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 #17 | 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 | post apocalypse | questioning reality | 

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Taglines:

In a world of 1s and 0s...are you a zero, or The One?

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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

Gross USA:

$171,479,930

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$465,327,069

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

Laurence Fishburne said that Morpheus was like being Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader in one character.

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Goofs

When Neo is fighting Morpheus for the first time (Kung Fu) there is a moment when Morpheus grabs Neo's kick and them flips/spins him to the ground.

Neo does a side kick in to the chest of Morpheus, who catches it, right hand on top, left hand underneath Neo's ankle.

The spin is correct and Morpheus's hands spin Neo and end up with his elbows crossed from the motion of twisting Neo's ankle.

However in the final cut of the scene, instead of having his elbows crossed then going to the finishing stance, Morpheus is already in the finishing stance and Laurence Fishburne has to correct the movement.

He then lowers his arms so his elbows are crossed, then repeats the finishing movement with his left hand above his head and the right hand down by his right hip.

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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

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

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Greatest Action Movie Franchises of ALL TIME! (2017)

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Soundtracks

Minor Swing
Written by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli
Performed by Django Reinhardt
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... :)