The Matrix (1999)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Directors:

Andy Wachowski
Larry Wachowski

Writers (WGA):

Andy Wachowski (written by) &
Larry Wachowski (written by)

Release Date:

31 March 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against the controllers of it.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Hacker | The Matrix | Reality | Truth

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 36 nominations

Cast

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	...	Choi (as Marc Gray)

MPAA:

Rated R for sci-fi violence and brief language.

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #36569) | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15 (re-rating) | Malaysia:18SG | UK:15 (re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | Philippines:PG-13 | France:U (with warning) | Brazil:12 | India:A | South Africa:10V | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 (cut) | Israel:PG | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

AON Tower, Kent Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Groucho II Film Partnership

Trivia:

When Tank is uploading the Martial Arts training to Neo, there is a shot of the computer screen as it scrolls through the various Martial Arts styles. The graphics have a computer image of a person and the title of the style below. The fifth one on the screen is entitled "Drunken Boxing". Woo-ping Yuen, the fight choreographer for this movie, was director and fight choreographer for Jackie Chan's early hit, Jui kuen (1978) in which Jackie Chan's character masters the style of Zui Chuan, or Drunken Boxing. Some of the other Martial Arts fighting styles being downloaded are Ju Jitsu, Savate, Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, and, of course, Kung Fu.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The empty cartridges ejected by the Minigun are bottle-necked, which leads some viewers to conclude they were blanks. In fact many kinds of live round, including those used by a Minigun such as this, have a bottleneck shape. It allows for a relatively large cartridge behind a narrow bullet.

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.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Densha otoko (2005)

Soundtrack:

Dragula (Hot Rod Herman Mix)

Guns. Leather. Keanu Reeves. How cool can it get?

You walk into this film not knowing what the Matrix is. You take your seat and watch the trailers. The green Warner Brothers (green? you ask) trademark comes up, and without warning you are thrust into the Wachowski brothers grand vision. 2 hours of excitement later, you stumble out of the cinema, knowing what the Matrix is.

This is one great movie. Keanu Reeves is cooler than cool as Neo. The Wachowski brothers skilful direction is brilliant. The special effects sequences will blow you away, did I mention the government lobby scene?

The film starts off with a 'what is real?' first half, and then the first kung-fu sequence makes way for an action- packed, John Woo-esque second half with slomo and style cranked up all the way to the top. Did I mention the government lobby scene?

Keanu becomes Cool Keanu, Carrie-Anne Moss is a real find and Hugo Weaving is perfect in his against typecasting role as the evil Agent Smith.

You may notice in this review that I have not revealed what the Matrix is. Like the trailer says, 'You have to see it for yourself.'

Excellent. Best film of '99. 9/10.