The Matrix turns 25. Reflecting on the legacy of the 1999 movie.
The Matrix movie just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The movie was released on March 31, 1999. It was a big year for movies in 1999, with other notable movies like Fight Club, The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, and Toy Story 2, just to name a few. The Matrix has had a significant and lasting legacy on movies and pop-culture.
Filmmaking and Visual Effects
The Matrix introduced “bullet time,” a groundbreaking visual effect that allowed for the depiction of slow-motion scenes while the camera appeared to move around them at normal speed. This effect became widely imitated in both film and video games.
The film’s action sequences, especially the martial arts choreography, were inspired by Hong Kong cinema and Japanese anime. The movie influenced Hollywood action movies and the way they were filmed by blending Western and Eastern action filmmaking styles.
Technology, AI, and Virtual Reality
The Matrix helped fuel interest in virtual reality and technology. The movie influenced the…
