The Matrix

It feels weird but good to revisit the Matrix pictures.  They were such a pop culture phenomenon that they became a loaded topic of discussion.  Were they genius masterworks or action schlock?  Those were your only choices in the matter.  At the time I thought the first movie was just ok and didn’t care almost at all for the sequels.  But now that it’s been about twenty years let’s see how they fare.

Right out of the gate this fresh viewing of The Matrix is by far the most I’ve ever enjoyed the grand sci-fi extravaganza.  The story is really tight with good pacing and the production design has an awesome David Fincher-y vibe.  Gritty, clear, dark, greenish tint inside the Matrix, blueish tint outside, shimmery to a degree, beautiful.  It’s very impressive how the Wachowskis were able to blend their major influences of 70’s and 80’s kung fu films with dystopian post-apocalypse, technobabble computer hackery, modern action sensibilities and intellectual philosophical messaging.  All while pioneering integrated computer effects into outrageous action scenes.  I mean the whole package just turned out really fuckin’ cool.  Congrats to the world for recognizing the high ambitions this mid budget blockbuster set and actually accomplished.

The part that interested me least back in the day was all the metaphor/allegory stuff.  I think I had a hard time reconciling the ridiculous fight scenes with characters speaking so academically about the world being fake in some way, a construct of our own imagination or a dream or whatever.  “Hey, shut it and stick to breaking off boots in asses like I’m used to with my boys Van Damme and Segal.”  But the dichotomy isn’t nearly as glaring as I remember.  The conversation the movie wants to have isn’t completely abstruse like I always thought either.  Having machines enslave humans and use them as batteries fits the nihilistic proposal that’s laid out pretty perfectly.

Along with that the Wachowskis put a shit ton of thought into their world, characters and scenarios.  This may not be so apparent upon first watch but with repeat viewings the plot, everyone’s motivation, the mechanics of the world and the drivers that push the flow of the scenes are all crystal clear.  It’s so rare when a filmmaker can convey their vision intact and comprehensible in the end product.

And the work that was put into the front end of the process along with hiring superb talent in all areas helps with the longevity of the picture.  I bet you everybody thinks this is dated as fuck but I was shocked as shit to discover this looks and feels timeless.  If anything you could be mistaken for assuming the Wachowskis were intentionally going for a retro vibe with the payphones and pixelated computer displays.  But haircuts, clothing, sets, the Matrix depicted as streaming vertical lines of green code, computer language (which is kept to a bare minimum) and a lot of the effects hold up.  Wow.  I would not have bet money on that.

Curiously the only minus I would give is the thing that was spoofed and mimicked for years after this came out.  The effects shots where the action pauses and the camera swivels to a new position before the scene continues comes off as pure show off-ery these days.  And I’m really only talking about two shots here.  The opening where Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss (Fido)) jumps into the air to kick a cop and when Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne (Event Horizon)) takes a bullet in the ankle while running to leap onto a rescue chopper.  These ninety degree spins are only for the audience.  It’s the filmmakers pointing out what’s possible with computers instead of the effects enhancing the scene by showing the characters bending the rules of the Matrix (like the infamously badass bullet dodging scene).  These two shots boil down to a fancy cut and zoom.

This isn’t necessarily an action picture first and a heady sci-fi drama second or anything like that.  Like some of the best films each component works together to support each other.  They interlock to become a sum greater than its parts.  I can now genuinely appreciate this first one for the masterpiece it is.  Weirdly it had sort of an underdog status in my mind for a couple of decades because of the permeating professorial attitude weighing down the martials arts, gunplay, etc. parts that I liked.  But happily, that’s not the case here.  I’m so glad it pulled off beating my expectations by slow mo spin kicking me into a wall while opining on the state of the human race and psyche.