The Matrix is a science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside the Matrix, a simulated reality created by intelligent machines. Believing computer hacker Neo to be "the One" prophesied to defeat them, Morpheus recruits him into a rebellion against the machines.
Following the success of Bound , Warner Bros. Action scenes were influenced by anime and martial arts films , particularly fight choreographers and wire fu techniques from Hong Kong action cinema. Other influences include Plato's cave and s Telnet hacker communities. The film popularized terms such as the red pill , and popularised a visual effect known as " bullet time ", in which a character's heightened perception is represented by allowing the action within a shot to progress in slow motion while the camera appears to move through the scene at normal speed.
The Matrix opened in theaters in the United States on March 31, , to widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its innovative visual effects, action sequences, cinematography and entertainment value. The Matrix is considered to be among the greatest science fiction films of all time, [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] and in , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".
The Matrix franchise was further expanded through the production of comic books, video games and an animated anthology film , The Animatrix , with which the Wachowskis were heavily involved.
The franchise has also inspired books and theories expanding on some of the religious and philosophical ideas alluded to in the films. A fourth film, titled The Matrix Resurrections , directed solely by Lana Wachowski was released in In , in an unnamed city, Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer known as " Neo " in hacking circles, delves into the mystery of the "Matrix". His search brings him to the attention of hacker Trinity , who discloses that the enigmatic Morpheus can answer Neo's questions.
