What if virtual reality wasn't just for fun, but was being used to imprison you? That's the dilemma that faces mild-mannered computer jockey Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) in The Matrix. It's the year 1999, and Anderson (hacker alias: Neo) works in a cubicle, manning a computer and doing a little hacking on the side. It's through this latter activity that Thomas makes the acquaintance of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who has some interesting news for Mr. Anderson -- none of what's going on around him is real. The year is actually closer to 2199, and it seems Thomas, like most people, is a victim of The Matrix, a massive artificial intelligence system that has tapped into people's minds and created the illusion of a real world, while using their brains and bodies for energy, tossing them away like spent batteries when they're through. Morpheus, however, is convinced Neo is "The One" who can crack open The Matrix and bring his people to both physical and psychological freedom. The Matrix is the second feature film from the sibling writer/director team of Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, who made an impressive debut with the stylish \erotic \crime thriller Bound. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Keanu Reeves - Neo
Laurence Fishburne - Morpheus
Carrie-Anne Moss - Trinity
Hugo Weaving - Agent Smith
Gloria Foster - The Oracle
Joe Pantoliano - Cypher

1999	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	David E. Campbell
1999	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Gregg Rudloff
1999	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	John Reitz
1999	Best Editing (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Zach Staenberg
1999	Best Editing (nominee)	British Academy of Film and Television	Zach Staenberg
1999	Best Production Design (nominee)	British Academy of Film and Television	Owen Paterson
1999	Best Cinematography (nominee)	British Academy of Film and Television	Bill Pope
1999	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	David Lee
1999	Best Sound Effects Editing (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Dane A. Davis
1999	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	John Gaeta
1999	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Janek Sirrs
1999	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Steven Richard Courtley
1999	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Jon Thum

The Matrix came along at just the right time in the history of the DVD format. With its incredible \action scenes and futuristic plot, it proved to be a tremendous boost for sales of DVD players and proof of the power of DVD to present a movie accurately. The 2.35:1 widescreen presentation is a crystal clear translation of the movie's dark imagery. While there may be a lack of resolution in background images, the stylish visuals in the foreground draw all of the attention, along with the powerful, seat-rocking sound effects of Dolby Digital mix. Special features are mildly entertaining. The cast/crew commentary is by Carrie-Anne Moss, visual effects supervisor John Gaeta, and editor Zach Staeberg, and often leans toward the technical side of the production. The music-only "Audio Track" is for fans of the soundtrack only, and the making-of \documentary is 25 minutes of hyperbole. "Taking the red pill" leads to a six-minute overview of the technical sides of "bullet-time," a special-effect element found in the film. The "Follow the White Rabbit" feature brings a rabbit icon to the screen during scenes of heavy special effects; hitting "enter" leads to behind-the-scenes footage of the scene in question and then places viewers back into the scene of the movie. Filmographies of cast and crew are also present. Instant access to all of the DVD's 38 chapters is available via the "Scene Access" menu, making this disc an entirely successful presentation of a fun film. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

These movies followed The Matrix...
	Matrix Reloaded [Fullscreen] (R)
These movies cover the same subjects as The Matrix...
	The Matrix Revisited (NR)
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	Logan's Run [Special Edition] (PG)
	Metropolis (NR)
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	Total Recall (R)
	Johnny Mnemonic (R)
	Strange Days (R)
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	eXistenZ [Widescreen] (R)
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	Returner (R)
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