T5W#201-Top 5 Favorite Moments from The Matrix Franchise

In 1999, the ultimate question was asked, one we were all dying to hear the answer to, “What is The Matrix?”  When we learned the answer, we weren’t just blown away, we were blown into a whole other world of possibilities.  In a year that should have belonged to Star Wars Episode I-The Phantom Menace, The Matrix snuck in and changed the way we looked at scifi/action films with ground breaking special effects, gravity defying action choreography and a special blend of existentialism and next level thrills.  The original film turns 20 this year (it’s actual birthday was back in April).  Next week (after I wrap up K-ON!) I plan on taking a look at the major entries in the franchise including The Matrix, it’s sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions and the Anime anthology, The Animatrix.  To prepare, im taking a look at my Top 5 Favorite Moments from The Matrix Franchise.  All of the aforementioned entries are included, plus one from the Enter the Matrix video game.  Let’s jack in.

#5-The Freeway Chase (The Matrix Reloaded)

“You always told me to stay off the Freeway.”  “Yes, that’s true.”  “You said it was suicide.”  “Then let us hope…that I was wrong.”  The Matrix Reloaded tried to up the scale and scope from its predecessor and actually rarely succeeded.  One spot it did excel in was The Freeway Chase, arguably the films centerpiece alongside Neo vs 100 Agent Smiths.  From the moment you hear Morpheus and Trinity’s banter about being warned to stay off the freeway, you know you’re in for something big.  And big is what you get.  So many car crashes and slow motions maneuvers, jumps and fist fights.  It’s like watching the most epic of freeway pile ups and youre cheering while it all goes down.  From Trinity racing against traffic to Morpheus using a Samurai sword on a car and an Agent, this was the kind of action and spectacle we all wanted throughout the whole of The Matrix Reloaded but seldom got to see.

#4-The Matrix meets Ninja Scroll (The Animatrix: Program)

It’s no secret that Anime was a pretty huge influence on The Matrix.  From the way certain scenes were shot to the extensive and intricate choreography, The Matrix could have been an Anime feature film itself.  Everyone wanted to see this same style of action back in Anime form…so Yoshiaki Kawajiri did just that with his offering for The Animatrix.  While the short does have an actual story to it, the basics couldn’t be simpler: two rebels train in a program where they get to look like bad ass (and sexy) armoured samurai.  Kawajiri is best known for his work on Ninja Scroll, so he’s perfect for a Matrix project.  After all, it’s two Samurai being reality to their whim in order to pull off cool jumps and slight technique executions.  The Matrix and Anime is a match made in heaven, something ill get more into in a couple of entries.

#3-Something to Look Forward To (Enter the Matrix)

2003 was “The Year of The Matrix”.  Not only did we get two back to back sequels (Reloaded and Revolution) but we also got The Animatrix and a special tie in video game, Enter the Matrix.  The game itself features some “meh” graphics and controls that could have used some fine tuning.  Since it ties directly into the events of The Matrix Reloaded, the game also included special live action cutscenes featuring everyone from the movie, while the main campaign focuses on Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Niobe and Anthony Wong’s Ghost.  These cutscenes helped make Enter the Matrix a more unique experience and there’s even a guilty pleasure quality to all the games faults, it’s kind of fun to play.  However, the ending is my favorite part of the game.  After all the glitches and wonky gameplay, we get rewarded with a special trailer for “The Matrix Revolutions” (Enter the Matrix was released the same day as Reloaded in May 2003, Revolutions arrived November 2003).  Perfectly mixed and explosive in all the right ways, this bonus trailer made promises that Revolutions ultimately wasn’t able to keep (so much so that *spoiler alert* there is no Matrix Revolution moment on this list).  At the time though, as Ghost said just as the trailer ended, “Well, it’s nice to have something to look forward to.”

#2-Running out of The Matrix (The Animatrix: World Record)

The Animatrix is one of the most unique Anime experiences out there and ill go into greater detail about that during next weeks review.  Suffice to say, when you hand a slew of Matrix themed projects to some of the hottest names in the Anime industry, magic should be made and it is.  Of the nine shorts, World Record is one of my absolute favorites.  Much of this stems from the shorts finale, where a track sprinter pushes his body well past normal limits to break a titular world record.  He not only succeeds, he ultimately races his way out of The Matrix itself.  Compared to some of the more dramatic ways to escape The Matrix (some far darker than others), this method of breaking free by pushing past normal limitations of the mind and body is one of the most impressive and imaginative.  Sure the end result isn’t the most optimistic for the main character (or is it?) but he sure made dual history making one of the biggest developments in the whole of the Matrix legacy.

#1-The Subway Duel (The Matrix)

Honestly, this Top 5 could be entirely dedicated to the genre defining moments of the first Matrix film alone.  From Trinity’s awesome introduction to the infamous lobby shootout, every moment is oozing with cool and style.  For me though, it isn’t the still mind blowing bullet time scene that tops any moment in the original, it’s Neo’s epic showdown with Agent Smith in a grimy Subway station.  Mid air gun battles and dozens of fist and kick combos, it’s one of the best choreographed and energized fight scenes of all time.  Done with minimal dialogue (and some of the best lines appear when used), this duel lets the fight styles of Neo and Smith do most of the talking; Neo showing potential and growth while Smith sends a powerful messages with simple punches that could destroy concrete.  I’m sure entire classes have been taught around the making of this fight sequence and its no wonder the follow up duels between these two scifi icons could never match it.