Pondering ‘The Matrix’ 25 Year Later

I first encountered The Matrix in my mid-teens (the perfect age if you ask me) and had my mind-blown by the film’s jaw-dropping action and thought-provoking themes. The Matrix trilogy had already been released in theaters, so my first viewing was on DVD. Now that Fathom Events has brought the original Matrix back to theaters I finally got the full experience.

There are many moments that are much more transportive up on the big screen. The iconic “lots of guns” scene makes you feel like your zooming forward with the characters. The lobby shootout is stunning and ranks high as one of the greatest action scenes ever put to film. The computer effects have aged surprisingly well and the bullet time sequences never cease to amaze.

Twenty-five years after its release, reality has finally caught up with The Matrix. It was an uncanny feeling to exit the theater and immediately see advertisements for Artificial Intelligence being branded as hip, cool, and “democratic.” It’s frustrating to see the world at large ignore the cautionary tales of the sci-fi genre.

It’s even more frustrating that the next generation is denied new original thought-provoking blockbuster films. Instead we’re bombarded with sequels and remakes to franchises 40 years out of date. Action adventure and cerebral storytelling are at currently opposite polls of pop culture. The Matrix is a once in a quarter-century marvel whose themes are relevant today more than ever. I hope that people who were inspired by The Matrix will continue to rage against the machine.