The Matrix (1999)

Film: The Matrix

Director: The Wachowskis

Country: USA

Released: March 1999

Runtime: 136 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

Studio: Warner Bros

Influenced: Luc Besson, Christopher Nolan, Ang Lee, David Leitch, Neill Blomkamp

The release of The Matrix in the late 1990s was another of those cinematic "wow" moments in my lifetime, blowing the minds of audiences wherever it played, an appropriate metaphor given a key theme of the movie is the mind, perceptions and the nature of reality. In making The Matrix, The Wachowskis were inspired by various sources, including philosophy, science fiction literature and martial arts films. The story is set in a dystopian future where humans are imprisoned in a simulated reality called the Matrix by sentient machines that have taken over the world and use the physical bodies of humans as an energy source. The main character, Thomas A. Anderson, who goes by the hacker alias Neo (Keanu Reeves), is awakened to the real world by a group of rebels led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). At the heart of many world religions is the idea that we're in a world of illusions, but can wake up to a greater reality, and this is alluded to in the movie by the prompt, "Wake up, Neo", that we see on his computer.

Other references abound throughout the film, and in the early scenes we see Neo questioning if he's awake or still dreaming (an allusion to René Descartes), his room number being 101 (as if he were taking the opening class in a philosophy course) and an explicit mention of Jesus. The character of Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) delivers the second wake-up call to Neo and, of course, the trinity itself is an important concept in Buddhism (body, mind and spirit) and Christianity (father, son and holy ghost). This is tied to the key concept in The Matrix that no spiritual rebirth is possible without physical death. To lighten the serious tone, the Wachowskis also throw in the occasional visual joke, like it being a FedEx parcel that contains the phone that is the means of Neo's enlightenment. The rebels believe that Neo is "The One", a prophesised saviour who can manipulate the Matrix and ultimately defeat the machines. As a result, with the help of Morpheus and his crew, Neo undergoes intense training and learns to bend the rules of the Matrix, including mastering martial arts and dodging bullets.

A key element of suspense in the film is whether Neo is the One or not. Trinity is initially sceptical, and we as the audience are also unsure for much of the film, but it becomes clear at the end, especially in the magnificent subway fight scene between Neo and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). The Matrix introduced innovative special effects, including the "bullet time" effect, in which the camera appears to freeze while characters move in slow motion around it. The film also popularised "wire-fu", a technique used in martial arts sequences that involved wires and harnesses to create gravity-defying stunts. There's also a great kung fu fighting scene between Neo and Morpheus, which appears to have required some intense training but also looked fun to make. Bill Pope's cinematography is outstanding, with tons of innovative shots like the one into the sunglasses of Morpheus in the iconic red or blue pill scene. Another incredible shot is our first sight of Neo outside the Matrix, a scene enhanced by the spiritual music of Don Davis. 

The Matrix was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $460mn worldwide, an impressive return given its was a mid-range production made on a budget of around $63mn. The film won four Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing, and has so far spawned three sequels, The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and The Matrix Resurrections (2021). The film pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved in action sequences and led to a shift in the genre, with other films attempting to replicate its style, especially its influential combination of philosophy, action and groundbreaking special effects. As well as being a critique of capitalism and its use of surveillance to repress individuals, The Matrix is also a powerful meditation on the nature of free will. Certain scenes allude to Dostoevsky's Grand Inquisitor, and the idea that many people would reject total freedom in favour of control and guidance from above. Being totally free requires a high degree of willpower and energy, and this is too overwhelming for many.