Matrix
dir. Andy and Larry Wachowski
Warner Bros.

It’s not easy to do science fiction; to take a stroll through the local video store’s sci-fi section is to walk through a graveyard of hackneyed plots, abyssmal acting and hilarious special effects. It’s no coincidence that a good percentage of Mystery Science Theater 3000’s targets happen to involve space aliens, interstellar monsters or pretentious explorations of time travel.

But when good science fiction comes along, it’s amazing stuff: films like Brazil, Terminator and Blade Runner have left indelible grooves in the minds of millions of fans. The Matrix, happily, falls into the latter of these two groups, and is stunningly enjoyable.

At its best, The Matrix pulls off competent riffs on the dark, organic visual style established by Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, and features action scenes that are inspired homages to the best of Chow Yun Fat’s Hong Kong gangster films. Its story, a satisfying tale spun from cyberpunk worthy of William Gibson, is a gripping blend of personal exploration and righteous struggle against overwhelming, inhuman forces.

Considerably more stunning than the visuals, however, is Keanu Reeves’ non bed-shitting performance as Neo, an idealistic hacker dropped into a futuristic world he must struggle to comprehend. In film after previous film, Reeves has displayed a jaw-dropping talent for screwing everything up with wooden, glassy-eyed non-acting. In The Matrix, however, he plays Neo with an admirable combination of inner struggle and cool.

Not surprisingly, Laurence Fishburne pulls off a fantastic performance as hacker-guru and rebel commander Morpheus. Fishburne carries his role with both gravity and wit, and gives the audience a character that ranks among the most inspiring since Han Solo. This makes it doubly sad that he is forced to deliver the line: "What is reality?" This aside, Fishburne earns his pay, and then some.

As love interest and badass rebel Trinity, Carrie-Ann Moss also comports herself well, turning what could’ve been a limp, predictable role into a model of strength and poise. This lasts almost until the end of the movie, when her carefully built persona melts into a puddle of gooey, sentimental Hollywood emo-mush. Fortunately, even this disheartening turn of events can’t erase the positive qualities that The Matrix carries in spades. As an action film, The Matrix is a winner. As a sci-fi film, it’s terrific. As a deep and powerful exploration of the nature of reality and self…well, shoot. The lobby gunfight scene is terrific, and almost worth the price of admission unto itself. And Keanu must be seen to be believed.

— James Norton (jrnorton@flakmag.com)