It's hard to believe that it has been 20 years since The Matrix hit theaters. The ground-breaking science-fiction film from the Wachowskis still remains an impressive feat of filmmaking. Since its release, you can clearly see the influence it has had on storytelling, visuals, and action. All these years later, it remains one of the best action films of all time.
Part of what makes the action so memorable is the fast-paced fight sequences. From the Hong Kong-inspired kung fu fights to the explosive gunfights, these sequences still stand out as amazing set pieces that rank among the genre's best. Have a look back on why this movie has stood the test of time with The Matrix's best fight scenes.
Rooftop Fight
To be clear, none of the fight sequences in this movie are anything less than awesome. Each one of them offers something fun and inventive. This particular fight is no different and simply ranks so low due to its brevity.
Regardless of the length, the scene, which finds Neo and Trinity attacking the rooftop of the agents' compound is plenty memorable, especially with Trinity's slick knife skills. But it is the famous bullet-dodging scene that was mimicked for years after that sells the scene, along with Trinity's awesome "Dodge this" moment.
The Helicopter Rescue
As stunningly choreographed as the hand-to-hand fights are in The Matrix, the gunplay is also mesmerizing. While people shooting at one another can be tiresome in some films, the Wachowskis have a talent for shooting these scenes in such a beautiful way.
The helicopter rescue is a perfect example with the sight of Neo hovering outside the window with a Gatling gun aimed from the chopper is a fist-pumping moment. The destruction of seeing the bullets rip apart that room is oddly beautiful as is the shot of the hundreds of bullet casings raining down from the chopper.
Super Neo
Though we are told throughout the whole movie that Neo is "The One", we don't quite know what that means. The agents are shown to be virtually unstoppable enemies so it's hard to imagine how he'll be able to beat them. Then in this moment, he gets to see what The One can do.
It's another brief fight, but it's a lot of fun watching Neo realize his full potential. It's also great seeing the look of disbelief on Agent Smith's face. From the stopping bullets in midair, to the one-armed fighting, it's a cheer-worthy moment for sure.
Morpheus Vs Agent Smith
The agents in The Matrix are perhaps underrated for being such effectively intimidating villains. We know that all of the heroes, no matter how skilled, are terrified to go up against one. We finally get an understanding of why they are so scary when Morpheus goes toe-to-toe with Agent Smith.
Morpheus is shown to be an extremely skilled fighter in his own right, but he gets his ass thoroughly kicked in this fight. It's the most brutal of the fights in the movie, with a great display of the opposing characters. Agent Smith is vicious in his attack while Morpheus is desperate yet unrelenting in fighting him back.
Trinity Vs The Cops
The unique visual language of the film immediately made it something special that captured viewers attention. This is the scene that had to difficult task of introducing that to the viewers and making it effective. In every way, the scene succeeds.
As the team of police rush in to find an unarmed Trinity, we have no idea what is going to happen. When she leads into action, it's shocking and exciting. The quick-pace, inhuman movements and the iconic, floating kick all help to sell this movie as something very special.
The Lobby Shootout
It would be interesting to know what the gun budget on The Matrix was, because they sure did not hold back on the firearms. And this lobby shootout is where they really let loose. While it has some of the stylized action that we see throughout the movie, the scene is really an old-fashioned straight-forward gunfight.
Watching Neo and Trinity stroll into that lobby, armed to the teeth and proceed to destroy everything in sight is undeniably fun. Re-watch this scene with the loudest speaker you have because this is the kind of scene should be enjoyed as loud as possible.
The Subway Fight
The first face-off between Neo and Agent Smith is what we've been waiting most of the movie to see. When Neo decides to stay and fight rather than run, we know he's starting to believe he's The One and we get to see if he's right.
The fight has a great storytelling element to it, showcasing the ebbs and flows of the battle. Neo is beaten down but continues to get back up and come back stronger each time. There's a nice western gunfight mixed with kung-fu showdown feel that makes it all the more memorable.
Neo Vs Morpheus
A lot is said about quick-cutting edits and how they are 'ruining' modern fight scenes in movies. This technique can be used effectively, but it's true that a steady shot of a fight scene can make it a lot more thrilling. The Matrix excelled at this with some impressive fight choreography.
With all the fancy special effects the movie used so well, this simple hand-to-hand fight is one of the most entertaining moments on the film. Credit to the actors who appear to be doing a large majority of the fighting themselves which goes even further in making his a sensational sequence.