View Full Version : HCR Rates The Movies #129: THE MATRIX
So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?
Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all:
THE MATRIX
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Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.
Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.
So, what say you all?
Next Film: ??????
Rokk_Krinn
04/13/2007, 14:18
Okay, now we're going to see the flipside of my love for "Clue". :)
I remember my then-fiancee being so excited to take me to see "The Matrix" (she thought it "provoking" - guess she forgot I was a geek and the storyline wasn't that new to me :) ); fortunately she made up for it by us going to see "The Mummy" the same day. The Matrix was visually fun and kept my attention and I will give it credit for that but that does not mean I enjoy this movie (and it's taking a lot here for me to try to be moderately objective on the scoring because of that).
Here's what I enjoyed about the film: visually, as I noted, it was fun and helped set a paradigm (that quickly became overdone to the point where you feel it's jumped the shark, but that's not necessarily the fault of the first movie), had some solid acting chops with a few of the cast members (no, Keanu, sit down - you aren't one of them and neither are you Trinity), and I absolutely loved the Agents (then again, when it came to "Mage: The Awakening" I was always rooting for the Technocracy too).
Here's what I didn't like: It stretched a bit long in a few places as the W-Brothers tried to sound deep (though not as bad as later movies), Keanu Reeves (probably not his fault per say but I just have never bought him as much more than Ted Logan), and - here's the biggie - the overall plot.
Yep, the plot is where you gain my distaste of this movie. Was it a moderately creative spin on some previously done ideas? Yes and it was done in a fairly entertaining manner, as I've admitted. Could I support the protagonist of the movie though? No, no, and a helluva' no again. Think of it this way: you've got a pretty good life going for you - it's what you know and perception is a large part of reality - and then some idiot decides he's going to take away your "choice" to continue to live in that reality by "fighting for your freedom", unplugging you, and next thing you know, your loved ones may or may not have actually existed (and if they do exist might be on the other side of the planet for you), you're bald and you're eating poridge in the midst of a wasteland. Going to tell me you're happy with this guy? So what if the people are batteries for the big machine? It's not a parasitic relationship, it's a symbiotic one: the people have used up their planet and the Matrix is giving them a "normal" reality in return for power - it's more-or-less a fair trade (okay, the Matrix is also not exactly giving people a choice here but at least it's not yanking people's "reality" out from under them and casting them into a proverbial Hell). That's annoying enough but then comes the clincher: Neo and Co. are essentially terrorists - and remember I thought this long before that became the "catch phrase" (and also remember I'm a Ground Zero survivor/rescuer so don't toss that back at me) - because they're trying to change your world to their 'world view' through the use of force even against innocent people. Rethink that last part and remember this scene - the security guards at the Agents building were just normal and probably decent guys, paid to do a job (i.e. - standard employees and not Kingpin's thugs or a Corleone hitman) and got blown to shreds by some nutjob who walks in with an arsenal; any other movie we would consider the people doing that "bad guys" yet in this one we're supposed to think that's "kewl" and root for them? Uh-uh. Not happening from this guy. Gratuitous violence can already verge on annoying but when the targets are innocent civilians and the act is perpetrated by the protagonists, you've lost me.
Still, trying to remember we're not just rating my personal feelings but things like overall quality, music, etc. I'll give this movie a little bit of a point boost.
Score: 4.25
EmperorNorton
04/13/2007, 14:22
(then again, when it came to "Mage: The Awakening" I was always rooting for the Technocracy too).
So now you reveal your true colours, Mr. Krinn. :angry:
Rokk_Krinn
04/13/2007, 14:24
So now you reveal your true colours, Mr. Krinn. :angry:
Lesse, guys who want to let magical beasts run rampant because it 'frees our mind' or folks that are willing to fight to keep normal society at peace and untroubled by what lurks in the darkness? Easy choice for me. :)
This message has been approved by the Technocracy. We are always watching out for you.
EmperorNorton
04/13/2007, 14:35
Before I begin plotting the downfall of my chosen adversary I'll rate this movie.
8.75/10
It was stunning when I first saw it and although that effect has worn a bit (not least due to the abysmal sequels) I still consider this movie a modern classic.
Rokk_Krinn
04/13/2007, 14:44
Well, if I'm going to have to have an adversary, at least it's a worthy one.
