Top 10 Moments from The Matrix Trilogy

Kicking off our list is also the moment that kicked off the whole franchise, in which Trinity is on the run from both cops and Agents. This scene is memorable because it introduces the audience to many aspects that would make “The Matrix” famous, including the stop-time kick to the cop, her running on the walls, and Trinity and the Agent jumping across an impossibly large gap between two buildings. As the cop says, “That’s impossible.” We think so too, but, as it stands so far in the film, we haven’t seen anything yet!

We all knew this battle was coming, and we were not disappointed. In the third and final “Matrix” installment, when the machines get word of where the remaining humans of the real world are hiding out, they attack. But the humans are ready... with a little help from their giant mech suits! What follows is a battle of epic proportions, with Sentinels falling to the ground, humans getting killed, and lots of blood and carnage. The dingy setting of Zion helps add to the dreary mood of the battle, and the battle itself is one we will not forget any time soon.

After finding out the truth about bending spoons, Neo meets the Oracle in this charming scene to discover what his future holds, and to find out whether or not he is the fabled One. Unfortunately for him, the news is not so great. The moment is unforgettable due to the cozy atmosphere of the Oracle’s kitchen, and how starkly it contrasts with the news that Neo is not The One and that either he or Morpheus will die. Gloria Foster plays the role to perfection, with her soothing voice and grandmotherly persona, as evidenced by her freshly baked goods and the children she keeps in her apartment.

Neo promised Smith that it would “end tonight,” and boy, did he deliver. In this final fight, Neo and the Agent battle for control of the Matrix and the free world, and what a battle it is! Filled with epic moments and extravagant displays of action, this scene definitely meets expectations. The fight has it all, from martial arts combat at the beginning, to a Superman-style air fight, and even mass destruction in the form of the crater in the road. It’s a special effects extravaganza, and one that ends the action part of the series on a high. And who can forget those Hugo Weavings… ALL those Hugo Weavings…

In this scene, Neo has just recently been programmed with the knowledge of kung fu, and mentor Morpheus wants to test him. The Eastern style of fighting proved to be hugely influential to Hollywood in subsequent action films, including the sequel in which Neo fights Seraph. Featuring terrific stunts such as Morpheus jumping impossibly high into the air, Neo running up the beam, and ending with Neo moving equally and impossibly fast, the twosome’s time in the dojo doesn’t only work as a teaser for things to come, but is also a great scene by itself.

This is when we really see Neo coming into his own. When confronted by Agent Smith, Neo doesn’t run. Instead, he turns to face him in battle and begins to realize his true potential. It’s a stunning moment, but what follows is even better. The fight is probably the most brutal in the series, with Smith punching through concrete and making Neo spit up blood. The brutality of the scene, coupled with some amazing choreography and the famous slow motion gun battle in mid-air, make the subway battle an absolute must for this list.

When Morpheus’s group rescues the Keymaker, they must make a hasty retreat, and they do it in the only way the filmmakers behind “The Matrix” know how: featuring some stunning scenes, like Trinity riding down the freeway in the wrong direction and Morpheus’s fight atop a moving truck, this chase has violence, slow motion, and explosions galore! This scene was so intricate that the producers built a 1.5 mile freeway on an old, decommissioned runway to allow them to shoot everything to their imagination’s content, and give us one hell of an action scene in the process.

In what would become one of the most famous and parodied shootouts in cinema, Neo and Trinity begin their quest to save Morpheus from the Agents. In the lobby of the building, they have a shootout with security guards and SWAT, and the result is mesmerizing. With state of the art camera work, we watch as the pair shoots in slow motion, does cartwheels while shooting, and runs up walls to dodge being shot at. It was unlike anything seen in an action movie before and became wildly popular and influential. Oh, and by the way, except for the removing of the wirework, no CGI was used in the filming of the scene. Impressive much? We think so!

In this striking scene, Neo rises from the dead and becomes the prophesized One, able to free the humans and defeat the machines once and for all. What makes this moment work so well is a combination of many aspects, including Trinity’s declaration of love, the swelling music, and the breathtaking sight of Neo stopping the bullets in their tracks simply by raising his hand. The fact that he goes on to defeat Smith one-handed is just icing on the cake. It’s a beautiful ending and beginning all in one.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- The Burly Brawl
“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003)
- Neo Meets the Architect
“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003)
- Neo Is Born
“The Matrix” (1999)
- The Chateau Fight
“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003)
- Morpheus vs. Agent Smith
“The Matrix” (1999)