The Matrix (1999)

A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

Directors:

Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers), Lilly Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)

Writers:

Lilly Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers), Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)

Stars:

Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

Top Rated Movies #16 | Won 4 Oscars. Another 37 wins & 50 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keanu Reeves	...	Neo
Laurence Fishburne	...	Morpheus
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Trinity
Hugo Weaving	...	Agent Smith
Gloria Foster	...	Oracle
Joe Pantoliano	...	Cypher
Marcus Chong	...	Tank
Julian Arahanga	...	Apoc
Matt Doran	...	Mouse
Belinda McClory	...	Switch
Anthony Ray Parker	...	Dozer
Paul Goddard	...	Agent Brown
Robert Taylor	...	Agent Jones
David Aston	...	Rhineheart
Marc Aden Gray	...	Choi (as Marc Gray)

Storyline

Thomas A. Anderson is a man living two lives. By day he is an average computer programmer and by night a hacker known as Neo. Neo has always questioned his reality, but the truth is far beyond his imagination. Neo finds himself targeted by the police when he is contacted by Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker branded a terrorist by the government. Morpheus awakens Neo to the real world, a ravaged wasteland where most of humanity have been captured by a race of machines that live off of the humans' body heat and electrochemical energy and who imprison their minds within an artificial reality known as the Matrix. As a rebel against the machines, Neo must return to the Matrix and confront the agents: super-powerful computer programs devoted to snuffing out Neo and the entire human rebellion.

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Plot Keywords:

simulated reality | artificial reality | war with machines | computer hacker | post apocalypse | 

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Taglines:

Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sci-fi violence and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Matrix

Filming Locations:

AON Tower, Kent Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$63,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,788,331, 4 April 1999

Gross USA:

$171,479,930

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$465,343,787

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho Film Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

DTS (Digital DTS Sound) Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Mouse is cornered by the S.W.A.T. team during the raid, the guns he pulls out are a pair of cam-operated, electrically-driven 12-gauge automatic shotguns with 25-round drum magazines, capable of firing at 900 RPM. They were built specially for the movie by John Bowring, the film's key armorer.

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Goofs

In the initial release of the movie on VHS tape, when Neo gets the mobile phone from the FedEx courier to talk to Morphius for the first time, a crew member's hand and forearm are clearly visible in the background. This was corrected in subsequent releases on both VHS and DVD.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[phone rings]
Cypher: Yeah.
Trinity: Is everything in place?
Cypher: You weren't supposed to relieve me.
Trinity: I know, but I felt like taking a shift.
Cypher: You like him, don't you? You like watching him.
Trinity: Don't be ridiculous.
Cypher: We're gonna kill him. You understand that?
Trinity: Morpheus believes he is the one.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits beyond the production logos and the title.

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Alternate Versions

In the German version of The Matrix, there is an alternate dialog of the scene on the roof with the agent: After the agent said "only Human", Trinity says "only an agent" instead of "dodge this".

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Connections

Spoofed in Cookies for Sale (2007)

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Soundtracks

Begin the Run
From Night of the Lepus (1972)
Written by Jimmie Haskell

User Reviews

The more you watch it, the better it gets

The Wachowski brothers really did excel themselves with this movie. It's a brilliant movie on a number of different levels - the directing is excellent, the camera work is great, the visuals are stunning, the kung-fu is A+, acting is executed with style and conviction, and the plot is truly inspired. It's really hard to use enough superlatives on this movie!

It'd be a 10/10, except for the ending. Having Neo do what he does at the end really lets it down, in my opinion. However, there's a couple of sequels on the way, so let's see what the Wachowskis can do to make up for it.

Other than that, (and like I said above) the movie is operating on so many different levels that each time you watch it, you pick up something new... this isn't by accident, either. The Wachowski brothers had the actors read a number of definitive works (Simulation & Simulcra was one I believe) in modern literature and psychology, and applied liberal dashings of aspects of the major religions to provide the best sci-fi movie of the decade, if not ever.

I'm yet to meet somebody who hasn't enjoyed it. It's my favourite movie to watch on a good cinema system, too.