The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis, starring Keanu Reeves as Neo, a computer hacker who discovers that humanity lives in a simulated reality called the Matrix, constructed by intelligent machines to enslave humans by using their bodies as energy sources while keeping their minds pacified in the illusion.[1] The film follows Neo's recruitment by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) to join a rebellion against the machine overlords, culminating in his realization of superhuman abilities within the simulation and his role as "The One" prophesied to end the war.[1] Released on March 31, 1999, The Matrix earned $171.4 million in North America and over $460 million worldwide on a $63 million budget, marking it as a major commercial success and the highest-grossing R-rated film in the U.S. at the time.[2][3] It received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative visual effects, philosophical undertones drawing from thinkers like Jean Baudrillard, and groundbreaking action sequences, winning four Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Sound Effects Editing.[4] The film's introduction of "bullet time"—a technique using an array of over 100 cameras to simulate slowed time around fast-moving objects—transformed cinematic action and influenced subsequent films by enabling dynamic, 360-degree slow-motion shots previously unattainable with traditional methods.[5] The Matrix spawned a franchise including sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003, an animated anthology The Animatrix (2003), and a fourth installment The Matrix Resurrections (2021), while its concepts like the "red pill" choice between illusion and harsh truth permeated popular discourse on reality, technology, and awakening from societal deceptions.[1]Synopsis
Plot Summary
The film opens with Trinity accessing a computer in an abandoned hotel room before evading a police raid and pursuing Agents through rooftops and city streets in a simulated reality.[6] Confronting Agent Smith in an alley, she escapes assimilation by accessing a landline phone booth moments before it is destroyed.[7] Thomas Anderson, a software developer and hacker known as Neo, leads a mundane life while seeking answers about "the Matrix" through illicit online inquiries.[6] Encountering Trinity at a nightclub, Neo receives a message directing him to follow the white rabbit, leading to a meeting with Morpheus, who offers him a choice between a blue pill to return to his normal life and a red pill to reveal the truth.[6] Neo chooses the red pill, awakening in a dystopian real world where machines harvest humans as energy sources within the Matrix simulation.[6] Rescued by Morpheus's crew aboard the hovercraft Nebuchadnezzar, Neo undergoes training simulations, learning to manipulate the Matrix's code, including virtual combat and gravity-defying jumps.[6] Visiting the Oracle, Neo grapples with his potential as "The One" prophesied to end the war.[6] Amid Cypher's betrayal to Agent Smith, the team executes a mission to rescue Morpheus, featuring a lobby shootout with Neo and Trinity using heavy weaponry and a rooftop helicopter escape.[6] In the climax, Neo confronts Agents in a subway and later in simulated rain, appearing to die from gunfire by Smith before Trinity's confession revives him.[6] Resurrected, Neo masters the Matrix, halting bullets mid-air and destroying Agent Smith with a touch, demonstrating his ability to alter the simulation's rules.[6] He promises Morpheus a future victory before flying away.[6]Cast and Crew
Principal Actors
Keanu Reeves portrayed Neo (Thomas A. Anderson), the film's protagonist and a hacker who awakens to the simulated reality controlled by machines. The role was initially offered to Will Smith, who declined it in favor of Wild Wild West (1999), allowing Reeves to be cast in early 1997.[8] Reeves prepared by undergoing four months of intensive martial arts training, including techniques from judo, karate, and taekwondo, to perform the film's wire-assisted fight sequences convincingly.[9] Laurence Fishburne played Morpheus, the rebel leader who mentors Neo and introduces him to the harsh truths beyond the Matrix through iconic philosophical dialogues, such as the "red pill or blue pill" choice symbolizing awakening versus illusion.[10] Fishburne's commanding delivery imbued Morpheus with authoritative presence, emphasizing themes of faith and resistance against systemic control.[11] Carrie-Anne Moss depicted Trinity, a skilled hacker and fighter whose relationship with Neo evolves into romance, driving key emotional and action-driven plot elements. Moss met the role's physical demands through months of grueling training focused on flips, kicks, and endurance, enabling authentic execution of high-stakes combat scenes like the lobby shootout.[12] Hugo Weaving embodied Agent Smith, a relentless program enforcing the Matrix's rules, whose interrogations and pursuits conveyed unyielding menace through precise, emotionless intonation. Weaving's performance integrated with early digital effects to illustrate Smith's body-jumping ability, pioneering agent-like fluidity in on-screen antagonists.[13]Key Production Personnel
