11. The Matrix (1999)

Despite being derivative of everything from Hitchcock’s Vertigo to pretty much everything in William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive and Burning Chrome, the Matrix provided a refreshing spectacle that set a new standard for action and special effects. Keanu Reeves stars as Neo, a computer hacker who is recruited by cyber-terrorist Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) right before Neo is tapped on by three creepy agents of some agency Neo doesn’t know about. Neo wakes up at home not sure what is going on and is lured out to a club with clients of his who are paying way more money that you would imagine pirated software would be worth. At the club he meets Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) who takes him to Morpheus and Neo set free from the constraints of the Matrix which is a computer simulation that keeps people’s minds active so that sentient machines can continue to use them as batteries. Neo learns that a small population of humans are left alive and are trying to free people’s minds and defeat the machines. Woah. Through the use of rotoscoping and CGI the Matrix introduced Bullet Time, the slow motion craziness that drives the film. The visuals are absolutely stunning and the action plays out like moving poetry. There are many influences here as mentioned above but they all go together to deliver something unique if not altogether original. From gun fights to kung fu, all the action is done well and all of the actors actually look like they know what they are doing. Lots of films, including the its own two sequels, try to match the level of quality and excitement here but none have come close.

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