(Now while he's distracted, I'll have the Cleaners go and pick him up so we can be done with those tomfoolery. Uhm..did I say that outloud? Disregard!)
lensnart
04/13/2007, 15:03
The first time I saw this movie I hated it, with a passion. I found it wildly unoriginal and poorly written, like the cinamatic equivalent of a Good Charlotte song.
But I have since warmed to it a little possibly because the sequals lowered my expectations even further or perhaps because I really like Keanu and Lawrence even if they do act like cardboard cutouts of themselves in this film. For anyone that says that Keanu can't act ever check out My Own Private Idaho or A Scanner Darkly and you will see that with the right director he can be very good.
The movie is pretty and stuff blows up real good, but I am not a fan of action films, they quite frankly bore my socks off for the most part, particularly when the action isn't supported by a solid plot and script. After seeing the film again at my fiance's behest, I will admit that it does hold some merit as a sunday afternoon diversion but it doesn't go any further than that.
I give it 4 out of 10.
Wyldstaar
04/13/2007, 17:49
Believe it or not, I actually like The Matrix. I realize that as a film snob, I'm not supposed to like it, but I do. It's a fun movie, as long as you don't take it too seriously. I suspect that the filmmakers and the actors took the movie far too seriously, but I sure didn't. I've managed to block out most of my memories of the sequels, and as long as I continue to do so, I can still enjoy the original The Matrix.
7/10
Prof. Aragorn
04/13/2007, 18:55
Good movie, nice action, okay acting.
I liked how the movie tried to be more than just action and plot.
What I didn't like was the fight choreography - really was too fake.
When I say that, it means when I'm extremely tired and about to fall asleep, I should barely be able to see the fight scenes, but seeing them it's way too slow and I just think "Man, I could own these guys and I suck at fighting."
That's why I like Batman Begins and Cowboy Bebop - the fight scenes are good and fast and while you can see some of the fighting, most of it occurs in a blur.
6.28 out of ten
theanalogkid
04/13/2007, 20:44
7 out of 10. Equilibrium did the effects first and the acting was okay.
Canada Maestro
04/13/2007, 20:58
Equilibrium did the effects first and the acting was okay.
Equilibrium was released 3 years after the Matrix and I don't recall it doing the same effects that were in the Matrix.
Having said that, I really disliked the Matrix. An interesting idea at its core and some pretty visuals around some very bad acting, a pretty lame story, and excuse after excuse to include lots and lots of bullets and "kung fu" because it's cool.
5/10
Wow, and here I thought everyone into sci fi loved the original Matrix (it was the sequels most of us, not me as I actually liked them, felt fell flat) I truly and heavily enjoyed this movie, it got me from minutes in (wondering what the heck THE Matrix was), and held onto me until the very end. I loved a great deal about it, and the final battle (for the first film anyway) Neo vs. Smith held me on the edge of my seat with excitement. The Agents were cool, Morpheus and his crew were cool, the story, music, fighting scenes, pretty much everything in this film I thought was COOL. I dont know where all of these low scores for this sci fi gem comes from, but to me it was a very pleasant surprise (as with Keanu in it I thought it was another Johnny Nuemonic), and one Ive enjoyed just as much each and every time Ive seen it (which has been many).
The Matrix - 9 / 10
Matrix gets a 6. The sequals...well, do we go in the negative numbers?
Harsh kids, really harsh. :p
I'll echo most of Rokk's thoughts on this, and add that the gargantuan plot-hole in the very centre of the movie really ruined any chance of me enjoying it.
Humans are NOT efficient batteries. We consume more energy than we can produce (hence why we need to eat!), so using us as a power source makes NO sense whatsoever. It may be nitpicking, but I have a really hard time buying a nonesensical plot, no matter how pretty and new the effects may be.
Flashy colours, nice effects, but no substance and horribly wooden acting.
I'll give it a 3/10, that's as nice as I can be on this.
CURRENT HCR MEMBER RATING:
THE MATRIX: 6.03 / 10
(10 members rating)
Frontman
04/15/2007, 18:34
Matrix gets a 6. The sequals...well, do we go in the negative numbers?
Oh totally a film that should never have a sequel. For my rating, I give it a 8.0 out of 10. Great film, a few flaws, but all in all; a great ride.
Like "Highlander" and "The Crow" Matrix should never had a sequel made. Neo becomes powerful enough to make anything happen, yet he just doesn't wipe out the Matrix on a whim? Sorry, not a great execution there.
