old conventions of the genre in a compelling fashion. Action aficionados will find that there's no shortage of electric excitement, whether it's in the form of hand-to-hand kung fu-type fights or shoot-outs with seemingly limitless ammunition. There's also betrayal, a little romance, some humor, and a moral dilemma or two, all wrapped into a well-produced package. As I stated earlier, the way in which the Wachowskis choose to resolve everything seems slightly contrived, but, in the overall scheme of things, that's a small price to pay for one of the most enjoyable science fiction thrillers to reach the screen in months. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
"The Matrix" is a visually dazzling cyberadventure, full of kinetic excitement, but it retreats to formula just when it's getting interesting. It's kind of a letdown when a movie begins by redefining the nature of reality, and ends with a shoot-out. We want a leap of the imagination, not one of those obligatory climaxes with automatic weapons fire...I've seen dozens if not hundreds of these exercises in violence, which recycle the same tired ideas: Bad guys fire thousands of rounds, but are unable to hit the good guy. Then it's down to the final showdown between good and evil--a martial arts battle in which the good guy gets pounded until he's almost dead, before he finds the inner will to fight back. Been there, seen that (although rarely done this well)...Keanu Reeves goes for the impassive Harrison Ford approach, "acting" as little as possible. I suppose that's the right idea. Laurence Fishburne finds a balance between action hero and Zen master..."The Matrix" did not bore me. It interested me so much, indeed, that I wanted to be challenged even more. I wanted it to follow its material to audacious conclusions, to arrive not simply at victory, but at revelation. I wanted an ending that was transformational, like "Dark City's," and not one that simply throws us a sensational action sequence. I wanted, in short, a Third Act. - Roger Ebert