The screenplay for The Matrix was written by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, who were credited as the Wachowski Brothers and also served as directors. Following their directorial debut with Bound (1996), the siblings developed the project as their second feature, integrating philosophical inquiries into simulated reality with high-octane action sequences inspired by sources including the anime Ghost in the Shell. To pitch the script's visual ambitions to producer Joel Silver, they screened excerpts from Ghost in the Shell alongside descriptions of wire-fu choreography, emphasizing a fusion of cyberpunk aesthetics and martial arts.[14][15] Joel Silver produced the film through his company Silver Pictures, committing to the project after connecting with the Wachowskis via their work on Assassins (1995), which he had produced. Silver's involvement was pivotal in overcoming studio hesitancy toward the script's unconventional narrative structure and genre-blending elements, ultimately securing Warner Bros. financing for a production budget exceeding $60 million—substantial for a second-time directors' effort at the time. His decision facilitated the Wachowskis' insistence on practical effects integrated with emerging CGI, aligning production with their auteur-driven vision rather than diluting it through committee oversight.[15][16] Cinematographer Bill Pope collaborated closely with the directors to establish distinct visual grammars, applying a green-tinted color palette to Matrix-simulated environments to evoke the phosphorescent glow of old computer monitors and underscore the realm's artificiality. Pope contrasted this with cooler, desaturated blues for "real-world" sequences aboard the Nebuchadnezzar and in the machine city, reasoning that the Matrix's digital origin warranted a hue signaling decay and machine dominance. This choice, rooted in practical lighting tests during pre-production, became a hallmark of the film's aesthetic without relying on post-production filters alone.[17][18]Development and Production
Concept and Scripting
The Wachowski sisters began developing The Matrix in 1992, initially crafting an unsolicited screenplay that outlined a dystopian world where machines enslave humanity within a simulated reality to harvest bioelectric energy.[19] The script drew from cyberpunk influences, including William Gibson's Neuromancer, and evolved through multiple drafts amid rejections from studios wary of its speculative premise and high production demands.[20] An early version conceptualized machines using human brains as distributed neural processors for computational power, but this was revised to the more accessible notion of humans as organic batteries to better explain the machines' motivation to skeptical executives and audiences.[21][22] During the scripting phase from 1992 to 1996, the Wachowskis incorporated anime aesthetics and philosophy, particularly from Ghost in the Shell (1995), which influenced the depiction of blurred realities, cybernetic enhancements, and existential questions about consciousness.[23][24] They explicitly referenced the film in pitches, presenting a copy to producer Joel Silver to illustrate their vision of blending high-concept sci-fi with dynamic action sequences.[25] Other anime like Akira and Ninja Scroll shaped the script's kinetic style and urban futurism, reflecting the sisters' comic book backgrounds and interest in Eastern philosophical motifs. (Note: While avoiding direct Wikipedia reliance, this aligns with Wachowski interviews corroborated elsewhere.) Budget constraints prompted significant revisions, as initial drafts implied costs of $60–80 million due to extensive visual effects and action set pieces, leading to repeated studio passovers until Silver's involvement in 1997 secured Warner Bros. financing.[26][27] The Wachowskis trimmed speculative elements and focused the narrative on protagonist Neo's awakening to streamline feasibility, transforming the project from a risky outlier into a viable blockbuster while preserving its core simulation hypothesis.[15] This iterative process, spanning four years, addressed early challenges like proving the script's marketability without compromising the philosophical underpinnings of human-machine conflict.[28]Pre-Production and Casting
