The Wachowskis’ “The Matrix” is a science fiction movie from 1999. The film depicts a bleak future in which intelligent machines have taken over the globe. Humans are used as a source of power by these machines as they hold them hostage in a virtual world known as the Matrix.

Neo, the protagonist and a computer hacker, is contacted by a group of rebels who explain the truth behind the Matrix and his potential position as “The One” who can defeat the machines and save humanity. Neo, together with his allies Trinity and Morpheus, must fight the Agents, artificial intelligences programmed to keep humanity from seeing the world as it really is.

The film’s innovative use of special effects, especially “bullet time,” and its philosophical themes probing topics like reality, perception, and control have made it a cultural touchstone. It did very well at the box office as well as with critics, and its three sequels have become landmarks in popular culture.