Stanko's Stance

Director: The Wachowski Brothers
Writers: The Wachowski Brothers
Staring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Streaming: HBO MAX
Release Date: March 31, 1999

The Matrix came out in 1999, yet there are aspects of it that are timeless. This Wachowski Brothers feature is known world-wide, so dictating the plot is pointless. And let’s be honest here, the storyline is not what people come to this movie for.

What prompted me to re-watch The Matrix was a journey of self discovery. I wanted to know, from the last time I saw it, if different aspects of it grabbed me compared to my college-aged self.

I am here to tell you that the best part of The Matrix are still its action pieces. I would pay money alone to watch Neo and Trinity break into the Agents’ building and recue Morpheus. The sequence is still as captivating as it was when it first came out and when I first saw it. When Trinity flips over the soldier, takes his shotgun and shoots him in the back, I just loose myself.

• I love how the first introduction to this visual style comes with Trinity at the helm. Imagine being in the theater, not knowing anything about The Matrix, and seeing an actress you don’t recognize just run up walls and drive across buildings while running away from these robotic men.
• Here is my hot take. Keanu Reeves is the worst part of The Matrix. Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving steal the scenes they are in as the best performers.
• I had NO IDEA that The Matrix won four Academy Awards: Best film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects.
• I think one can agree with Agent Smith that human kind is a virus.

STANKO RATING: B+ (4.0/5 Stars)

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