Top 10 Things Only Real Matrix Fans Would Know
#10: The Real Names of the Agent Smith Clone Fights
Top 10 Things Newsies (1992) Got Factually Right & Wrong
“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003) & “The Matrix Revolutions” (2003)
In this exciting scene from “Reloaded”, Neo fends off a horde of Smiths. You’re not wrong if you call this battle “Neo vs Smiths” or “the Agent Smith clone fight”. But if you refer to it as “The Burly Brawl”, and call the final “Revolutions” fight “the Super Burly Brawl”, then you’re truly a dedicated Matrix fan. Bonus points if you know why they’re called that! “The Burly Man” was the crew’s codename for the sequels, which was a nod to the fictional script being developed in the film “Barton Fink”. Trilogy directors The Wachowskis were fans, and felt parallels between the making of the sequels and “Fink”’s themes. “The Burly Man” was also the title of an early Wachowski screenplay, and Burlyman Entertainment is the name of their comic book company.
#9: The Names of ALL the Main Agents
Top 10 Things Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Got Factually Right
“The Matrix” franchise (1999-)
Speaking of Agents, we certainly get to see plenty of Smith, but did you know that even the ones who get less screen time have names, too? Although the human Resistance doesn’t really care to distinguish between them, trivia-happy fans can tell who’s who. Agent Brown is the one who chases Trinity over rooftops in the opening sequence, and Jones is the one who triggers Neo’s iconic bullet-dodging move. In the sequels, we’re introduced to three brawny new Agents. Agent Johnson fights Morpheus during the freeway chase, and Thompson is assimilated by Smith during the Burly Brawl. He’s also the one shooting at Trinity as she falls, while Jackson shoots at her moments before. There are also Agents in the comics, the games, and in “The Animatrix”.
#8: The Many Books That Inspired It
Top 20 Movie Villains Inspired By Real People
“The Matrix” (1999)
The film had many influences, such as Hong Kong action movies and anime, but it was also informed by various written works. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass” are the obvious ones, but there are more. To deepen their understanding of the story, the Wachowskis asked the main cast and crew to read "Simulacra and Simulation", by the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard. This book about symbols and reality is seen in the film when Neo grabs a disc from a hollowed-out copy. Keanu Reeves also read two other books for the part. Other literary influences include the work of science fiction writers William Gibson and Philip K. Dick.
#7: The Story Can Be Read as a Trans Allegory
Top 10 Things Only Adults Notice in A Cinderella Story
“The Matrix” (1999)
One of the things that makes great art great is that new layers of meaning can be found in it years later. Although it wasn’t public knowledge in 1999, both Wachowski sisters are trans women, and “The Matrix” has transgender themes throughout. Neo’s sense of being ill at ease in the world can be likened to gender dysphoria, and the red pill can be compared to a type of hormone replacement therapy. As a hacker, Neo uses a name other than his birth name. Although the idea was scrapped, Lana and Lilly originally intended for Switch to appear male in the real world and female in the Matrix. The film’s themes of awakening, transformation, and possibility resonated with many transgender viewers, and the hero’s journey reminded us all that identity comes from within.
#6: Everybody Who Played Neo
OTRO Top 10 de LOCAS TEORÍAS de Fans de Películas
“The Matrix” (1999)
Keanu Reeves isn’t the only person who brought Neo to life! In the first film, three stunt doubles were used for some of Neo’s most dangerous moves. Lots of folks know about Chad Stahelski, since he went on to co-direct “John Wick”. Stahelski was also the martial arts stunt coordinator for the sequels, as well as an uncredited double. The other Neo double in “The Matrix” was Darko Tuscan, and the third was Paul Doyle, who also doubled Smith. Two of the stuntmen were injured during the subway fight: Tuscan when a hydraulic device yanked him to the ground, and Stahelski when he landed after hitting the ceiling. Ouch! Without these guys, we wouldn't have one of the most badass fights in action cinema.
