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 #18 | Won 4 Oscars. Another 37 wins & 49 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 | post apocalypse | questioning reality | 

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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

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, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$171,479,930

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$463,517,383

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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Hutchence was cast in a major role, but committed suicide only three days after learning he had got the role.

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Goofs

When Neo is first riding in the car in the rain, they stop and open the rear (suicide) door to show him a road that he "knows where it leads". When they drive off, the front door closes.

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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

At the end of all the credits, the URL for the (now defunct) website of the film is given, www.whatisthematrix.com, along with a password, 'steak'. There's a 'secret' link on the page that requests a password.

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Alternate Versions

Home video and television versions released after 2004, most notably The Ultimate Matrix Collection box set, and the 2010 Blu-Ray release, have a different color scheme from the 1999 theatrical and home video release. The real-world scenes are given a blue tint and scenes within the Matrix have a heavy green tint.

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Connections

Referenced in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

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Soundtracks

I'm Beginning to See the Light
Written by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James
Performed by Duke Ellington
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

A great epic that sets the stage for the next level in sci-fi...

Who is to say what is real or not? We are defined by our view of reality, no matter how twisted or demented it is in comparison to 'normal' people. *evil eye* Yes, I see you all, looking in the mirror, trying to decipher whether or not your view is the reality we all share.

The Matrix not only supplies the world with a whole new level of special effects mixed with style and substance, it also brings a whole new meaning to the word 'paranoria'. This is one of those great epics that becomes a milestone in our present day world, a mark for which just about everybody can appreciate. Not since the original Starwars trilogy has a science fiction film reached across almost the entire population and gripped it with awesome special effects, great sound, and a overall feel of ground breaking movie making magic. It also serves up a good dose of paranoid delusions we all need in our lives every now and then.

With that, I leave you with the fact that I've seen more different types of people liking this one film than most other films to date. Move over George Lucas, you may have just met your match... :)