The Matrix | 
| Directors: Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Actors: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
Buy Used: $0.63
You Save: $12.35 (95%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  2952 reviews
Sales Rank: 1143
Format: Ac-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 136
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.5
MPN: D17737D
ISBN: 0790742616
UPC: 085391773726
EAN: 9780790742618
ASIN: B00000K19E
Theatrical Release Date: March 31, 1999
Release Date: September 21, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Does not include DVD case or Artwork. All discs play great.
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Amazon.com essential video
By following up their debut thriller Bound with the 1999 box-office smash The Matrix, the codirecting Wachowski brothers--Andy and Larry--annihilated any suggestion of a sophomore jinx, crafting one of the most exhilarating sci-fi/action movies of the 1990s. Set in the not too distant future in an insipid, characterless city, we find a young man named Neo (Keanu Reeves). A software techie by day and a computer hacker by night, he sits alone at home by his monitor, waiting for a sign, a signal--from what or whom he doesn't know--until one night, a mysterious woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) seeks him out and introduces him to that faceless character he has been waiting for: Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). A messiah of sorts, Morpheus presents Neo with the truth about his world by shedding light on the dark secrets that have troubled him for so long: "You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." Ultimately, Morpheus illustrates to Neo what the Matrix is--a reality beyond reality that controls all of their lives, in a way that Neo can barely comprehend. Neo thus embarks on an adventure that is both terrifying and enthralling. Pitted against an enemy that transcends human concepts of evil, Morpheus and his team must train Neo to believe that he is the chosen champion of their fight. With mind-boggling, technically innovative special effects and a thought-provoking script that owes a debt of inspiration to the legacy of cyberpunk fiction, this is much more than an out-and-out action yarn; it's a thinking man's journey into the realm of futuristic fantasy, a dreamscape full of eye candy that will satisfy sci-fi, kung fu, action, and adventure fans alike. Although the film is headlined by Reeves and Fishburne--who both turn in fine performances--much of the fun and excitement should be attributed to Moss, who flawlessly mixes vulnerability with immense strength, making other contemporary female heroines look timid by comparison. And if we were going to cast a vote for most dastardly movie villain of 1999, it would have to go to Hugo Weaving, who plays the feckless, semipsychotic Agent Smith with panache and edginess. As the film's box-office profits soared, the Wachowski brothers announced that The Matrix is merely the first chapter in a cinematically dazzling franchise--a chapter that is arguably superior to the other sci-fi smash of 1999 (you know... the one starring Jar Jar Binks). --Jeremy Storey
Description
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells of a computer hacker (Reeves) who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth. The computers are powered by human beings...DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by C. Moss, J. Gaeta, & Z. Staenberg
Featurette:"Bullet Time" Featurette (6:01) "What is the Concept" Featurette (10:50)
Music Clips:2.0 Music only with commentary
Other:HBO 1st Look Special: Making the Matrix (25:48) "White Rabbit" Clips (22:22) [4x3]
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2947 more reviews...
 The ORACLE was in the Matrix! October 10, 2008
as soon as I saw him eat that cookie I figured out how many script errors were made and since I can't read all 3000 reviews just had to add my 2c...why would u bother with a matrix concept if u just wanted to milk babes for AC/DC??? They grow up? Kill em... and that screen depicting the vertical scans of random numbers, and only one quick shot to show how it is really interpreted, as a GD camera!!! and what is with the high tech gear that is available in sposedly '99 (i.e. learn to fly, UFC, etc.) and they use KEYBOARDS!!!! not even ONE voice command??? and that phone booth interface was soooo ingenious, beam me up Scooby Doo...YIKES!!! really luved the scene going thru security post 9/11 with all that commando gear, major yuk of the film...and why on God's good earth would they have one source for the codes to Zion, no super s/w dewey decimal system to encrypt the lat/long??? ack, have lots more but hated to discuss this film with my roomtemp IQ friends, they claim they all "got" it, but don't ask them any of these questions, they change the subject...SCREAM!!!!@@#%%@%! Positives were the high wire acts, the cute outfits in black, the traitor enjoying his fake moo meat, the music, and of course, that babe in RED!!!
 Product arrived in excellent condition. September 9, 2008
Sender took a couple of weeks to acknowledge purchase. Once acknowledged, however, item came quickly and in excellent condition and within the original specified time window for arrival.
 Two Thumbs Up from a Non Sci Fi Guy September 5, 2008
As annoying as Keanu C. Reeves can be, this is his ultimate role! The 44 year old Canadian actor whose middle name is Charles plays Neo who is most unlike his character in the 1989 comedy Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Released in 1999 and written and directed by the Wachowski brothers this film takes the viewer into a dismal future for mankind in the year 2199. As ubiquitous as today's World Wide Web is, this film goes in a direction that takes electronic machines and their artificial intelligence to the extreme in which they take captive 99% of humanity.
As dependent on machines, the internet and technology as we are - could all of that become greater than us and in turn rely on us for its survival? You decide, this movie is in my personal top three movies I have ever seen!
"No Fear, No Doubt, No Disbelief." September 4, 2008
When 'THE MATRIX' first came out, I resisted the hype that began to surround it once all of the reviews--by laymen and professionals alike--started coming in.
