10 Movies That Pushed The Boundaries Of Visual Effects
3. The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix featured some of the most iconic visual effects in movie history, particularly with the introduction of 'bullet time', creating a cultural reference point that continues to influence modern filmmaking. The most famous visual effect shows us that Neo is capable of dodging bullets a feat only thought to be possible for the Agents confirming that he is The One. It's the 21st century's version of Luke using the Force to grab his lightsaber and cut himself free in the Wampa's lair. The effect was created by using simple timeslicing. It sounds like it fits in well with The Matrix, but it's actually just an old photography trick. Several cameras were placed around the subject, shooting simultaneously. Single frames were then taken from each camera and arranged consecutively to show the static subject from a number of angles, allowing the shot to pan around uninterrupted along pre-defined camera paths. The slow-motion sequencing was created by triggering the cameras at extremely close intervals whilst the tracking camera moved in real time. Whilst it was not a new technology, The Matrix brought its use the forefront of filmmaking and has been copied many times since. Bullet Time featured prominently in subsequent video games, notably in the Max Payne series, and the technology used to create it led to huge leaps in virtual cinematography.
