The Matrix

Just over a quarter of a century ago, Neo (Keanu Reeves) faced the famous choice between the blue and red pill. He chose the latter, anxious to determine the truth and reality, which until then had been nothing more than a clumsy computer simulation generating a virtual world of corporate office buildings. The Wachowski sisters’ The Matrix reinvented science fiction cinema. Anxieties relating to the coming millennium, the rapid development of technology, and increasingly oppressive capitalist practices became the starting point for diving into a rabbit hole of meaning and a post-apocalyptic future in which machines control the unsuspecting humanity.

The Wachowskis’ masterpiece, full of nuanced symbolism and philosophical inspirations, remains one of the flagship achievements of American science fiction – it not only redefined action cinema, but also continues to resonate with the growing mistrust of capitalism. The Matrix won four Oscars, including for special effects, and in 2012 was added to the National Film Registry, a list of films that make up the cultural heritage of the United States.

Filip Mańka

Lilly (born 1967) and Lana Wachowski (born 1965) are American directors and screenwriters who revolutionized sci-fi cinema. They gained worldwide fame with the groundbreaking The Matrix (1999), blending cyberpunk aesthetics with philosophical depth. They also wrote the screenplay for V for Vendetta (2005), a dystopian thriller inspired by Alan Moore’s graphic novel. Their later films, including Cloud Atlas (2012) and Jupiter Ascending (2015), explore themes of identity, freedom, and social evolution. In the series Sense8 (2015–2018), they expanded on global human connection, combining visual spectacle with emotional storytelling.