Action Oscars – The Matrix

Hi again. I’ve been pondering this one for a while, for reasons that will become clear soon enough. Choose your pill and welcome to…

The Matrix (1999)

Stunt Coordinator: , Martial Arts Choreographer: .

I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say The Matrix, the brainchild of writer/directors and Wachowski, was the most influential movie of the late 20th Century in terms of its impact on action sequences. There were countless films released in its wake that aped the slo-mo “bullet time” aesthetic, almost never as impressively as the Wachowskis pulled it off — perhaps because it was something audiences had never seen before, perhaps because the copycats didn’t fully understand what they were doing or why. They say “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” but most people don’t know the rest of the quote: “…that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”

Anyway…

The Matrix was also (in my opinion) a tipping point for practical effects and CGI in the realm of stunt work. The camera tricks, wire work, and CGI did not replace or overwhelm the stunt performances, but enhanced them — which is perhaps why the flood of imitators didn’t quite hit the mark; they were focused so much on the style, they neglected the substance.

That substance comes courtesy of Glen Boswell and Clint Cadinha, working harmoniously with the Wachowskis and cinematographer — one of the all-time greats — to create truly iconic sequences that were stylish as hell but narratively clear and clean, none more so than what many consider to be the centerpiece of the film…

The Moneymaker

The film’s anime influences are most prominent in The Matrix‘s lobby shootout.

The scene is a violent ballet, graceful and brutal at once, and as I remarked earlier, it’s grounded in practical effects; those aren’t CGI characters fighting like a pair of gymnasts who spent half their time under the cruel tutelage of Pai-Mei (kudos if you get that reference), but and defying gravity (and occasionally the laws of physics) with some strategic wire work. It wasn’t easy work, either, as evidenced by the fact Moss tweaked her ankle during rehearsals an hour before shooting the scene. She went on to execute the off-the-wall cartwheel perfectly.

The sequels had their share of practical stunts but leaned harder into the CGI, which for my money robbed them of their awe factor somewhat, but the original remains a perfect balance of old-school and new-school moviemaking magic. If there’s a downside to The Matrix‘s impact on filmmaking, it’s that it heralded Hollywood’s increasing reliance on CGI over practical filmmaking. including stunt work. It certainly isn’t a bad thing to reduce the risk to human life, not at all, but there’s a unique artistry to stunt work that’s getting lost amidst the technological advances.

That seems an appropriate lament when discussing The Matrix.

Other nominees: The Mummy, The World Is Not Enough, The 13th Warrior.