A 20th Anniversary Tribute to One of the Greatest Sci-fi Films of All Time
It may be hard to believe, but March 31, 2019 marked the 20th anniversary of the release of the sci-fi classic, “The Matrix”.
Say it with us, now:
Written and directed by then-unknowns The Wachowskis, the film came out of nowhere to be a sleeper hit, wowing audiences with its blend of kick-ass action, mind-bending philosophy, and incredible special effects. Inspired by Chinese kung fu movies, Japanese anime and cyberpunk, “The Matrix” went on to influence a ton of other genre films, including “Charlie’s Angels”, “Swordfish”, and “Equilibrium”. Watch just about any action movie from the early- to mid-2000s, and you’ll notice that they all seemed to be following a Matrix checklist: pulsing electronic soundtrack? Check. Martial arts and wire stunts? Double check. Bonus points if the characters were dressed in black leather while they practiced their gun fu.
Movies weren’t the only things to be influenced by “The Matrix”: its influence was also seen in video games (like the Max Payne series, which used the slo-mo effect known as “bullet timeâ€) and even in fashion. As if all that imitation wasn’t flattering enough, it’s been spoofed galore – remember Princess Fiona’s fight scene in “Shrek”? – and anyone who’s ever played charades since 1999 will easily recognize and/or perform Neo’s signature bullet-dodging move.
Last but certainly not least, “The Matrix” has gifted us with “John Wick”, an action franchise starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne, and directed by Neo stunt double Chad Stahelski. John even quotes Neo in the latest trailer, and it is GLORIOUS:
Now that we’ve listed all the ways that “The Matrix” has made its mark on pop culture, we can finally talk about the effect that it’s had on us personally. The trailer intrigued us with its cryptic talk of something called a Matrix: something that couldn’t be explained unless we saw it for ourselves – and boy, were they right! Nothing could have prepared us for that first tense scene with Trinity, when she’s about to be arrested but fights back, attacking a cop with precise hits before leaping up and STAYING FROZEN IN MID-AIR while the camera SPINS AROUND HER. To this day, we’re still not sure if that “bwwwwooooo†we hear when she jumps is a sound effect or simply the noise our brains made as they melted.
We had never seen anything like it, and as the movie went on, there were more and more crazy-awesome moments. Seeing “The Matrix” for the first time was a magical experience, and one that we and countless others will never forget. On the surface, it was a thrill ride, a sci-fi special effects extravaganza. But much like the rabbit hole, it went much deeper than that. For many of us, watching “The Matrix” was the first time that our minds were truly blown, showing us the power of creativity and storytelling. The film taught us to take a leap of faith. It taught us to question the status quo. Most importantly, it made us believe in a world where anything is possible.
If you’re a fan of this sci-fi classic, you need to check out our picks of the Top 10 Moments from the Matrix Trilogy, below!
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