Tagline: What is The Matrix?
The Matrix movie storyline. The Wachowski Brothers’ popular, imaginative, visually-stunning science-fiction action film – the first in a trilogy with inferior sequels: the somewhat successful but critically derided The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and the artificially-expanded The Matrix Revolutions (2003). A computer software company techie programmer and illegal hacker named Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) (with screen name alias Neo) is contacted by the mysterious, vinyl-clad heroine Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and the super-cool, messianic space-ship captain Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) who is the leader of the rebel forces.
He is told (with an Alice in Wonderland reference) via his computer: “The Matrix has you. Follow the white rabbit.” Neo is informed that he is the champion or chosen one to save Mankind from a malevolent, sentient machine race, that has entrapped all of humanity, in the year 2199!, inside a computer simulation (The Matrix) dreamworld, and tricked them into believing that the simulation is reality.
The Artificial Intelligence system also uses the brains and bodies of the trapped human beings as expendable “living batteries.” Freed by this knowledge, Neo soon learns to take advantage of the Matrix, bending the malleable laws of physics to his will, such as impossible feats of physicality (such as running up walls or leaping impossibly high) and altering his perception so dramatically that he sees bullets in flight in order to dodge them. The true standout of the film is the menacing Machine Army agent “Agent Smith,” played with a tongue-in-cheek, edgy pseudo-serious flair by Hugo Weaving, whose mannerisms recall 1950’s Cold War governmental “Men In Black” agents.
The Matrix became best known for its revolutionary visual effects – airborne kung fu, 3-D freeze frame effects with a rotating or pivoting camera, and bullet-dodging. The film became a smash hit, featuring elaborate fighting and stunt sequences, as well as a convoluted screenplay that blurred the edge between reality and fantasy without losing the audience’s grasp of the story.
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by The Wachowskis, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano. It depicts a dystopian future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality called “the Matrix”, created by sentient machines to subdue the human population, while their bodies’ heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source. Computer programmer “Neo” learns this truth and is drawn into a rebellion against the machines, which involves other people who have been freed from the “dream world.”
The Matrix was first released in the United States on March 31, 1999, and grossed over $460 million worldwide. It was well-received by critics[10][11] and won four Academy Awards, as well as other accolades, including BAFTA Awards and Saturn Awards. Reviewers praised The Matrix for its innovative visual effects, cinematography and entertainment value. The film’s premise was both criticized for being derivative of earlier science fiction works and praised for being intriguing. The action also polarized critics, some describing it as impressive, but others dismissing it as a trite distraction from an interesting premise.
The film has since appeared in lists of the greatest science fiction films, and, in 2012, was added to the National Film Registry for preservation. The success of the film led to the release of two feature film sequels, both written and directed by the Wachowskis: The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. The Matrix franchise was further expanded through the production of comic books, video games and animated short films, in which the Wachowskis were heavily involved, and even inspired books and theories on ideas in religion and philosophy.
The Matrix (1999)
Directed by: The Wachowski Brothers
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Belinda McClory, Marcus Chong, Julian Arahanga, Matt Doran, Belinda McClory, Anthony Ray Parker
Screenplay by: The Wachowski Brothers
Production Design by: Owen Paterson
Cinematography by: Bill Pope
Film Editing by: Zach Staenberg
Costume Design by: Kym Barrett
Set Decoration by: Lisa Brennan, Tim Ferrier, Marta McElroy
Art Direction by: Hugh Bateup, Michelle McGahey
Music by: Bill Pope
MPAA Rating: R for sci-fi violence and brief language.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: March 31, 1999Taglines: What is The Matrix?
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