About a year after it's cinematic release, when it was available on pay-per-view, on a night when I was bored stiff, with absolutely nothing else to do, I invested $4.99 just to see what all the hoopla was all about.
Excuse my French... but, God Damnit! Induct the Wachowski brothers into the movie making hall of fame right now!
If they never make another film, (which they obviously have, considering that there's now a 'Matrix' trilogy. UGH!)this one fantastic movie, in and of it's own accord, justifies their having a place of prominence in the pantheon of the all time great producers / directors in movie making history.
Being an intelligent, thoughtful, highly analytical and conscious individual, the mental stimulation which I derived from this finely nuanced film was enough to make me giddy.
With a superb cast; great acting; a mind-boggling plot; and dialogue that you can sink your teeth into; THE MATRIX gives the viewer a whole lot of everything.
But, for me, the one thing that it gave me more than anything else, was a sense of empowerment.
The sense that if we can conceive it and BELIEVE it, that we can also achieve it; and in essence, this film is really just one long testament to my favorite philosophical axiom; one which states that, "The person who thinks that they can, and the person who thinks that they can't, are both right." and for every single character in this movie, it was all about that one simple thing: 'belief'.
Morpheus, the leader of the group, who was played to perfection by Lawrence Fishburn, BELIEVED so strongly that he would find the one, that he had devoted his entire life to searching for him.
Trinity, played by Carrie Ann Moss, believed so strongly in Morpheus, that she risked her life time and time again, delving into the matrix as a liaison between Morpheus and 'the one'.
Cypher, played by Hugo Weaving, believed that their search was so much B.S. that he sold out to the agents, attempting to sabotage the groups efforts, for his own personal welfare.
NEO, played by keanu Reeves, believed that he was 'just another guy' until the collective belief of everyone around him, particularly Morpheus and Trinity, convinced him that he really was 'the one.'
This movie is so tightly constructed that even the names of these individuals tell a story that is relative to it's character.
Morpheus is the name of 'the principal God of dreams' in Greek mythology, and in The Matrix, Morpheus attempts to wake everyone from their dream state.
Trinity represents the power of alliance, particularly the alliance of three, as in the sun the moon and the stars, the father the son and the holy ghost, life death and rebirth, past present and future, etc... and she serves as the link between Morpheus' ideology, and it's real life application in the embodiment of Neo.
Neo, literally means 'NEW', and is also an anagram for ONE, and he would be the first person to see The Matrix as it really was, and he would also be the the first ONE to take a step into the heart of THE MATRIX and live to tell.
Even the name of their vessel, the Nebuchadnezzar, was symbolic, in the regards that Nebuchadnezzar was the name of the Babylon king who rebelled against Darius the great of Persia, who was the most powerful ruler of his 5th century B.C times.
This s**t is the macrocosm in microcosm, finely nuanced in every detail; and, in fact, if you really want to experience this movie from another perspective, DON"T WATCH IT... LISTEN TO IT.
"SOUND BYTES"
NEO: "So what are you telling me... that I can dodge bullets?"
MORPHEUS: "No! When you're ready... you won't have to."
When Neo is preparing to jump From one skyscraper to another, and has doubts about his ability to do so, Morpheus tells him, "Don't think you can... know you can."
When Neo tries to convince himself that he can make that jump, he declares, "NO FEAR, NO DOUBT, NO DISBELIEF."
And for anyone who is wondering if they should watch/buy this DVD; and whether or not it's worth their time and money?
Take it from me, (someone who isn't prone to gushing effusively about anything; though you wouldn't know that based on this review) you should have "NO FEAR... NO DOUBT... NO DISBELIEF."
THE MATRIX is THE ONE.
The Greatest Science Fiction Movie EVER September 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Wake Up, Neo".
With those three seemingly simple words, the entire concept of the Matrix is born. Part science fiction, part philosophical musing, part action-adventure, "The Matrix" is, pure and simple, the most well-crafted science fiction film of all-time.
The film, set in a human future where machines control the human race and use humans much like we currently use batteries, centers on the fate of one man, Neo (Keanu Reeves), who is awakened to this terrible existence. Much like the viewers of the film, Neo must figure out what is real and what is not, who to believe and who to fight.
The real gem hidden within this film, however, is its commentary on the CURRENT human condition, or specifically how we continue to design smarter and smarter machines that may one day be our downfall. Plus, the absolutely unbelievable/horrible future that awaits us is so unforgiving that viewers can't help but cheer for the protagonists, even if we will go back to our AI the next day at work.
The acting in this movie has been much-maligned, but the characters (while truly not very emotive) are almost MEANT to have a sort of philosophical tone to them. Neo is the confused savior, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) is the unflappable leader, and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) is the experienced sidekick. Also, the villainous "Agent Smith" (Hugo Weaving) will make you want to see him absolutely annihilated (the sign of a truly good villain!).
Of course, the special effects in this film are absolutely stunning, what with the use of "Bullet Time" (where the lightning action is slowed down to miniscule movements without losing any clarity).
Overall, this is a masterpiece science fiction film, combining an extraordinarily engaging plot, very able-bodied protagonists and antagonists, as well as special effects that, at the time of the film's release, were cutting edge. So, if you are looking for a film that will have you deep in contemplation days after viewing, but will also make you say "Whoa" (to quote Neo) while viewing, this film is for you.
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