There was so much happening visually in the Wachowski Brothers' instant sci-fi classic The Matrix that it was easy to overlook Don Davis' score. It is true that Davis' music is the most conventional element of the film, often following familiar action film patterns, but that's not to say that it's predictable. There are long quiet stretches that are quite eerie, even without the film to support the music, and he employs dissonance and quick, powerful staccatos quite effectively. And when he turns to grand, sweeping themes, such as on the closing "Anything Is Possible," it's hard not get caught up in the momentum of the piece. It still works better with the film, but The Matrix is the rare score that is nearly as effective as a stand-alone work as it is in the film. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine