If you're looking for the best cyberpunk film of the past few years, this is it. The Matrix has everything most recent attempts at the genre do not: action, depth, excitement, plot, good acting ...

And believe me, that last is saying something. I have never been particularly impressed by Keanu Reeves--he was outshone by a bus in Speed, outacted by a mechanical dolphin in Johnny Mnemonic-- but now, I am impressed. And of course Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne turn in spectacular performances.

But even if the acting had been mediocre, the story itself would have made this film impressive. For those who've not seen it, I won't give away anything in the way of actual plot; however, I will say that this is a film with a story that makes sense within itself, that leaves the viewer with something to take away, something to think about after the lights have gone up. And, unfortunately, that is uncommon in today's world of action films and potty-humor comedies.

And as if good acting and depth of plot weren't enough, The Matrix also contains some of the best special effects (and best use of its special effects) since Terminator II and Jurassic Park.

If you can somehow find it in the theatre, go see it there. If you can't, get it on DVD. If you don't have a DVD player, get it on video.

Or, as the corporatized goddess of victory might say, just get it.

So what makes The Matrix mythic?

It would be easy to just say, sure, The Matrix is a mythic tale, it's obvious, don't you see it? But if it was really easy to see, then we wouldn't be wondering what the new mythology is; we'd know, and this web site would be as superfluous as giving more air time to a politician. But since that's not the case ...

In my little world, a story is mythic (and not simply a good story) if it speaks to some universal truth, or to a spiritual truth; something beyond the challenge of everyday living. (With one caveat in these days of malleability -- the "truth" in the story need not be the "truth" as you see it, but something which makes you incorporate/challenge your own view of the truth.) Given this pseudo-definition, The Matrix certainly qualifies -- even on the surface, it is a story about a potential messiah (Neo, the "One") coming into his own and saving the world, and it delves into questions of life and death, reality and unreality, and gives us potential answers to these questions.

Of course, I do see problems with my definition. For instance, stories like Prometheus' bringing of fire to mankind are considered myths not because of any obvious spiritual storyline (although, as an English major, I'm sure I could dig and find something), but because it is a tale of gods and mortals; however, here, too, The Matrix qualifies: It is such a tale, although more in a Buddhist sense, as the gods are merely humans who realize their own godhood.

For more religious/mythic discussions on The Matrix, see The Matrix Unfolded.

And to comment/disagree/agree, e-mail me at ghost@neomythos.com.