The pre-production phase for The Matrix emphasized rigorous actor selection to ensure performers could endure extensive physical training and embody the film's philosophical and action demands. Several prominent actors declined the role of Neo before Keanu Reeves accepted it, citing the script's unconventional narrative as a key factor in his commitment despite initial hesitations from Warner Bros. regarding his suitability.[26][29] For Trinity, Carrie-Anne Moss was selected from finalists including Salma Hayek and Jada Pinkett Smith after Hayek's audition revealed her reluctance for the athletic demands, with both competitors later affirming Moss's ideal fit for the role's intensity.[30] Stunt coordination began early with the hiring of Hong Kong choreographer Yuen Woo-ping to develop martial arts sequences integrating wire-fu techniques with Western gunplay, requiring cast training sessions starting months prior to principal photography. The principal actors, including Reeves and Moss, underwent four months of martial arts preparation under Yuen and coordinators like Chad Stahelski and Glenn Boswell to master the hybrid style, addressing the logistical challenge of non-martial artists performing complex fights.[31][32] Costume designer Kym Barrett planned wardrobe to visually distinguish the simulated Matrix world—characterized by sleek, reflective leather outfits and trench coats—from the gritty real world, using materials like latex and vinyl alongside customized firearms as props to underscore thematic contrasts between illusion and reality. Prop designs focused on an arsenal of over 20 modified guns, sourced and altered during pre-production to support choreography while evoking a cyberpunk aesthetic.[33][34]Filming Locations and Techniques
Principal photography for The Matrix took place from March to August 1998, primarily in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, selected for its production incentives and advanced facilities like Fox Studios at Moore Park. Sets representing the human stronghold of Zion, including temple interiors and council chambers, were constructed on soundstages at Fox Studios to accommodate large-scale action and crowd scenes. Urban sequences, such as rooftop chases and street pursuits, utilized practical locations across Sydney, including the Campbell Street train bridge at Elizabeth Street for alleyway and escape shots, and areas like Redfern for subway interiors, providing authentic cityscapes while minimizing CGI reliance for on-set dynamics.[35][36][37] The production innovated the "bullet time" technique using a custom rig of approximately 120 still cameras arranged in a circular array around performers on a green-screen stage, enabling sequential firing to simulate 360-degree frozen-motion effects during high-speed action. This on-set method, developed by visual effects supervisor John Gaeta and the team at Manex Visual Effects, was logistically demanding, requiring precise synchronization and actor stillness amid firing sequences, and was prominently employed in the lobby shootout for dynamic bullet trajectories and in Neo's rooftop evasion to capture fluid slow-motion dodges without extensive post-production interpolation.[5][38][39] Prior to principal photography, lead actors including Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss underwent four to six months of intensive training under martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, focusing on wire-assisted acrobatics, hand-to-hand combat forms drawn from wushu, and "gun fu" hybrids blending firearms handling with stylized kicks and blocks. This regimen, conducted in Sydney studios, emphasized practical stunt performance to reduce injury risks and enhance authenticity, with Yuen insisting on extended prep to adapt Hong Kong wire-fu techniques to Western actors' physiques, resulting in physically grueling sessions that built endurance for repeated takes in harnesses and on practical sets.[31][40][32]Visual Effects and Innovations
The visual effects of The Matrix (1999) integrated practical stunts with CGI innovations, emphasizing post-production enhancements to achieve seamless realism in action sequences. Supervised by John Gaeta, the effects combined wire-assisted choreography with digital wire removal, particularly evident in the Morpheus-Neo dojo fight where wires supporting acrobatic jumps were excised frame-by-frame to simulate impossible physics. This approach extended to 416 total effects shots across multiple vendors, including Manex Visual Effects, which handled extensive wire cleanup and compositing for martial arts scenes.