Personally, the sequels to me would of been far more interesting if it would of been Neo TURNING against the others, as "Like whoa; in here I'm a God. But out there, like I'm Keanu Reeves. Bummer."
Eh, I took him more as Superman than God, adding in the fact that he was very inexperienced with his massive powers, and had new and different foes coming after him, and I can see why he didnt just go POOF all of the machines are dead. Again, I actually liked the sequels to a point, and hardly thought either of them were in the realm of the worst movies Ive ever seen.
AlienFlanders
04/16/2007, 01:55
I give the Matrix a 6.5
It was an interesting movie, based I believe on a series of philosophical discussions Philip K D had with James Campbell (editor of Analog), I was about halfway through the movie when I recalled the letters in Analog about it. (Got to laugh at Scanner Darkly lets see - Keanu, Robert Downey Jr and Woody Harrelson doing a film about drugs).
I'll give it a 9/10, without sequels it would probably have been a 10. I did enjoy everything about the film but my memory of it will forever be tainted by the very average sequels that followed.
As always, I ask that you rate these movies as they are alone, over allowing how carppy its sequels may have been tanish its overall scoring.
bleh. This movie was neat... but really just cool looking eye candy with an emphasis on cool. it was an entertaining movie but I don't have aburning desire to see it again. maybe the stunts seemed too staged? I don't like action flicks where I can tell I'm being set up for a stunt.
Off topic: Which is why I despise a lot of Tomorrow Never Dies but Casino Royale is fabulous.
Back on topic: This move seemd to be too cool for me.... and since, as a member of Geek Nation, means I cannot be cool, ever... and may be allergic to cool for all I know but a movie, so obviously cool just chafes my ###... and my non name brand pants.
3 because after watching this movie(and the sequels) I want to call Peta and start up a witch hunt for the Whatever Bros.......
CURRENT HCR MEMBER RATING:
THE MATRIX - 6.20 / 10
(14 members rating)
As always, I ask that you rate these movies as they are alone, over allowing how carppy its sequels may have been tanish its overall scoring.
In this case the sequels affect my enjoyment of the film as The Matrix introduced so much stuff in just one movie and then tied it up neatly and had a cool ending to go with it. But then with the sequels, if I watch the movie now I have the sequels in the back of my head and The Matrix consequently loses some of its magic for me.
The Matrix had too many different threads, that ultimately didn't hang together for me. BTW the sequels, which I didn't see until many years after their release, did not help.
The entire movie hangs on the special effects. It earns a 6/10.
The movie would have been better eliminating some story ideas to concentrate on others: "chosen one"/Technocracy/Love Story/Anarchy/Fight for Humanity/Mysto-Pop Oracle/etc. etc.
doctor_x
04/17/2007, 10:57
I'll give it an 8.
I liked the premise-sure there were holes.
Keanu "whoaaa" Reeves is wooden, but he fit the role.
The supporting cast in the Matrix was great, I'da liked to have seen them stay around a bit longer.
monkeyshines
04/17/2007, 17:37
I'll give it an 8 as well.
Entertaining, no more, no less. The story is not really original, but it's pretty well done on the screen and I bought it. The acting is indeed terrible (but what can you expect when Keanu Reeves is the main protagonist?). Fight scenes are pretty nice (thanks to Yuen Woo Ping, who made a great job as always :)). Music is nice.
So we have a sci-fi movie set in a dystopian future, with cool action scenes, simple story, and the end lets you imagine how Neo will take care of the Matrix: it entertained me.
6.5/10.
jackstar7
05/07/2007, 11:45
Matrix: Score 4/10
The reason is this little joy (both for and against):
Character 1: What are they?
Character 2: Killing machines designed for just one thing.
Character 3: Seach and destroy.
That's right. Designed for one thing... and the one thing is two things... and neither is killing... even though they are killing machines.
Who read that and reread it and then passed it on to someone else to read and reread and so on all the way through to where people were saying it out loud into a camera? Everyone of them should get more than their fair share of papercuts for that one.
By being terrible, but not insidiously horrible, but also not joyfully bad: 4.
hulkamania85
05/07/2007, 14:36
6 out of 10
Action scenes are enjoyable, but I think this is one of the most overrated films ever. I would enjoy it more if it didn't try so hard to come off as deep. Keanu Reeves is not a very charismatic hero. The Terminator, a robot, in T2 showed more humanity than Neo.
