The Wachowskis magnum opus, The Matrix, broke new ground in many ways upon its release, making martial arts films popular again, pushing the special effects envelope with "bullet time", and setting the aesthetic standards (alongside Gattica and Dark City) for a new generation of sci-fi fans. There are many memorable moments of the film, but the climatic subway battle between hacker-turned-hero, Neo (Keanu Reeves) and the nefarious program Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is still the most awe-aspiring. Fittingly, considering the Western homage, the two first draw their guns and open fire. Both miss, but they continue to shoot, while also dodging the others shots and zig-zagging towards each other. The Wachowskis do their by-now-patented slow-mo/rotation thing as the two combatants wrestle & fire in mid-air. All rounds just barely miss and the two fall to the ground, both guns empty. They both rise and proceed to engage in a human vs. non-human battle for the ages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT3GnJStVEw
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
