The Matrix

The Matrix was released in 1999 and although not an instant hit at the cinema is widely regarded as kick-starting sales for the DVD format. Four years later The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were released as a two part conclusion to the trilogy.

With release dates only 6 months apart this meant that directors Andy and Lana (formerly Larry) Wachowski had no substantial time to react to audience feedback of Reloaded before Revolutions was unveiled. This may have played a part in the almost non-stop explanations of Matrix ethos which became tiresome in both films but didn’t have a huge impact on our data collection as both films focus on very different aspects.

The Matrix as a film is known to include a wealth of weapon types. The lobby scene where Neo has a plethora of guns under his raincoat and the gun simulator which offers an unlimited supply of guns certainly shows this to be the case. The Matrix actually has a total of 14 different weapons but Reloaded smashes that record with 30. Reloaded also increased the amount of chases from 2 to 5 and explosions increased from 2 to 8. All of this underlines the fact that Reloaded is a bigger more action packed affair than the original film. Of course that certainly doesn’t make it better but it’s interesting to think that filmmakers can so easily be influenced by bigger budgets and a need to outdo an established film.

The Matrix is famous for non-stop phones rings and for good reason as the first film had phones ring 19 times. In comparison Revolutions and Reloaded had a total of three collectively. This lack of phone rings may have been because the phone-travel system had already been established but it was these small events, like Neo running through an elderly ladies kitchen with his mobile phone in hand searching for a landline, which made The Matrix so memorable and thrilling.

Another common feature of The Matrix is the successful rooftop jumps. These occurred three times during the first film but failed to make an appearance in the last two. Another surprising stat is that Neo kills 15 people in the first film but kills only 2 in each of the following films. This seems particularly strange as Reloaded audiences went to the cinema in part to watch Neo fighting and killing enemies.

Overall The Matrix franchise is strong at offering a wealth of impressive action scenes and for sci-fi and action it offers a great deal of depth which may keep you thinking once the credits roll.