It came out at exactly the right time. Peak late-90s culture, Gen X cynicism, “fuck the system” attitude. Peak cyberpunk and hacker culture.The story is built on two of the most powerful narrative hooks ever: the fish out of water protagonist and the gradual revelation that the world is not what it seems. The movie basically tells you that reality is fake and there's a hidden truth behind everything. People eat that shit up because everyone likes to think they're the person who can see what everyone else is blind to and it played right into the schizo conspirancy theories.It also somehow managed to combine cyberpunk, anime, soda pop philosophy, Hong Kong action movies, hacker culture, and big studio blockbuster filmmaking without feeling like a complete mess. The kung fu is a good example, usually it's hard to justify why a bunch of white people suddenly know martial arts, but here it’s “we uploaded it into his brain” and everybody instantly accepts it and you can get cool action scenes that no other holywood film can.Technologically, it appeared during a brief period when visual effects were advanced enough to realize ambitious ideas but still new enough to genuinely astonish people. Bullet time wasn't just an effect, it looked like a new visual language.The other thing is that the ‘90s actually had a distinct identity. You can look at the clothes, music, technology, advertising, movies, video games, literally everything, and all of it had a distinct fingerprint. Compare that to today, where everything is bland, non-distinct and nothing is dominant long enough to define an entire generation. The Matrix was trying to be the coolest thing imaginable to a late 90’s audience and I don’t think we even have enough cool things nowadays to make a 2 minute long commercial.
>>223601913Thanks ChatGPT
>>223601961Not everything longer than a sentence is chart gpt, zoomie.
>>223601913> a bunch of white people know martial artsYes brownoid, Whites can learn Kung fu if they wanted. It was more that this hacker nerd suddenly could fight like a master which made the concept amazing. Remember we dodged a bullet with Will Smith turning this down.
>>223601989It's weird how you're acting so performatively angry.
>>223601989You will not find any situation where 5 random white people know kung-fu
It is an excellent film, but not without some flaws. The CG for the sentinels in the real world did not age well. The androgynous Switch now stands as a discomfiting signpost pointing towards a future in which the Wachowski Brothers would become the Wachowski Sisters. The Oracle is a fairly boring character and not really necessary because Morpheus already fills the wise mentor role. Cypher should not take Agent Smith at his word, that seems out of character for a cynic like him.
>>223602125>The CG for the sentinels in the real world did not age wellLooks pretty fine. Aged much better than even some of the much later stuff because it's used so sparingly.>The androgynous Switch now stands as a discomfiting signpost pointing towards a future in which the Wachowski Brothers would become the Wachowski SistersI mean, that's true in and of itself but that doesn't really affect the movie since they weren't the Troonchowski back then. She's not even that androgynous, you can do so much worse if you wanted to.>The Oracle is a fairly boring character and not really necessary because Morpheus already fills the wise mentor roleShe's not really a "character", we have literally 1 scene with her and its purpose is to plant the seed of doubt about both Neo and Morpheus, so that the reveal that Neo in fact is the One hit so much harder. >Cypher should not take Agent Smith at his word, that seems out of character for a cynic like himI mean, Smith is literally a machine, a machine wouldn't lie. Also, this benefits Smith, so why would he even lie?
>>223601988But this is. Especially because of the "It isn't X, it's Y". Dead giveaway.>>223602125None of the characters in the movie are characters, they are archetypes, and it works. Cypher believing Smith was his only option. In fact, the only reason his plan backfired was because he sort of missed when shooting Tank.
>>223602277>Also, this benefits Smith, so why would he even lie?Cypher has already shown himself to be one of those rare humans who, for whatever reason, see through the Matrix and reject it. If he did it once he can do it again. That makes him a liability and not worth the trouble.
>>223602277>>223602339Smith and the system has no reason to lie there. What is more troubling is that apparently any jack ass can just jack into the matrix and be a security threat.
>>223602125>The Oracle is a fairly boring character and not really necessary because Morpheus already fills the wise mentor role.The Oracle is necessary. She has the ability to see into the future in the Matrix and that ability differentiates her from Morpheus.
>>223602279>ctrl + f "It isn't" >1 result, this anon >ctrl + f "it's not just" >0 results Medications, NOW!
>>223601913The last great Sci-Fi classic.