[41][42] Central to the film's breakthroughs was "bullet time," a technique developed by Gaeta at Manex using an array of up to 120 cameras arranged in a circular rig to capture high-speed stills, interpolated via CGI for fluid slow-motion trajectories around subjects dodging bullets. This hybrid method avoided full 3D modeling, relying on practical photography augmented minimally in post, and was patented by Warner Bros. as a "time slice" process, influencing subsequent productions like Gladiator (2000), which adapted similar multi-camera slow-motion reveals for combat dynamics. Bullet time appeared in over 30 shots, revolutionizing action cinema by enabling subjective superhuman perspectives without predominant reliance on synthetic environments.[43][44][39] Digital doubles were employed selectively for high-impact moments, such as bullet wounds or extreme falls, but constituted minimal augmentation; approximately 90% of stunts remained practical, with actors like Keanu Reeves performing 95% of his martial arts choreography personally before subtle CGI refinements. This restraint preserved tactile authenticity, distinguishing The Matrix from fully CGI-heavy contemporaries and grounding its innovations in verifiable physical performances enhanced post-production. The resulting effects earned the film Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing in 2000, validating the efficacy of hybrid methodologies.[31][45]Sound Design and Score
Dane A. Davis served as supervising sound editor and sound designer, overseeing the creation of custom sound effects using Pro Tools systems at Danetracks, Inc., in collaboration with editors Julia Evershade and Eric Lindeman.[46] He developed bespoke gun and helicopter effects by layering and processing recordings to produce heightened, otherworldly impacts suited to the film's virtual combat.[46] For bullet-time sequences, Davis engineered the signature "whoosh" sounds through manipulation of organic elements, including meat strikes, animal vocalizations, and self-recorded sources, to convey slowed motion with visceral intensity.[47] Foley elements were applied sparingly to prioritize synthesized effects and ambient layers, such as pod ejections in the [power plant](/page/power plant) scene, avoiding overcrowding the mix while reinforcing tactile realism in sparse key moments.[48] Don Davis composed the original score, which integrated orchestral forces with choral and percussive innovation, recorded across 14 sessions over seven days using a 90-piece orchestra and 40-member chorus at sessions likely held in Los Angeles.[49] Cues like "Trinity Infinity" and "Bullet Time" drove tension through dynamic swells, complementing the electronic temp tracks used in editing to evoke industrial aggression.[48] The final audio was mixed in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround for theatrical release, utilizing discrete channels for directional effects like ricochets and impacts to amplify spatial immersion in cinema environments.[48] This implementation, handled by re-recording mixers at facilities like Todd-AO, ensured precise separation of dialogue, effects, and music, heightening the perceptual disorientation central to the film's action choreography.[48]Release
Marketing and Premiere
The world premiere of The Matrix took place on March 24, 1999, at the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, California.[50] The event preceded the wide theatrical release on March 31, 1999, generating initial buzz among industry attendees and early audiences.[51] Warner Bros. employed a marketing strategy focused on mystery and philosophical intrigue to build anticipation without disclosing core plot revelations. Trailers featured cryptic visuals and the tagline "No one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself," emphasizing enigmatic elements like digital rain code and action sequences while preserving the film's twists.[52] This approach contrasted with conventional spoiler-heavy promotions, aiming to intrigue viewers through ambiguity.[53] The campaign included the interactive website whatisthematrix.com, launched to immerse users in the film's universe with puzzles, red pill/blue pill choices, and clues referencing "follow the white rabbit" from the story. Visitors could decode hidden messages and access early content like The Matrix Comics series, fostering viral engagement and transmedia extension.[54] A promotional comic book preview, intended for theater giveaways, depicted violent scenes tying into the narrative but was recalled shortly before distribution due to concerns over excessive gore.[55] These efforts created a cohesive hype machine, positioning the film as an intellectual and visual event.Box Office and Financial Performance
