# So who didn't like "The Matrix" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2002, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192 "2002-09-30T02:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/1 "2002-09-30T02:45:03Z")
I caught the first scene of the Matrix tonight on Fox. Love that flick, can’t wait for the next two. I was just wondering if anyone out there really didn’t like it, and why. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/2 "2002-09-30T02:49:08Z")
Two words: Keanu Reeves. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/3 "2002-09-30T02:56:49Z")
Does anyone know what direction the movies are heading in? I imagine #2 as the Anit-Matix force defeating the agents and #3 has them battling the newly “freed” humans who want the sun, buildings and steak back and have Cypher as their spiritual leader. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/4 "2002-09-30T03:02:34Z")
Normally I would agree, minty, but in The Matrix his wooden acting doesn’t really detract too much. Watch it on DVD with quality surround speakers cranked up loud and I defy you not to enjoy it! My fave scene is the gun battle in the lobby. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/5 "2002-09-30T03:23:36Z")
Weeelllll… I didn’t hate it but I wasn’t all that impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/6 "2002-09-30T03:39:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*Normally I would agree, minty, but in The Matrix his wooden acting doesn’t really detract too much. > \*\* I can’t see how that is possible, unless the movie is just an excuse for flashy special effects. Either way it doesn’t appeal, so I’ve never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/7 "2002-09-30T03:44:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\* > > I can’t see how that is possible, unless the movie is just an excuse for flashy special effects. > > Either way it doesn’t appeal, so I’ve never seen it. \*\* Well yeah, you could argue that the movie _is_ just an excuse for flashy special effects, but theres nothing wrong with that in my opinion. The SFX are what made the movie enjoyable for me, but whatever floats your boat I guess. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/8 "2002-09-30T03:45:17Z")
Loved it the first time, almost got kicked out of the theater for laughing at inappropriate times the second screening. The effects really cover up some horrible plot holes and knee-bitingly awful dialog. When the effects fail to distract… watch out! Quality drops off sharply with repeated viewings… that said, I’ll be going to the sequels because I’m curious what will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/9 "2002-09-30T04:17:00Z")
I also didn’t hate it, but I didn’t think it was that great, either. The special effects were outstanding, but the movie as a whole underwhelmed me. I’d say it makes my top 100 movie list, but it’s not anywhere near the top 25. Still, I’m quite sure I’ll end up seeing the sequels. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/10 "2002-09-30T04:17:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\* > > I can’t see how that is possible, unless the movie is just an excuse for flashy special effects.\*\* Keanu’s character is suppossed to be a blank slate, so wooden acting is actually an attribute in this case. That said, Brandon Lee would have been unfathomably better in the role had he still been alive. ---
**Author:** ![Member\_10K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Member\_10K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Member_10K)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/11 "2002-09-30T04:35:53Z")
Since you haven’t seen the end, I won’t spoil it, but the end ruined it for me. Deus ex machina. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/12 "2002-09-30T05:21:19Z")
I didn’t hate it, but I do think it was waaaaaay overrated. As has been mentioned, you could drive eighteen-wheelers through the plot holes. Not just plot holes, but logic holes. There are so many things that don’t make any sense whatsoever if you stop to think about it. But, of course, the movie wasn’t made for people who think. It was made for stoners that will be distracted by the flashing lights and think the repackaging of day one of Intro to Philosophy is, like, really deep and stuff. Huh. That came out nastier than I meant it to. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/13 "2002-09-30T06:16:53Z")
I didn’t like it. The very first sene set the wrong tone for me…a phone number is mentioned, and it starts with “555”. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/14 "2002-09-30T06:22:12Z")
My favorite characters were the agents. The best scene is when one of them is talking about how much humanity disgusts him… I was hoping they would kill everybody and then start dancing. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/15 "2002-09-30T06:29:46Z")
Hope this isn’t too far off track: I was elsewhere when the movie came out, so didn’t see it for quite a while later. When I did, it was just after the Columbine shenanigans. On the news, before I went to the movie, they described how the kids came to school, wearing black trench coats and sunglasses, carrying gym bags fulla guns, then starting shooting. Then there’s that scene in the movie… But that’s got nothing to do with why I didn’t like it. I just thought it was stupid. Ditto the citicisms about the end. It didn’t make sense. I’d describe it, but I don’t want to further spoil an already rotten piece. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/16 "2002-09-30T07:07:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*Two words: Keanu Reeves. \*\* Now that’s someone who doesn’t deserve to be an actor. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/17 "2002-09-30T07:32:47Z")
I thought it was a john woo rip off and the story tired and lame … Now if rod sterling wrote the script and john woo directed it it might of been intresting You know I thought chun yow fat \ bruce or brandon lee or even hell a deamatic jackie chan would of been better … But this type of story had been done before and by better people I perdict the second will be big box office and the third will be a ehhh reaction … ---
**Author:** ![effac3d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@effac3d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/effac3d)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/18 "2002-09-30T07:44:27Z")
I still want to know what kind of files were on those mini-discs Neo was selling. Two grand?!? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/19 "2002-09-30T08:11:40Z")
Spoilers: Oddly, the first scene and climax take place in the same place (room 312 in the Heart O’ The City hotel), but in the first scene, Trinity can’t escape because the land line has been cut, but in the climax, Neo _does_ escape… how? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192/20 "2002-09-30T11:51:56Z")
I thought it was another case of Hollywood making another spectacularly overproduced special effects extravaganza for the mentally impaired… The concept of The Matrix itself would have been good had it been pursued, but noooo we had to have the fate of the world resting in the hands of Keanu Reeves… I don’t know how to mask spoilers, so don’t scroll down if you don’t want to see… fighting aliens powerful enough to subvert our entire existence with…martial arts??? Give me a freakin’ break!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-didnt-like-the-matrix/130192.md?page=2)