>>223601913Exapunks recreated that Neo in the attic feel pretty well, fun puzzles too
>>223602279>But this is. Especially because of the "It isn't X, it's Y". Dead giveaway.Post some snippets from OP's post.
>>223602528Did it fucking help Neo in any way whatsoever? If you can only see possible futures then you can’t see the future. It’s just probability. Probability isn’t divination.
>>223601913It truly is the most perfect movie for meI hated the sequels when it first came out but I began to appreciate the lore later. This is despite the reveal in the sequels pretty much killing the premise of the first movie
>>223602125>The androgynous Switch now stands as a discomfiting signpost pointing towards a future in which the Wachowski Brothers would become the Wachowski SistersCould have been a lot worse if they had filmed the original plans for switch
Had the matrix come out a decade later it would have been in the age of smartphones and its anti system message would be lost in time.Likewise Had the matrix come out a decade earlier it would have come at the dawn of the internet and thus most people who struggle to understand the message
>>223602493>What is more troubling is that apparently any jack ass can just jack into the matrix and be a security threat.Security threat to the machines?
>>223601913okay but it was a trans allegory lol
>>223604651>Likewise Had the matrix come out a decade earlier it would have come at the dawn of the internet and thus most people who struggle to understand the messageIt was truly ahead of its time in the right amount.
>>223602279>But this is. Especially because of the "It isn't X, it's Y". Dead giveaway.Human beings say that now. That distinction matters.
>>223601913>Thomas Anderson is unhappy with his life (Being who he is in his skin)>Gets pulled into a conspiracy theory and follows a magical "White Rabbit" to escape>Evades "The Men", the evil "Government" trying to force him to be what he doesn't want to be>They even torture him for wanting to be something that he isn't>Wakes up inside of an EGG POD, tears out of it (Left his egg)>Changes his name, is now NEO, and nobody uses his deadname except for the evil men>Fights alongside a very mixed race group of people against entirely caucasian suited men>Shows others they can change who that are, and "trans"form themselvesI can see why the Wachowski sisters said it was a reference to transexxuals and the difficulties that they suffer in life. Fighting against the system, diversity versus caucasian men, leaving your egg to be reborn, changing your name and avoiding the dead name, being happy after breaking out of what society demands of you.It's a powerful and motivational story about Trans pride.
>>223604651It was unprecedented by definition. It's not possible to imagine what the 2020's version would look like until someone makes it. Still it is hard to believe that it could have been as big of a hit as the Matrix, or do the same in switching so many people on to weird esoteric gnostic shit.
>>223604769They just kind of jammed it up with their later statements, because while it does work 100% as a 'trans allegory' it also worked 100% as an allegory for anyone fighting against the system. There was no need at all to limit it or shrink it down.
>>223604856Yeah, but, come on. All the bad guys are white? Literally "leaving the egg" as a new person? Changing their name and abandoning the old one? A diverse cast or characters from all races as the good guys?
>>223605009It was the 90s, creators had to hustle to get that kind of thing through. Today they'd have to hustle to do it differently. It works fine for anyone who is 'dropping out' of society to a subculture of any kind, based just on the text none of it is super trans specific to the exclusion of being subculture generic. The comments from the creators after the fact lessen it (but that's the cost of doing business these days).
Everyone was copying the aesthetic too. It felt like THE internet age aesthetic.
>>223604818You cannot make the Matrix today even if you tried to. The message of unplugging from the system while everyone today is plugged in 24/7 on a smartphone connected to the internet would not bode well with the film.
>>223602125>>223604608they have in-universe magic where someone could change sex as their avatar, fine.but aesthetically, she's just a lesbian. that's what we saw in the 90s. if the actress said in an interview>she was written as a lesbian.we would have understood. it just doesn't come up in the film, any more than what Thomas Anderson eats for breakfast or if/when/how Morpheus lost his virginity.
>>223604769>leaving your egg to be reborn,This doesn't make sense
>>223605207Switch was originally supposed to be played by a man in real world and woman in the matrix
>>223605318He wakes up inside an egg-shaped pod, and tears out of it, and he's officially Neo, a new person, not Thomas Anderson.What don't you get? "Leaving your egg" is a trans term for coming out. Like gay people "leaving the closet".
>>223602125The only time the effects and cinematography look bad in The Matrix are when you're watching it with motion interpolation. Takes a film that looked amazing and turns it into a video project. This movie looked better on VHS and CRT.
