yo see the context man. the matrix was inspiring to a whole generation when it came out.
That's true. Matrix was like an iPhone. Touchscreen phones existed before it but iPhone was packaged in such a way your average western consumer has to notice and appreciate. Matrix did the same, incorporated lame ass kung-fu in cyberpunk story that way making it approachable by masses. Wachowski sisters knew exactly what they were doing when they made Matrix.
Matrix was never good, we just weren't exposed to better at that time. Better was there because Matrix wasn't original work, but we didn't know about it.
Edit: I must say when it comes to entertainment and movies in general I feel for Germans and Americans. Germans because of their futile attempts to keep their language relevant in globalized world, thus doing voice overs for foreign movies and shows. Americans because they are so stuck in their belief of being the best at everything, they have to rehash and remake every single successful foreign idea which often ends up being much worse than original but they don't know it or just don't care (Danish TV show Broen comes to mind as great example of this).