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If the real world is made out of 1s and 0s is Neo the One?
The Matrix is a riddle wrapped inside encoded computer signs, packaged as the wildest, imaginative sci-fi thriller. Matrix will give you the best of gravity-defying, mind-blending action heroes who can not only offload two machine-guns while running along a wall, but also dodge bullets, leap from skyscraper to skyscraper and, effectively punch holes in time.
Writer/director siblings, the Wachowskis, have gone further with the action than you have ever seen. Each kung fu move is a masterwork, using smooth slow-motion and freeze-frames to move the camera while the time is so slow that it seems stopped, to show all the deadly neck-crunching hand-chops in real-time.

The Plot
Mr Anderson (Neo) wakes up one random morning and sees a weird error on his pc. Firstly, he sees many green signs coming down the screen randomly, like a secret message. Secondly, he hears a voice telling him to follow the rabbit. The next day he goes to a pub and sees a woman with a rabbit tattoo on her back. Next, Neo follows the girl and meets a mysterious man called Morpheus. The computer hacker then learns that his entire life has been a virtual dream'

Characters
The main character (Keanu Reeves) ' Neo, also known as Thomas Anderson is a hacker who gets dragged into the matrix and realises that the world he used to live in is not real. His character suits his role and is liked especially by female audience, for an obvious reason...
Laurence Fishburne ' Morpheus is the person who dragged Neo into the matrix, and believes that neo is 'The One'. He also acts as Neo's mentor. Fishburne plays a very confident role as an experienced man who is a role model and a leader to his crew.
Carrie-Ann Moss; Trinity - A tough woman who works alongside Morpheus. The oracle told her she would fall in love with 'The One'; Neo. Carrie-Ann plays a role full of action and she shows the audience that gender does not matter in skills of martial arts and being tough.
Hugo Weaving; Agent Smith ' He is one of the agents of the matrix who are extremely powerful; nobody has ever been able to defeat one before. Agent Smith is Morpheus' main enemy. Hugo plays his role very well; he hates human beings ' especially Morpheus' team. Also, he persuades Cypher (who is in Morpheus' team) to help the agents and kill all of Morpheus' team.
Gloria Foster; The Oracle is an old, extremely intelligent woman who is able to see the future and read through people's destinies, which makes her a very important role in The Matrix. Morpheus takes his crew members, most importantly Neo to her. She is a very calm woman ' probably because she knows what is going to happen in future; there will never be any surprises for her.

Visual effects
The Matrix is the first film to win the academy award for visual effects over a film in the Star Wars series, The Phantom Menace. It also won Saturn awards for best science fiction film and best direction. However, this film is best known for developing and popularising the use of visual effects known as bullet time. This revolutionary effect allows the viewer to explore the film in slow motion as the camera appears to be moving around the scene at a normal speed. It is also named as quick time virtual reality.
Since The Matrix's success on using the ground breaking, glorious special effect; bullet time, it has now been used more frequently and repeatedly in many action films. Furthermore, this effect has been used in many music videos, video games, and advertisements. Amazingly, the bullet time photography approaches at least 12,000 frames per second.

Setting
Most of the film is set in the urban side of Australia, which suits the film very well, especially when Morpheus teaches Neo how to survive in the world of matrix. One of the examples of his lessons is jumping from one skyscraper to another skyscraper, which seems impossible to Neo. The scenes filmed in the big city stand out, because of the extremely high population and the 'pause' that Morpheus does, so then the time has stopped, even though Morpheus and Neo are still moving.
Another important part of the setting is in the machine which is the base of Morpheus' crew. The machine is loaded with computers which control the matrix and it also contains seats which can put a person in the matrix by inserting a special 'plug' in the back of the head. The machine itself swims round and is programmed to avoid other machines which try destroying the matrix machine.

Verdict
If you like action sci-fi films and you never have enough of visual effects and virtuality; you will find yourself sitting for hours playing most of the brilliant scenes of The Matrix again and again. The only thing that should be improved in the film is the scene with Neo and Trinity taking all the security men out in a bank ' it was not realistic that not one bullet had hit them, out of hundreds of them being fired by the men. However, many people like the films in which someone avoids all the damage and kills every single opponent.