That is what this movie is about. When you think about that statement and the fact that movies even exist. It's pretty ironic. How many of you readers actually spend your time in a dark movie theatre inhabiting the characters on the 20 ft high screen in front of you?

The Wachowski brothers (Andy and Larry) break through to the mainstream audience and become stars with The Matrix. Their first feature, Bound - bit of a smaller, art house film, was critically acclaimed. Critically acclaimed for far more than just the visual feast of an experimental Gina Gershon and Jennifer TiIlly rolling around naked in money.

This flick is far from just another silly action movie. The Wachowski's take some of the most surreal literature, from Lewis Carroll to the Bible to Jean Baudrillard and translate it into something the best couch potatoe can enjoy and understand. It is of the greatest movies to sit around and discuss afterwards as The Matrix addresses the issue of perception and reality. A slice from The Emperors New Clothes we truly understand that only an open mind can pierce a veil of deception.

The Matrix is an intelligent; well thought out story presented in perhaps one of the greatest action movies of our time. Not only is the story well versed in metaphysical themes, the special effects are the most groundbreaking we've seen since Terminator 2. The Matrix changed the landscape of movie making and story-telling in movies. The same way King Kong did in 1933 and only several other movies have since. With filmmaking techniques taken from stop motion animation to classic Hong Kong films with their spectacular wirework The Matrix is a marvel. An original copied by almost every film since.

As the movie opens in a dark, slightly green-tinged world we are treated to thrilling stunt work and a taste of a new breakthrough style of movie technology coined 'bullet-time'. Some secret service agents are tracking Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss - the most formidable female action hero since Ripley from the Aliens saga). The credits role and Keanu Reeves as Thomas Anderson/Neo is welcomed in the viewers' consciousness as a drab, boring, computer dewb completely unsatisfied with his life. Living an insanely tedious life as a computer programmer for a huge corporation. A person walking around thinking 'I deserve more than this', which almost everyone can relate to.

There is something bothering him and he can't quite put his finger on it, as he is taken to a club by a customer of his (Thomas Anderson is selling bootleg computer programs we are led to believe as illegal, what they actually are remains a mystery) he meets Trinity who offers to show him the truth.

Thomas is taken to meet Morpheus (portrayed by Lawrence Fishburne) a shadowy figure who speaks in riddles. The movie takes an unexpected turn and juxtaposes Alice in Wonderland in reverse. Thomas has been living in a computer-generated world and Morpheus is a freedom fighter trying to find the One who will set the human race free. The distinction between these two worlds is fantastic the green-tinged matrix and the bluish hue of the real world.

The wow factor is turned up about 600 notches when this happens and you sit in awe as you are treated to sights that I guarantee you haven't seen in the theatre in your lifetime.

An unassuming Thomas/Neo is apparently the One and tries desperately to run from the responsibility until the last moment when he dons the mantle. The character of Neo grows through the movie to accept his fate and Keanu does the job very, very well. As flat an actor as there ever was, Keanu actually performs in this movie (its not a stretch to say the Wachowski's absolutely tailored the role for him).

This movie is easily in my top five (Starwars and Indy don't count) for its groundbreaking style mixed with some pretty hefty subject matter. Planned as a trilogy the next two movies, Matrix: Reloaded and Matrix: Revolutions, to be released Dec 2002 and Summer 2003. Personally, I am waiting with baited breath.

Now the DVD, released in 1999 it is one of the first DVD's on the market to take advantage of the format. The Matrix is also the DVD plagued with problems from the onset. Crashing players all around the world, features not working and stopping during the movie are just some of the problems people have reported.

DO NOT LET THIS STOP YOU FROM BUYING IT.

In fact, its still ranks up there with any of the best Criterion editions you stack it next to (it is not a Criterion disc). There are great behind the scenes documentaries, a nice little feature called Follow the White Rabbit, similar to pop up video when the rabbit appears you are treated with a cut from behind the scenes during the filming of that sequence. And finally a commentary that is great, albeit lacking the Wachowski Brothers, which is a bit of a let down.

All in All, a Damn great movie.

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