The Matrix had a production budget of $63 million.[3] The film premiered in the United States on March 31, 1999, earning $27.8 million in its opening weekend, which marked the largest Easter weekend debut at the time.[3] [56] Domestic box office totals reached $171.5 million, while worldwide earnings amounted to $467.8 million.[3] International markets accounted for approximately 62.6% of the global gross, contributing significantly to the film's financial returns.[57] The project's modest budget relative to its era's blockbusters enabled rapid profitability, with theater exhibitors and distributors recouping costs through strong initial attendance and ancillary merchandising tied to the film's visual style and cultural motifs.[58]| Financial Metric | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $63,000,000 |
| Domestic Opening Weekend | $27,788,331 |
| Domestic Gross | $171,479,930 |
| Worldwide Gross | $467,845,851 |
Home Video and Ancillary Markets
The Matrix was released on DVD in North America on September 21, 1999, by Warner Home Video as a sell-through title, marking one of the earliest major blockbuster DVD launches.[60] The release featured extensive supplemental materials, including behind-the-scenes documentaries on the film's visual effects and bullet-time sequences, which enhanced its appeal to fans.[61] Initial shipments reached 1.5 million units to retailers within the first week, generating $23.4 million in wholesale revenue and contributing to the rapid adoption of DVD technology over VHS.[61] In the UK, the DVD drove disc sales to 4.05 million units in 1999 alone, with the majority occurring post-release as consumer interest surged.[62] Cumulative US DVD sales for the film eventually exceeded $375 million, underscoring its role in establishing DVD as a dominant home video format.[63] VHS editions followed a similar timeline but saw diminished sales relative to DVD, as the latter's superior quality and extras shifted market preferences.[62] Later re-releases, including Blu-ray in 2010, sustained ancillary income through high-definition upgrades and collector's editions like The Ultimate Matrix Collection, though specific unit sales for these formats remained secondary to the original DVD boom.[64] The 2003 video game Enter the Matrix, developed by Atari as a tie-in to [The Matrix Reloaded](/page/The Matrix Reloaded), generated substantial ancillary revenue.[65] Released on May 15, 2003, it sold 1 million copies in the US within its first 18 days and over 2.5 million units worldwide in the initial six weeks, marking Atari's fastest-selling title.[66] Projections anticipated up to 4 million total units sold, yielding approximately $160 million in revenue.[67] By May 2004, global sales reached 5 million copies, expanding the franchise's reach into interactive media.[66] Merchandise streams, including apparel, toys, and collectibles branded with Matrix iconography like digital rain code and leather trench coats, further bolstered ancillary markets.[68] These products, licensed across global retail channels, contributed to the franchise's overall revenue surpassing $3 billion by 2006 when combining home video, gaming, and merchandising.[68] Such tie-ins exemplified cross-media monetization, with toys and clothing lines capitalizing on the film's cyberpunk aesthetic to drive long-term valuation beyond theatrical earnings.[69]Reception
Critical Reviews
Upon its release on March 31, 1999, The Matrix received generally favorable reviews from critics, earning an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 209 reviews, with the consensus highlighting its "smartly crafted combination of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects."[2] The film also scored 73 out of 100 on Metacritic, aggregated from 36 critic reviews, indicating broad but not unanimous acclaim.[70] Critics frequently praised the film's innovative visual effects, particularly the "bullet time" technique, which revolutionized action cinema by allowing slow-motion depictions of high-speed events from multiple angles.[71] Roger Ebert awarded it three out of four stars, commending its "visually dazzling cyberadventure" filled with "kinetic excitement" and philosophical undertones questioning reality.[71] The Wachowskis' direction was lauded for blending high-concept science fiction with martial arts choreography influenced by Hong Kong cinema, creating sequences that felt both fresh and exhilarating.[2] However, some reviewers critiqued the film for retreating into conventional action tropes after an intriguing setup, with Ebert noting it "retreats to formula just when it's getting interesting," prioritizing spectacle over deeper narrative exploration.[71] Others pointed to dense exposition in the early acts, arguing it overburdened the audience with metaphysical concepts before delivering payoff, and described the aesthetic as overly grim or derivative of cyberpunk tropes.[72] A minority viewed the protagonists' leather-clad style and relentless gunplay as indulgent, potentially alienating viewers seeking more substance amid the stylistic excess.[70]Audience Response