#5: The Significance of B1-66ER
Top 10 Things We Want to See in the Upcoming Matrix Movies
“The Matrix Comics” (1999-2004; 2019) & “The Animatrix” (2003)
“The Matrix” only offered hints about how the machines took over, when Morpheus gave Neo a brief history lesson. Those of us who dove deeper into the franchise’s mythology can fill in the blanks. In the aptly-named comic “Bits and Pieces of Information”, we learned that a robot, in an act that was arguably self-defense, killed his owner when the man tried to deactivate him. The robot was called B1-66ER, which is a reference to Bigger Thomas, protagonist of the 1940 novel “Native Son”. “The Animatrix” expanded on B1-66ER’s story, showing the full aftermath of his murder trial. It sparked a struggle between humans and machines that eventually led to war, and to humanity’s enslavement in the Matrix.
#4: Why Keanu Reeves Had to Go Easy on the Kicking
Top 10 Best Keanu Reeves Movies
“The Matrix” (1999)
If you’re thinking, “what are you talking about, WatchMojo? Keanu kicks plenty!”, then you probably haven’t gone too deep into the behind-the-scenes rabbit hole. During training for the first film, Reeves was recovering from spinal surgery, so he had to wear a neck brace. Kung fu choreographer Yuen Woo-ping didn’t give Keanu any big moves, and he couldn’t kick for half of the four-month training period. As a result, Neo doesn’t do that many kicks in the finished product, except for some where he’s suspended on a wire. Presumably, these were either easier to execute, easier on his spine, or both. The kicks he did off the wire still looked great, though. Four in a row! The man was, and still is, unstoppable.
#3: Which Other Actors Could Have Played the Main Characters
Top 10 Iconic Roles Almost Played by Different Actors
“The Matrix” (1999)
By now, it’s pretty common knowledge that Will Smith could have been Neo. But did you know about the many other actors who could have taken the role? Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Nicolas Cage all turned it down for various reasons. The studio even considered changing Neo’s gender so Sandra Bullock could play the part. According to the movie’s composer Don Davis, the Wachowskis’ first choice was Johnny Depp, but Keanu Reeves ended up being the perfect pick. Actors considered for Morpheus include Samuel L. Jackson, Val Kilmer, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. Salma Hayek, Janet Jackson, and Jada Pinkett Smith were almost Trinity, with Pinkett Smith eventually playing Niobe in the sequels. All’s well that ends well, and we can’t imagine anyone else as our trio of heroes.
#2: What Happened to Morpheus in One of the Video Games
Top 10 Movies Inspired By Video Games
“The Matrix Online” (2005)
Being a Resistance leader is dangerous work, and Morpheus has narrowly escaped death several times. In the first film, he was moments away from dying before Neo hatched a plan to save him. In the sequel, he was nearly assimilated by Smith, but he made it to the end of the third film in one piece. Sadly, his luck ran out when he was gunned down in “The Matrix Online”, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that continued the story. After all we’d seen him survive, it was painful to see him die unceremoniously in an alley. It's worth noting, however, that he came back as a digital simulation, and that the game was shut down before the story ended. So until “Resurrections”, his entire journey is unknown.
Before we unveil which of our picks is The One, here are a few honorable mentions.
Which Academy Awards The Movie Won, “The Matrix” (1999)
Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, & of Course, Best Visual Effects.
The Kid's Full Name & Backstory, “The Animatrix” (2003)
Young Michael Karl Popper Escaped From The Matrix in a Rare Instance of Self-Substantiation.
The Alternate Version of the Super Burly Brawl, “The Matrix: Path of Neo” (2005)
Rather Than Fight One Smith While the Others Look On, Neo Battles a Giant MegaSmith.
#1: We Owe a Huge Debt to a Low-Budget, Mid-90s Crime Film...
Top 10 Things The Good Nurse Got Factually Right and Wrong
“Bound” (1996)
It’s common knowledge that we wouldn’t have “The Matrix” without the martial arts movies that were part of the inspiration for it. What’s less commonly-known is the importance of “Bound”, the Wachowskis’ 1996 thriller. The siblings had already written and wanted to direct “The Matrix”, but the studio wouldn’t give a big-budget movie to first-time directors. So they directed “Bound”, a critically-acclaimed film with one-tenth of the budget of “The Matrix”, as proof that they were ready. Also, some of “Bound”’s cast and crew went on to work on “The Matrix”, including actor Joe Pantoliano, cinematographer Bill Pope, editor Zach Staenberg), and composer Don Davis. And the rest is history! What can we say other than [Neo: “thanks”].
