The original Matrix film became a genre classic almost the second it hit theaters, and the
trilogy as a whole has rightly earned a place of honor among the all-time great sci-fi franchises.
Fans were understandably excited when a new installment in the Matrix franchise was announced
in 2019, which will reunite original cast members Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Whether the film manages to hit its original release date or gets delayed remains to be
seen, but either way, it's a long time to wait for fans eager to return to the franchise.
Fortunately, there are a number of films to watch that can help scratch that Matrix-shaped
itch.
In The Matrix, Neo learns that his reality is merely an artificial construct created
by machines to keep his mind calm while they use his body as a battery.
While the Matrix isn't "real" in the traditional sense, one advantage of going inside is that
Neo and the other characters are able to upload various skills directly into their brains,
much like installing a computer program, which they're then able to utilize within the Matrix
without having to spend time training.
This is similar to what happens in the sci-fi film MindGamers, which follows a group of
brilliant young students after they create a wireless neural network that creates a collective
consciousness for anyone connected to it.
As a perk of connecting to the network, users can transfer motor skills, enabling anyone
connected to the technology to access an almost limitless array of new talents.
But of course, such an amazing breakthrough isn't without its downsides, and the characters
in MindGamers soon find themselves swept up in a plan much more sinister than they'd ever
imagined.
The animated film MFKZ doesn't look a lot like The Matrix at first glance, but the two
have more in common than initially meets the eye.
MFKZ follows a young man named Angelino who lives in a place called Dark Meat City.
Throughout the course of the film, Angelino realizes that he has unique powers that will
enable him to fight back against the evil forces that control his home.
MFKZ overlaps in a few places with The Matrix, with the most obvious intersection being in
its reliance on the Chosen One trope, as both Angelino and Neo discover previously hidden
abilities that mark them as special.
But there are also echoes of Neo's red-pill revelations, in which he's awakened to the
truth of the world in which he's been residing.
In MFKZ, Angelino doesn't have to take any pills, but instead learns that his world is
not all it seems after being hit by a truck.
After his revelation, he and his friends wind up getting chased by men wearing black suits,
another detail that may feel very familiar to Matrix fans.
Starring Julian Schaffner and John Cusack, Singularity takes place nearly a century after
a robotics company has invented a supercomputer that was programmed to end all war - and did
so by attempting to wipe out humanity.
The humans who have survived are constantly hunted by robots determined to exterminate
them, and believe their only hope is a hidden human settlement called Aurora.
Of course, Matrix fans are no strangers to films about robots attempting to destroy the
last remnants of humanity, or about small groups of hopeful humans doing everything
in their power to attempt to find a safe haven in the midst of all the destruction.
If you're a fan of the futuristic humans vs. robots premise of The Matrix, look no further
than Singularity.
Set in 2048, The Titan finds Earth growing increasingly uninhabitable, prompting scientists
to explore outlandish new ideas in the hopes of preserving the human race.
Sam Worthington plays Rick Janssen, a pilot who volunteers to have his body modified to
withstand the harsh atmosphere and extreme temperatures of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.
Although the initial stages of the experiment seem to go well, Rick gradually begins to
act out dangerously as a result of the procedure, frightening his wife, while the doctor conducting
the experiments pushes forward with a dark agenda of his own.
The Titan might not have much in common with The Matrix's highly choreographed action sequences
and existential digital themes, but it's a great pick if you're searching for more films
about how humans adapt when faced with extinction.
Sometimes, they, uh, don't adapt very well.
"Go!
Get out!"
If you finished The Matrix hungering for more neo-noir sci-fi, then look no further than
Mute, a 2018 film starring Alexander Skarsgard, Paul Rudd, and Justin Theroux.
Skarsgård stars as Leo, a man who was left mute as the result of a childhood accident.
Leo works as a bartender alongside his girlfriend until she mysteriously disappears, prompting
Leo to search for her.
His hunt for Naadirah leads to Leo getting tangled up with a number of shady characters,
including a pair of American doctors who perform black market cybernetic surgery.
Mute has a slick visual style, futuristic setting, and unsettling atmosphere, and it's
a great pick for any sci-fi fan.
If your favorite character in The Matrix trilogy was Trinity, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, you
may want to check out The Bye Bye Man, a supernatural horror movie in which Moss plays a detective
determined to uncover the truth about a deadly curse.
The Bye Bye Man follows a group of friends who decide to rent an old house, but soon
begin experiencing a series of odd occurrences none of them can explain.
Accidentally, they wind up summoning a malevolent entity called "The Bye Bye Man," whose curse
causes its victims to lose their minds and eventually die.
