Keanu Reeveswas recently seen reprising his role as John Wick inBallerina, but long before he ever suited up as the Baba Yaga, he starred in a career-defining sci-fi thriller that’s returned to streaming charts. Reeves stars alongsideCarrie-Anne MossandLaurence FishburneinThe Matrix, the 1999 R-rated cyberpunk film following Neo, a computer hacker who discovers the life he’s living is nothing more than an illusion crafted by evil artificial intelligence.The Matrixis streaming for free on Pluto TV in America, and it’s quietly become one of the most popular movies on the service, sitting at #2 at the time of writing.The Matrixearned scores of 83% from critics and 85% from audiences onRotten Tomatoes, and it also grossed $467 million at the box office against a $63 million budget, making it a major financial hit.
Keanu Reeves was best known for his role as Neo inThe Matrixfor years, but many fans would argue thatJohn Wickis his most notable role now.The Matrixis still easily the most famous role for his co-star, Carrie-Anne Moss, who also recently joined the Star Wars universe viaThe Acolyte. Moss famously performed all of her own stunts inThe Matrix, even the dangerous wire stunts. This resulted in her even twisting her ankle during one of the scenes, but she declined to tell anyone when it happened out of fear she would be recast. The film was written and directed byLillyandLana Wachowski, and it won four Oscars, including Best Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects.
‘The Matrix’ Franchise Went Out on a Dud
The Matrixfranchise returned in 2021 withThe Matrix Resurrections, which was met with an extremely divisive reception from fans. The film was criticized for trying to recreate many of the ideas from the original trilogy without having a new identity to keep things fresh. It cost a whopping $190 million to produce, and it grossed only $157 million at the box office, meaning itburned a $100 million hole in Warner Bros.' pockets. This was also due to it coming out during the COVID-19 pandemic and being released straight onto HBO Max alongside its theatrical release.
The Matrixis one of the most popular movies in the world on Pluto TV. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates and coverage of Reeves’ future projects.
The Matrix
