Genres
Action thriller
The Matrix (1999): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Matrix is a 1999 action thriller directed by Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss. It runs 2 hours 16 minutes and earned $467.8 million worldwide on a $63 million budget. It won 4 Oscars, including Film Editing and Sound, and 6 awards in all. Critics gave it 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.7/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 16m (136 min)
- Director
- Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Budget
- $63M
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story
What Is The Matrix About?
The premise of The Matrix without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A computer hacker known as Neo discovers the shocking truth: his reality is a simulated world called the Matrix, created by machines to subdue humanity. Recruited by Morpheus and Trinity, he joins an underground rebellion seeking to free others from this digital prison. Neo must learn to manipulate the rules of the Matrix, confronting powerful agents and uncovering the secrets of his own destiny to fight for humanity’s liberation.
The Matrix Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- artificial reality
- simulated reality
- dystopia
- post apocalypse
- artificial intelligence
- martial arts
- man versus machine
- false reality
- tech noir
- bullet time
- cyberpunk
- matrix
+38 more Show fewer
- pill
- hacker
- virtual reality
- rebellion
- virtual reality simulation
- slow motion scene
- code
- prophecy
- chosen one
- dark future
- virtual world
- government agent
- bullet dodging
- cyberspace
- title spoken by character
- existentialism
- programmer
- trenchcoat
- hero
- rescue
- exploding helicopter
- altered version of studio logo
- blockbuster
- robot
- oracle
- time freeze
- one against many
- neo noir
- future noir
- 2190s
- computer program
- two directors
- human as resource
- stylized violence
- sunglasses
- brain in a vat
- allegory of the cave
- revolution
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Cast & crew
The Matrix Cast
Keanu Reeves leads the cast, with Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss. Directed by Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski.
- Director Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski
From the director
More from Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski
More films directed by Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski, best-rated first: The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
Ratings
The Matrix Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Matrix 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.7/10.
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IMDb 8.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 73 Metascore
User score 8.9
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 82% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
The Matrix Plot Summary
What happens in The Matrix from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 8-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The screen is adorned with a cascade of green code before unveiling the title, The Matrix (1999). A phone rings, and text materializes: “Call trans opt: received. 2-19-98 13:24:18 REC: Log>”. A dialogue unfolds between Trinity and Cypher (Joe Pantoliano), two liberated humans. As they converse about an enigmatic individual, a stream of green numbers is analyzed, piecing together a phone number, as if deciphering a code or tracing a call.
Trinity mentions someone unknown, provoking Cypher to taunt her about her enjoyment of his presence, implying a necessity to eliminate him. She retorts, asserting that Morpheus Morpheus believes this person may indeed be “the One.” Just then, an alert sounds, indicating that they are indeed being traced, leading Trinity to abruptly end the call.
Full summary
The whole story of The Matrix, scene by scene
Box office
The Matrix Box Office & Budget
The Matrix grossed $467.8 million worldwide on a $63 million budget, 7.4 times what it cost. $172.1 million came from the US and Canada and $295.4 million (63%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$467.8M
7.4× its budget
- US & Canada
- $172.1M
- International
- $295.4M
- Budget
- $63M
US & Canada 37%
Rest of the world 63%
Awards
The Matrix Awards & Nominations
The Matrix won 4 Oscars, including Film Editing and Sound, and 6 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 2000, with 4 wins from 4 nominations.
6 wins11 nominations3 ceremonies
-
Oscars 2000 4 wins · 4 nominations- Won Film Editing
- Won Sound
- Won Sound Effects Editing
- Won Visual Effects
-
BAFTA 2000 2 wins · 5 nominations- Won Best Sound
- Won Best Special Visual Effects
- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Editing
- Nominated Best Production Design
-
Saturn Awards 2000 2 nominations- Nominated Best Actress
- Nominated Best Supporting Actor
Videos
The Matrix Trailers & Videos
22 videos: 3 trailers, 2 teasers, 13 clips and 4 featurettes.
- Trailer Official 4K Trailer
- Trailer 25th Anniversary | Official Trailer
- Teaser 25th Anniversary Spot
- Teaser Official 25th Anniversary Trailer #3
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Matrix?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What color pill does Neo take to discover the truth about the Matrix?
Details
The Matrix Also Known As
30 alternative titles, including “เพาะพันธุ์มนุษย์เหนือโลก” and “黑客帝国1”.
- Also known as
-
- เพาะพันธุ์มนุษย์เหนือโลก
- 黑客帝国1
- Μάτριξ
- 黑客帝国1：骇客任务
- 매트릭스
- Matrix 1
- マトリックス：1999
- 廿二世紀殺人網絡
- 22世紀網絡
- La Matrice
- 駭客任務
- Մատրիցա
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- Матрыца
- Матрица
- Mátrix
- 黑客帝国
- マトリックス
- Матрицата
- מטריקס
- เดอะ เมทริกซ์: เพาะพันธุ์มนุษย์เหนือโลก 2199
- Матриця
- Матрикс
- ماتریکس
- Matrica
- 22世紀殺人網絡
- Matritsa
- Ma Trận
- Matrikss
- الماتريكس, მატრიცა
- महाशक्तिमान
Seen The Matrix?
More like this
Movies Like The Matrix
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Resurrections.
From the blog
Articles About The Matrix
23 articles about The Matrix. The latest: “The Art of Mixing Genres in Modern Cinema”.
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FAQ
The Matrix FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Matrix, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Matrix?
The Matrix runs 2 hours 16 minutes (136 minutes).
When was The Matrix released?
The Matrix was released on March 31, 1999.
Who directed The Matrix?
The Matrix was directed by Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski.
More films by Lana WachowskiLilly Wachowski Who is in the cast of The Matrix?
The Matrix stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss.
How much did The Matrix make at the box office?
The Matrix grossed $467.8 million worldwide ($172.1 million domestic, $295.4 million international) on a budget of $63 million.
How is The Matrix rated?
The Matrix has 8.7/10 on IMDb, 73 on Metacritic and 82% on TMDB.
What awards did The Matrix win?
The Matrix won 6 awards from 11 nominations, including Film Editing at the Oscars 2000.
Does The Matrix have a post-credit scene?
Yes. The Matrix has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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