The Matrix

Name: The Matrix
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
Released: 1999-03-31
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster

1999 | 136 min | Action, Science Fiction

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Audiences adore it (8.3 out of 10), it won 4 Oscars, people are still talking about it and it earned strong reviews (83% on Rotten Tomatoes). Make plans for this one.

Our take: Philosophy, kung fu and bullet time. Changed how action looked for a decade and gave us the red pill.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for sci-fi fans and action fans. If you loved Terminator 2: Judgment Day or The Terminator, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Mind-bending.
The pace: Fast-moving, at 2 hr 16 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: meant for adults.

Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.

How it earned its rating

CriticsStrong
83% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesVery strong
8.3 out of 10
AwardsVery strong
Won 4 Oscars: Academy Awards: | Best Film Editing, Academy Awards: Best Sound, Academy Awards: Best Sound Effects Editing, Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects. Won 2 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Sound, British Academy Film Awards: Best Special Visual Effects. Also nominated for 3 more BAFTAs. Plus 2 other awards.
Box office & staying powerStrong
$464 million worldwide on a $63 million budget
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 1.7 million people sought it out in the past year