The Matrix (1999) 4K Remastered Edition
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Matrix created by the Wachowski Brothers in 1999 celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year! What better way to honour and remember this iconic sci-fi classic by re-watching this with a 4K remastered edition complete with an enhanced Dolby Atmos soundtrack! Indeed, The Matrix has never looked or sounded so perfect!
Right from the start, the Matrix takes a grip on the viewer dragging you into its amazing world where everything is not what it seems to be. The trademark fight choreography is no less stunning to watch today as it was 20 years ago. This is thanks largely to the involvement of fight choreographer Hong Kong's legendary Yuen Woo Ping in the helm. Apart from the Matrix franchise, Yuen Woo Ping's credits include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill, and the early Jackie Chan classics Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master! He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Asian Film Festival in June.
Of course these fight scenes were made even better by the imaginative visual effects. It launched a new standard with many copycats to follow, with its so called groundbreaking "bullet time" effect that allows the camera to move around the action in normal speed while everything we see on the screen moves in slow motion. All this was done using cameras and green screen effects rather than totally computer graphics generated like many movies today. Anyway watching this again was simply fantastic and I honestly feel that nothing today can match its impact.
Finally, a big recognition goes to the Wachowski Brothers who directed and wrote this! Every frame in the movie seem to be carefully and beautifully composed and photographed, often angled to create a narration of its own. Sadly such attention to details is a rarity in today's movies. Since 1999 to now, many things have happened and among which is that the Wachowski Brothers are now the Wachowski Sisters! Both Larry and Andy Wachowski announced that they were transgender females and they eventually announced their decision to change their sex to female between 2012 to 2016, and are known as Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Sadly, the Wachowski Sisters never had another film quite as big as The Matrix franchise as a follow-up since. Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Arising comes to mind. Even though they all shared the same fantastic imagery and creativity but somehow never could match the impact that The Matrix had.
The great news for all Matrix fans is of course the recent announcement that The Matrix 4 is confirmed and both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will take on the lead again! One half of the Wachowski team, Lana Wachowski has also agreed to write, direct and produce this new chapter! It will be interesting to see what they can come up with after all these years. Hopefully like wine, the we would all benefit from the aging process .... We know for sure that Keanu Reeves at least, has definitely improved with age with his current renaissance.
Right from the start, the Matrix takes a grip on the viewer dragging you into its amazing world where everything is not what it seems to be. The trademark fight choreography is no less stunning to watch today as it was 20 years ago. This is thanks largely to the involvement of fight choreographer Hong Kong's legendary Yuen Woo Ping in the helm. Apart from the Matrix franchise, Yuen Woo Ping's credits include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill, and the early Jackie Chan classics Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master! He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Asian Film Festival in June.
Of course these fight scenes were made even better by the imaginative visual effects. It launched a new standard with many copycats to follow, with its so called groundbreaking "bullet time" effect that allows the camera to move around the action in normal speed while everything we see on the screen moves in slow motion. All this was done using cameras and green screen effects rather than totally computer graphics generated like many movies today. Anyway watching this again was simply fantastic and I honestly feel that nothing today can match its impact.
Finally, a big recognition goes to the Wachowski Brothers who directed and wrote this! Every frame in the movie seem to be carefully and beautifully composed and photographed, often angled to create a narration of its own. Sadly such attention to details is a rarity in today's movies. Since 1999 to now, many things have happened and among which is that the Wachowski Brothers are now the Wachowski Sisters! Both Larry and Andy Wachowski announced that they were transgender females and they eventually announced their decision to change their sex to female between 2012 to 2016, and are known as Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Sadly, the Wachowski Sisters never had another film quite as big as The Matrix franchise as a follow-up since. Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Arising comes to mind. Even though they all shared the same fantastic imagery and creativity but somehow never could match the impact that The Matrix had.
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| Who can forget this famous scene with the mind bending statement "THERE IS NO SPOON" .... |
The great news for all Matrix fans is of course the recent announcement that The Matrix 4 is confirmed and both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will take on the lead again! One half of the Wachowski team, Lana Wachowski has also agreed to write, direct and produce this new chapter! It will be interesting to see what they can come up with after all these years. Hopefully like wine, the we would all benefit from the aging process .... We know for sure that Keanu Reeves at least, has definitely improved with age with his current renaissance.
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