Just like Trinity, Moss' character in The Bye Bye Man is smart, resourceful, and driven
to achieve her goals, making the film a solid pick if you want to see Moss stretch her skills
outside of punching and kicking.
The Matrix broke a lot of new ground in its story and effects, and it also ushered in
a new era of Hollywood fight choreography, thanks in large part to Fist of Legend fight
choreographer Yeun Woo-ping.
He worked with the Wachowskis to make the martial arts fight scenes in The Matrix feel
almost like a ballet, while the digital reality within the Matrix allowed the choreography
to play with time and physics in a way that real-world fights typically don't.
Movie fight scenes in a post-Matrix world looked markedly different than those that
came before, and Woo-ping played a huge role in making that happen.
In 2000, he choreographed the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which achieved mainstream
critical and commercial success in the United States.
That eventually led to a sequel, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, which
saw Yeun Woo-ping directing this time around.
Sword of Destiny offers up plenty in the way of beautifully choreographed, physics-defying
fight scenes, which will be enough to satisfy Matrix fans searching for intricate, almost
dreamlike martial arts action.
Although Keanu Reeves is the star of The Matrix trilogy, many of the supporting characters
are just as interesting and compelling as Neo.
And none is more fascinating than Neo's mentor Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne.
While the other humans who have escaped the Matrix are initially a little uncertain about
the untested new guy, Morpheus never wavers in his belief that Neo is "the One," destined
to save humanity from the machines.
He's so sure about Neo's destiny that he's even willing to sacrifice himself if it means
that Neo gets a chance to survive.
If Morpheus is one of your favorite Matrix characters, then it's worth checking out Fishburne
in The Signal, which follows a group of MIT students who find themselves in a sterile
underground research facility after seemingly being abducted by aliens.
Guiding them through their experience is Dr. Wallace Damon, who tries to help them adjust
to their new reality...which is not all that it seems.
While Fishburne steps again into the role of all-knowing teacher, his character's core
drive is decidedly different from Morpheus', making The Signal both an apt follow-up and
a nice contrast to The Matrix.
Part of the staying power of The Matrix is its complexity.
It's an entertaining action movie, a love story, and a thought-provoking sci-fi film
all wrapped up in one mind-blowing package.
Because The Matrix has so many layers to appreciate, what you want to watch after it depends in
large part on which of those layers you most enjoyed.
If it was the idea of an advanced artificial intelligence keeping humanity trapped, then
you may want to check out the 2018 sci-fi thriller Tau.
Unlike Neo, who begins The Matrix unaware that he's imprisoned by an artificial intelligence,
Tau opens with Julia fully aware that she's been abducted.
Worse, she's being tormented by an artificial intelligence named Tau, voiced by Gary Oldman.
Of course, unlike The Matrix, there's a human behind Julia's imprisonment, but both films
include similar themes exploring man's relationship with machines.
As the film progresses and Julia fights to break free from captivity, her relationship
with Tau changes in surprising ways.
"What is outside?"
"Outside is the world."
"Explain.
I need information."
While The Matrix was groundbreaking for its special effects and mesmerizing action sequences,
it's not the only film that's tried to put a new spin on the classic post-apocalyptic
humanity vs. extinction scenario.
If you're in the mood for an action-packed battle for the fate of the world, you could
do a lot worse than the Chinese sci-fi film Shanghai Fortress.
It takes place a handful of years in the future, after aliens have laid waste to humanity in
their efforts to seize control of Earth's energy resources.
Shanghai Fortress follows a group of brave souls who join together to make a final stand
against the aliens, sacrificing everything in the hope of giving humanity a chance to
survive.
If what you enjoyed most about The Matrix was watching groups of survivors band together
against overwhelming odds in the face of extinction, then Shanghai Fortress is right up your alley.
While The Matrix trilogy does indeed contain a love story, it's far from what you'd consider
a rom-com.
So you might be wondering what the lighthearted Ali Wong and Randall Park film Always Be My
Maybe could possibly have to offer Matrix fans.
Look no further than the cameo to end all cameos: Keanu Reeves, playing a fictionalized
version of himself.
"Now I know what it feels like to be completely starstruck."
"The only stars that matter are the ones you look at when you dream."
Always Be My Maybe revolves around two childhood friends, Marcus and Sasha, who reconnect as
adults and become friends - although Marcus hopes they might eventually rekindle the almost-romance
that fizzled out while they were teenagers.
Standing in his way, though, is Sasha's new boyfriend, Keanu Reeves.
Reeves seems to have a blast leaning into every ridiculous caricature about what he's
"really" like.
It's a far cry from his role as Neo in The Matrix, but it's a great reminder of what
a fun performer Reeves can be.
Thanks for watching.
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