>>223605448Oh fuck can we not retcon in trannyism that did not exist back when the matrix was created. You had transvestites or people who dressed opposite of their gender but this all got switched some time later where your gender become your own identity and not the other way around.
>>223605531and maybe HRT, but that's totally up to the viewer
>>223605531Back when plasma and lcd where first coming out people complained about how bad sports games would look lile because crts have better motion fluidity
>>223605448>What don't you get? "Leaving your egg" is a trans term for coming out.It is?
>>223605671Yes, it is.
>>223601913It gets an A for style, script, cinematography, choreography, special effects but the plot is actually terrible and full of holes >dude the machines use us like batteries Even with zero wasted energy it’s closed system so each calorie a human consumes comes from another human. Any energy siphoned off by the machines means less going in to sustaining the people plugged into the matrix. >dude just kill innocent people cause it looks cool Literally school shooter terrorist ideology being pushed on the masses. They slaughter tons of random people with no remorse just because they are still “asleep”. Great message you fucking psychotic trannies. >Neo becomes The One and now he can… make phone calls and flyIn hindsight the sequels had to be shit because there never truly was a payout for Neo realizing his destiny. Ok he’s “The One” and doesn’t have to abide by The Matrix and its rules. So what? The “real world” is still a desolate hellscape and billions of people will just remain plugged into the matrix but I guess Neo and his terrorist cell will get to free a somewhat larger fraction of a percent of them now? I’m sure they realized this was a dead end as soon as writing began for the sequels so they had to come up with some other horse shit
>>223605735bad message =/= plot hole
>>223602277>Also, this benefits Smith, so why would he even lie?he was clearly lying, why would the machines bother to re-plug in a late 30s male? its a waste of time and resources, and he'd probably reject the plug after awhile anyway, especially with the bad memory wipe. They were gonna kill him the second they got what they wanted.All the scenes in the sequels+animatrix never convinced me for one second that the machines would ever follow through on their 'come back to the pod goy' rhetoric, it was all cope and desperation from bugmen humans trying to fantasize about the illusion of safety.
>>223601913Im 38 and the more I think about it the Matrix really feels like the end of an era in some way. Like its the last film where I remember thinking 'waaa how'd they do that' with some particular special effect. With everything after you already know that the answer is that they can just depict basically anything with CGI
>>223601913Worst movie mightWorst actor of all the time, want to SLAP that kike bastard reeves so hard he will die onspot. Motherfker loser, cant act for shitTrinity is a wimp ass female, a hard real hit will break her whole body in a secondA fatass fugly nigger, somehow is doing Clean Kung Fu, hate that holeface actorFight scenes are just so bad, its like dance practice of little girlsWhole Movies is based on ARMAGEDDONMachines aka GOD aka Second Coming will annhiliate every evil creature on Earth. So, the banker KIKES aka RAT RACE DEMONS hide like rats in the name of "humans" like rats with their own fakeass trash jerkoff turd actor twink modrfker REEVES who is an imaginary "saviour". Kike demons and their fantasies...All kikes will be alive yeah, in the mask of "humans", zion, meh elections lol. But you will be alive in a TORTURE CHAMBER screaming with even your evil deads infinitySpit on that john wick cucklet too, goyslop jerkoff -9000 realism moviesStop promoting your slop here, kike rapebabies like that irrelevant nobody snyderSon of a whore thinks his gutter trash ass is bigger than DC COMIC VERSE , sons of bitches kikes
>>223605823Anon. This “debate” skips the bit where if the machines had no intention of honoring the deal they could’ve just sent sentinels to grab morpheus while cipher was plugged in. As that would be an agreed upon time period where no one was watching for sentinel activity.
>>223605448anon they didn’t come up with that bullshit till after John Money died.
>>223602339Or he didn’t reject the matrix at all and only wanted to hook up with Morpheus because he was dissatisfied with his life.He directly states “I choose the matrix.” So it’s a conscious and subconscious acceptance. The movies establish that Morpheus is just running around unplugging anyone the oracle tells him to.
