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. As a rebel against the machines, Neo must confront the agents: super-powerful computer programs devoted to stopping 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:

Free your mind

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the subway scene, the set was first planned to be shot in a real subway station, but due to the amount of the actions and the wire works, the decision was made to shoot on a set. The set was built around an existing train storage facility, which had real train tracks.

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Goofs

Morpheus tells Neo that, for all their powers, Agents are still bound by the Matrix's physical rules, even though Agents break those same rules throughout the film. However, Morpheus also explains that some of the rules of the Matrix, like any computer program, can be bent or broken. Since Agents are acting as programs within the Matrix they are clearly authorized to "bend" some of the rules. Morpheus means that once Neo reaches his full potential as "the one", he will not be restricted to bending or breaking the rules, but will be able to make up his own rules.

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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

The opening Warner Bros. logo is green on a gray sky, and the opening Village Roadshow logo is green.

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Alternate Versions

Because 'The Matrix' was filmed in Australia the Region 4 (Australia) DVD release includes a more comprehensive Australian based list of credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Runaways: Left-Hand Path (2019)

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Soundtracks

Mindfields
Written by Liam Howlett
Performed by The Prodigy (as Prodigy)
Courtesy of Maverick Recording Company/XL Recordings/Beggar's Banquet
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

...it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

I remember taking a class in social psychology many years ago. The Joy Luck Club figured prominently in the course. I like the idea of combining movies and theory.

I am now studying metaphysics, and any study of reality begins with René Descartes, the father of modern philosophy. Descartes began his intellectual odyssey with this question: How do we know that there is a reality outside our own minds? We each know that we have experiences, and we can be sure of these experiences; therefore, each of us can be sure that we exist. But how do we know that the internal experiences we have corresponds to objects outside our minds?

This is the whole theme of The Matrix. Watching this film is like studying metaphysics.

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