BoyGenius 1991
06/05/2007, 22:46
The first matrix is a timeless sci-fi classic. It introduces a new idea, what if machines are controlling us? Everyone there is trapped in a dream, and many choose to deny this fact. Neo fighting everyone and blowing up the agent is great. This has all the good things about the matrix without getting too full of itself like the sequels did. I like the part where neo kills some sentinels with his telekinesis. If he has this power outside of the matrix, could the "real" world be yet another matrix? I like this one, because he doesn't suffer from superman syndrome, being to powerful to have any fights where the outcome is uncertain, he has just enough skill and power to be an interesting hero.
9.0 out of 10.0
BoyGenius 1991
06/05/2007, 22:55
The first time I saw this movie I hated it, with a passion. I found it wildly unoriginal and poorly written, like the cinamatic equivalent of a Good Charlotte song.
Okay, now, while for the most part, you're right, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" is a pretty good song. "if money is such a problem, they got mansions, think we should rob them" hehe, don't tell me you don't find that at least a little funny.
Pashmina
07/12/2007, 14:49
I love the idea of the films. So this one gets 8/10 from me.
Films where we arent in control of the danger that faces us scares me. (If that makes sense) I've stil not seen the next 2, I can't be bothered.
However, I LOVE the Animatrix. All the little tales from the same universe.
Rokk_Krinn
07/12/2007, 14:52
However, I LOVE the Animatrix. All the little tales from the same universe.
Animatrix is great - I actually enjoy it more than the films, I think :) - and may I also recommend the Matrix story written by Neil Gaiman (I believe it's still available for free reading on his website and it's part of his short story collection "Fragile Things") if you like seeing "snippets" of the Matrix world?
deadalus13
08/27/2007, 00:17
I thought this was a great movie. It had an interesting twist on an unoriginal idea. It had great cinematography. The directing was superb. It gave away just enough in the early parts of the film to intrigue you without spelling everything out for you. I like how you didn't actually see anyone leave the matrix until the phone booth in the subway near the end of the movie. I like how there is dialogue in the beginning of the movie that doesn't make sense until later. I like how the climax of the movie wasn't your typical huge fight hollywood ending, but when Neo realizes his power. I admit that there are a few too many underlying themes (heart vs brain, faith vs knowledge) and that the Judeo-Christian undertones are a little overdone. Still all in all, I really liked this movie.
I give it a 9.25.
the first one was great, I really enjoyed it and still (eliminating in my mind the fact that I know that there are sequels).
a solid 9/10
Darkseid Sr.
02/10/2008, 12:32
A movie that created a new standard for action movies. A classic, regardless of emotion or lack thereof.
9/10
iameleveneight
02/12/2008, 10:35
9/10
The Matrix is an interesting creature. Its a brilliant sci-fi movie that in the long run will be on the level of mega influential cult classic like Blade Runner.
Its not a perfect movie but it brings a lot of freshness to the table that scifi needed at the time. Hell the movie is good enough that you forget just how much Keanu Reeves SUCKS as an actor.
its really a shame that the sequels are so damn horrendous. They really could have done more with this series and the Matrix will forever be scared by what came after it.
the itsy bit
08/17/2008, 18:00
great movie Kanu reeves plays a great "Alice in Wonderland" and the movie works !!
I also love that you can see this movie and it has an ending, there is no need to even see the lousy sequels !!:classic:
9/10 for me. I remember the first time it was recommended to me ('Keanuu Reeves? You must be joking?') but I watched it anyway. Excellent action scenes, good story, Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving made this movie for me. To this day (some 120 years later) I still enjoy it. Genre bending sci-fi action movie that actually made you think. Who'da thunk it?
BTW, I enjoyed both sequels. The hundred Agent Smtih fight scene was excellent, and I enjoyed the overall fell of #2. #3 wasn't as good IMO, but a fitting end to the Trilogy none the less.
While I must disagree with your horrendous rating on Crystal Skull, WIT, I couldnt agree with you more on your take on the Matrix (and its sequels) here. :)
While I must disagree with your horrendous rating on Crystal Skull, WIT, I couldnt agree with you more on your take on the Matrix (and its sequels) here. :)
Apparently, I am older than I even realized, since I seem to have seen the movie 120 years ago :p
Maybe, I am in the Matrix :surprised:eek:
SentryWill
09/09/2010, 12:19
Man i don't know what you guys were smoking? But I do know what I was....10 out of 10
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