>>223603847OP only states what the matrix is, not what it isn't. other anon is part of youth culture where it's hip to call everything ai but ipad babies can't really discern either way and are alien to a culture where regular joes regularly typed at 120wpm and the most mundane web spaces were full of prosebtw this is trans and i'm ai
>>223602668>>223603847>>223604741From OP:>Bullet time wasn't just an effect, it looked like a new visual language.It twists the language without fully grasping the thing being described. A special effect can't "look like a new visual language", the same way that a new type of screen can't feel like a social paradigm shift.Chatgpt linguistics are really bland, and really shallow under all the verbosity.
>>223606662>It twists the language without fully grasping the thing being described.meet anon
>>223605187You should give Matrix Resurrections a try.
John Gaetas bullet time conception is a fucking masterpiece in cinematography
>>223606722>having a matrix in the modern smartphone Instagram world>neo posted an update....trace program>influencer morpheus is on the trailI am not going to ruin my childhood
>>223601913There are plenty of movies out there with similar themes and plots. Truman Show is basically the same movie, but Truman spends the whole movie trying to escape his Matrix
>>223606726the noose is a nice touch
>>223607076Somebody call the NAACP
>It also somehow managed to combine cyberpunk and anime.The Matrix was very much an amalgamation of the 90s sci fi culture up until that time. If you got all the comics and videos games back then and mash them all together you get The Matrix. That's a good thing but I dont feel its style was completely unique. It was very onbrand at the time when we look at The Crow and Blade.
>>223602071Yes you will. In a dojo. :^)
>>223601913In terms of cultural impact, maybe not.I still think Fifth Element is a more perfect movie.
>>223602277>the reveal that the main character is the chosen one hits harderMaybe if you were 8 years old when this came out.
>>223601913The Matrix is just a poormans copy of Serial Experiments Lain. Live action has been an inferior medium for a very long time but the majority of people can only digest slop. Ergo, the Matrix.
>>223601913>Peak late-90s culture, Gen X cynicism, “fuck the system” attitude.But that is awful. Y2K culture was toxic, aggressive, depressed and joyless. I have no idea why zoomers love it some much, the 90s and the 00s and a large part of the 10s were a cultural dark age.
>>223608335We must have lived in totally different timelines then. 2000s era was an awesome time to be alive.
>>223601913Diminished by its sequels like early GoT was diminished by its later seasons
>>223608290Ugh, does serial experiments gave us the Laineyball
>>223601913It may have already been said, but believe it or not, "The Matrix" (1999) is a generational classic not unlike "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) and STAR WARS (1977). You can even appreciate the influences the latter had on the former there.It is that different. Is it that thought-provoking.
>>223608492no he's right there was a cynical and predatory edge to a lot of it. but it for sure had the 'attitude' so i guess that's why it's having the renaissance
>>223606662you're right about the OP reading like AI, anonthe thing is teenagers use the damn thing so much that they genuinely write like this themselves nowthey've gone full circle
>>223602339Except recognizing the matrix isn’t real isn’t rare, it’s innate. Hence the choice system being about accepting the programmed reality or not.
>>223601913Thanks chatgpt
>>223608290Anon it has nothing in common with lain.
>>223608108Fifth element is better in every way, especially visually. I just watched both movies recently funny you bring that up
>>223608290Can’t tell if bait either way should probably kill yourself
>>223609229haha no. Chris Tucker wretched that film beyond repair.
>>223601913zoomie discovered ai slop
Funny how suitable it is that the first reply is about AI
>>223601913>The other thing is that the ‘90s actually had a distinct identity.True but the Matrix wasn't relying on any established 90s fashion or style. It made its own style.
>>223601913>the gradual revelation that the world is not what it seemsif you watch closely, you'll realize that the revelation happens all at once. It's so bad they need scene after scene of exposition to explain what the fuck just happened.It certainly garnered a "woah" from me as a child in 1999, but hold up it does not
>>223609267Still better than keanu reeves “acting”
>>223607994Yeah there's this certain kind of film/show which is basically a gateway for more niche subcultures to enter into the mainstream. But because nobody really bothers to go beyond the film itself, it ends up being credited for doing all these things which it actually inherited. It's similar to the Stranger Things directors saying they were heavily influenced by Elfen Lied. That anime was popular in online circles in the 00s but if you weren't there for it then you probably never heard of it. Certainly all the middle aged moms watching ST never knew about it.
>>223609267>wretchedOkay ESL.But Chris Tucker is actually quite based in that movie. Kind of like Willie from Temple of Doom.
