20 Brilliant Mind-F*ck Movies
15. The Matrix
Many may remember The Matrix as a fun, high concept kung-fu movie, but theres so much more to it than that. While the idea that the world is really a computer programme enables loads of great action scenes, it also allows for truly unsettling moments where our familiar world contorts into freakish ungodly imagery.
That iconic image of Neo's mouth fusing shut is the perfect example of how the Wachowski siblings achieved this. Early on in the film, Keanu Reeves Neo is interrogated by the Agents; when he asks for a phone call, his mouth suddenly closes up. He then has his stomach literally and nightmarishly bugged and wakes up in his bed.
Was that a nightmare or was it reality? Of course, we find out eventually, but at the time, that scene shredded everyone's minds to smithereens. When the true nature of The Matrix is revealed, our perception of the world around us was brought into question again.
Anyone who still thinks of The Matrix when they experience deja-vu will know just how much of a mind-f*ck this film is.