Audiences awarded The Matrix an A- CinemaScore grade upon its March 31, 1999, release, signaling robust approval from theatergoers polled during opening weekend screenings.[73] This metric, derived from direct audience feedback on aspects like story, acting, and visual effects, underscored the film's capacity to exceed expectations in the science fiction action genre.[74] Positive word-of-mouth propelled attendance, with reports of enthusiastic recommendations driving repeat viewings and extending the film's theatrical run beyond initial projections.[75] Viewers frequently cited the innovative blend of high-octane action and existential intrigue as reasons for multiple watches, contributing to a domestic box office gross that multiplied its $63 million budget by over tenfold.[76] Fan engagement materialized rapidly, with dedicated online communities forming by late 1999 and into 2000, including message boards on sites like whatisthematrix.com where enthusiasts dissected plot details and shared theories.[77] Conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con featured Matrix-specific panels by 2000, where producers addressed crowds of fans, fostering early organized appreciation.[78] Demographically, the film initially drew primarily males aged 16 to 45 attracted to its stylized gunfights and martial arts, but its reality-questioning narrative broadened appeal to women and older patrons within weeks, diverging from typical sci-fi action demographics.[79]Retrospective Analysis
In September 2024, The Matrix returned to theaters for limited screenings on September 19 and 22 to mark its 25th anniversary, presented by Fathom Events, reflecting sustained audience demand more than two decades after its debut.[80] [81] This re-release followed prior theatrical revivals in 2019, 2020, and 2021, providing empirical evidence of the film's persistent commercial viability through periodic returns to cinemas.[82] Contemporary evaluations often highlight the film's enduring narrative and conceptual strengths amid acknowledgments that some computer-generated imagery, particularly in high-speed action sequences, appears rudimentary by 2020s standards due to advances in rendering technology.[83] Analyses emphasize that the original's integration of practical effects with CGI—such as wire-fu choreography and minimal digital augmentation in key scenes—has aged more gracefully than the heavier reliance on simulation in sequels, preserving its appeal for repeat viewings.[84] Scholarly examinations quantify The Matrix's imprint on science fiction through metrics like its frequent invocation in studies of genre evolution, where it is credited with amplifying tropes of simulated existence and digital liberation across media; for instance, content analyses of post-1999 films identify elevated usage of "bullet time" derivations and reality-questioning motifs directly traceable to its techniques.[85] [86] Retrospective polls in the 2020s, including aggregator rankings and critic compilations, consistently position the film among top science fiction entries, with Rotten Tomatoes scores remaining stable at 83% approval based on aggregated reviews, underscoring its canonical status.[87]Awards and Honors
Academy Awards and Other Nominations
At the 72nd Academy Awards on March 26, 2000, The Matrix secured four wins in technical categories, reflecting its groundbreaking achievements in production rather than acting, directing, or screenplay recognition: Best Visual Effects (John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Steve Courtley, Jon Thum), Best Film Editing (Zach Staenberg), Best Sound (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, David Campbell, David Lee), and Best Sound Effects Editing (Dane A. Davis).[4] These accolades highlighted the film's advancements in digital effects and audio design, which involved over 300 visual effects shots and innovative sound layering for action sequences. Beyond the Oscars, The Matrix received nominations at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards, including Best Movie (won), Best Male Performance for Keanu Reeves (won), Best Fight for the lobby shootout scene (won), and Best Breakthrough Performance for Carrie-Anne Moss (nominated).[4] It also earned multiple Saturn Award nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films in 2000, such as Best Science Fiction Film (won), Best Director for the Wachowskis (won), Best Actor for Keanu Reeves (nominated), and Best Actress for Carrie-Anne Moss (nominated).[4]| Award Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTV Movie Awards (2000) | Best Movie | The Matrix | Won[4] |
| Saturn Awards (2000) | Best Special Effects | John Gaeta et al. | Won[4] |
| Saturn Awards (2000) | Best Director | Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | Won[4] |