10 Incredible Shots That Totally Defined Movies
9. Bullet Time - The Matrix
The Matrix is another film packed to the gills with imagery that's been burned into fans' brains for over two decades, largely due to it being such a landmark, epoch-making achievement in the field of visual effects.
There are countless jaw-dropping CGI moments in the film, but none more transformative than the mind-blowing shot where Neo (Keanu Reeves) attempts to dodge an agent's bullet in "bullet time."
As stunning as Trinity's (Carrie-Anne Moss) opening mid-air bullet time kick is, the sheer staggering technical virtuosity of Neo's dodge - achieved by taking a series of timed photos around Keanu Reeves and stitching them together in post-production - is one of the most creative and ambitious movie shots of all time. Period.
Furthermore, its influence on the wider action sphere is undeniable, with bullet time becoming a well-worn effect in the years that followed, while soon enough finding its way into the medium of video games also.
It is a shot which not only defines The Matrix over 20 years on, but is responsible for changing the genre game in Hollywood.