>>223609419Hmmmmm no. I back Reeves over Tucker any day.
>>223602668>>223603847>>223604741Saaaaaar
>>223609453I used that word correctly, you self-reporter you.And how dare you compare that ninny to Willy...
>>223605207>if/when/how Morpheus lost his virginityCanonically he has never had sex
>>223609453>>223609484Ah brain fart. Ok you win this time GrammarAnon.I meant wrecked! Which you knew....benchod bloody
>>223609484>I used that word correctlyOk now I know I can just ignore you.
>>223609522Honestly, I wanted to like The Fifth Element, but instead I got the screeching inner-city black man show.
Like, do you think "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" would be the hit that it is and be so beloved if Lando appeared and was all like:>DAAAAaaaaayyyyyyAMMM! SHIT!>AND FUCK!>GOT-DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm>Leia BE FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!at the top of his lungs?Come on, Anon, do better.
>>223609484Wretched is an adjective anon.
>>223609577Damnit I thought I typed "wrecked", but thanks and shut up now. :)
>>223609459>>223609267>Hmmmm no>haha noThis is the type of gay and annoying people who post here now? Anyway fifth element is clearly the better movie, better humor, action, story, style etc. matrix better villain though
>>223609663>if you don't worship ghetto types yer gayOh the eye row knee.
I think The 13th Floor was a better movie
>>223602279You are right to push back
>>223609321>wasn't relying on any established 90s fashion or styleThe soundtrack places it firmly in the 90s. From Rob Zombie's "Dragula" to ROTM's "Wake Up," it couldn't be any other decade.
>my name... is Thomasina! (she/her)
>>223609805nigger those songs are timeless
>>223609687I’d rather watch a whole movie with Chris tuckers character than to read your posts here
>>223610312I doubt it, post-reader. ;)Prove me wrong by leaving and shutting up forever.Enjoy your flick!
>>223609663The problem with The Fifth Element is that, like City of Lost Children, it has costumes designed by flaming queen Jean Paul Gaultier and as a result it looks a pride parade.
>>223602277>a machine wouldn't lie
>surprised, Neo?>woah... I thought Trinity was a dudeTrinity is clearly a girl's name
>>223610605>It was actually "Trannity" but the bigot sound engineer didn't listen!I'm surprised they didn't try this one yet.
>>223608492Yes because you were 8You have no idea of the experience of being an adult in that time
>Bullet time wasn't just and effect it was aAI slop, kill yourself Raj
Why do people pretend like they never use AI for writing posts? Literally everyone does it. Even just as a starting point for ideas on how to reply.
>>223610689Never once have I done that, Anon.
>>223610605He thought it was a 90s hacker codename. Nobody online in the 90s was female.
>>223610736This, no girls on the internet
>>223610689Kill yourself
>>223610447Yes women barely clothed is totally gay pride
>>223610689I only use it for grammar checks when I've tied myself up in a long sentence. I can't imagine the kind of lame-brain who would ask it for ideas and opinions.
>>223601961ugh, AI accusations join the throng of zero effort posting along with ''you tranny/jeet/larper/virgin/nigger/etc''. Day by day this place sinks further into the mud.
>>223609511what about Niobe? You don't flirt that hard and confidently with a taken woman if you didn't fuck her already or are confident in your sexual aptitude.
>>223601913it's just a superhero isekai
Movie has no fat and the pacing is as good as it gets. It's a perfect movie, you can't improve it by adding anything or cutting anything.
>>223609229Good until the super gay black guy shows up
>>223601913The first movie is such a lightning in a bottle that I honestly don't blame the next two films for being such a step down. I think it's a tall order to try and match it.
>>223601913what make tranny troons so good at art?
>>223612510male intelligence/spatial awareness and histrionic emotions of a woman. good at art, horrible people
>>223601913The most astounding fact about The Matrix is that while the first movie shocks you with machines enslaving humanity, the sequels reveal that humans living outside Zion are still part of the system—completely changing the narrative. Yet, it never feels forced because of the subtle hints dropped throughout. The Architect gives Neo two choices, but it turns out his choice doesn't even matter at that point. Free will doesn't exist.
>>223612614True, the sequels are for pseuds for can't see that they undermine the original and make no logical sense whatsoever.
>>223610689Why would you?
Yep it can never be topped.The Matrix is the thinking man's action movie.
