THE MATRIX (1999) – was a joy to watch again as the fourth installment of the series, The Matrix Resurrections is about to be released (December 22, 2021). The 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis is a rich piece of filmmaking based on a their excellent original screenplay, cyberpunk sci-fi at its best.
It is the first installment in The Matrix film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano. Computer programmer Thomas Anderson, (“Neo“), uncovers the truth and is drawn into a “battle against the machines”. It depicts a bleak future in a simulated reality, the Matrix, where intelligent machines distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source.
The film’s action scenes were influenced by Japanese animation and martial arts films. Fight choreographers and wire fu techniques utilized as in Hong Kong action cinema. A visual effect was born, known as “bullet time“, allowing the action within a shot to progress in slow-motion while the camera appears to move through the scene at normal speed, also allowing the sped-up movements of certain characters to be perceived normally.
The Matrix was first released in the United States on March 31, 1999, and grossed over $460 million worldwide. It received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised its innovative visual effects, action sequences, cinematography and won four Academy Awards (Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Sound Editing), as well as several other accolades, including BAFTA Awards and Saturn Awards. The film is considered to be among the best science fiction films of all time, and was added to the National Film Registry for preservation in 2012.[15]
The film’s success led to two feature film sequels being released in 2003, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, which were also written and directed by the Wachowskis. The franchise grew with comic books, video games and animated short films. The Wachowskis were heavily involved. The Matrix soundtrack also features music from acts such as Rammstein, Rob Dougan, Rage Against the Machine, Propellerheads, Ministry, Lunatic Calm, Deftones, Monster Magnet, The Prodigy, Rob Zombie, Meat Beat Manifesto, and Marilyn Manson.
The franchise has also inspired books and theories expanding on some of the religious and philosophical ideas alluded to in the films. A fourth film, titled The Matrix Resurrections, is scheduled for release on December 22, 2021.
