The Matrix Movies, Ranked From Worst To Best

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Released in the final year of the 20th century, “The Matrix” changed the game forever. Fresh off their indie hit “Bound” (1996), Lana and Lilly Wachowski set their sights upon one of the boldest sci-fi action creations ever dreamed up. “The Matrix” warned against the rise of the machines as the world was adapting to the rapidly changing landscape of the internet, computer technology, and cell phones. It encouraged viewers to push back against authoritarianism and live life as their true self, which has taken on added significance in the years since. Yet what made the film one of the biggest box office successes of the year was its revolutionary special effects and jaw-dropping fight sequences, for which won it several Oscars. 

When it was released in 1999, “The Matrix” was seen as the ultimate dude movie, filled with guns, kung-fu, and red pill philosophy. As such, it became a lightening rod for controversy, especially in the wake of the Columbine Massacre, with investigators saying that killers Eric Harris and Derek Klebold were mimicking the black trench coat aesthetic of Neo and Trinity. Seen again in the years since the Wachowskis came out as transgender women, the themes of opening your eyes to the real world and exploring your full potential take on a different meaning. As “The Matrix” and its sequels continue to inspire passionate debate, it’s almost striking to step back and appreciate them for what they are: great movies. Here is every “Matrix” movie, ranked worst to best.

• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith
• Directors: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 129 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

The war to free humanity from the machines suffers a major blow when Neo (Keanu Reeves) becomes trapped in a state of limbo. As Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie Anne-Moss) try to free him, the Oracle (Mary Alice) informs Neo of Agent Smith’s (Hugo Weaving) plan to not just destroy the Matrix, but the real world along with it. Meanwhile, the human fighters led by Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) try to keep the machines from gaining more power as they await Neo’s return. When he finally awakens, Neo must go toe-to-toe with Agent Smith, who has become more powerful than ever after absorbing the Oracle’s psychic abilities.

Though not exactly a movie sequel so bad it ended a franchise, “The Matrix Revolutions” (2003) did put the series on ice for almost 20 years. Shot back-to-back with “The Matrix Reloaded” (2003), “Revolutions” served as the final installment in the original trilogy, bringing Neo’s heroes journey to save humanity to a close. Although it was a box office success, “Revolutions'” total gross paled in comparison to “Reloaded’s,” and most critics deemed it a significant step down in quality. Although the special effects and fight sequences remain astounding, there’s a sparsity of fresh ideas and character development in this installment, which ends with a whimper instead of a bang.

• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith
• Directors: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 138 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

After escaping the Matrix, Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) have become more than just friends. Continuing their fight against the machines, they travel with Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) to meet Captain Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), who warns that an army of Sentinels is tunneling into the city of Zion. After meeting with the Oracle (Gloria Foster), Neo is told to find the Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim), who is being held prisoner by the Merovingian (Lambert Wilson). With the help of the Merovingian’s wife, Persephone (Monica Bellucci), Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus free the Keymaker, who has the ability to access certain critical parts of the Matrix. Yet the Merovingian won’t let them go without a fight, and he sends twin henchmen (Neil and Adrian Rayment) after them. Meanwhile, Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) gains the dangerous ability to clone himself.

Given the success of “The Matrix,” a sequel was inevitable, and the Wachowskis delivered not one, but two in 2003. “The Matrix Reloaded” deepened the lore and upped the action ante. The film’s signature set piece, a prolonged car chase with the Twins pursuing Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus across a highway packed with rush hour traffic, remains a hair-raising highlight. Though not quite a sequel that’s better than the original, “Reloaded” was a critical success that ranked as the third highest grossing movie of the year.

• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Pamela Adlon, Phil LaMarr, Tress MacNeille
• Directors: Andy Jones, Mahiro Maeda, Shinichirō Watanabe, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Kōji Morimoto, Peter Chung
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

The Wachowskis have made no secret of their love for anime, witnessed both in the influence it had on “The Matrix” and on their live action “Speed Racer” adaptation (itself one of those notorious box office bombs that are actually worth watching). They got to let that love shine brightly in “The Animatrix” (2003), an animated anthology film released the same year as “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions.” In a series of nine shorts, the world of “The Matrix” is expanded upon, with insight gained into the various backstories and side characters that populate the world. Although Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) make appearances, “The Animatrix” is really about the broader universe around them, and gives added context to lore that might’ve otherwise ended up on the cutting room floor.

Rather than direct “The Animatrix” themselves, the Wachowski handed the reins over to leading anime directors working in Japan at that time. Utilizing both the traditional hand-drawn techniques and newfangled computer generated animation, each segment has its own unique look and feel that fits perfectly with whatever story it’s telling. More than just a movie you should watch if you like “The Matrix,” “The Animatrix” is a dazzling visual experience.

• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris
• Director: Lana Wachowski
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 148 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) has created a highly successful video game called “The Matrix,” which feels like it’s based on real memories instead of his imagination. While at a coffee shop, he meets Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss), who seems oddly familiar. As his Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris) keeps prescribing him blue pills, Thomas can’t help but think something is amiss. One day, Bugs (Jessica Henwick) and Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) show up to save him from his old nemesis, Agent Smith (Jonathan Groff). Bugs and Morpheus get Neo out of the Matrix and take him to Niobi (Jada Pinkett Smith), who tells him the machines have risen up in the sixty years since the war. In order to save humanity, Neo must first free Trinity from captivity.

Some movie sequels take decades to get off the ground, and for a long time, it seemed as though the “Matrix” series was firmly finished. Arriving 18 years after “Revolutions,” “The Matrix Resurrections” (2021) allowed Lana Wachowski to bring the franchise back to life and send it off with a proper finale. The trans allegory that was hinted at in the original is on full display in this fourth entry, as Neo and Trinity must free themselves of their former identities to live as their true selves, saving the world in the process.

• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano
• Directors: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 136 minutes
• Where to watch: Apple TV

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) lives a seemingly mundane life as a computer programmer in an unnamed city. He escapes his humdrum daily routine by hacking under the name “Neo.” One day, he stumbles upon the Matrix, which challenges his perceptions of the “real” world. Hacker Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) tells him that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) has the answers he’s looking for, but first he has to evade Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). Morpheus presents Neo with two options: he can either take the blue pill and return to the life he’s always known, or take the red pill and have his eyes opened to reality. After taking the red pill, Neo discovers machines have taken over, and he’s the One to take them down.

Few movies have had as seismic a cultural impact as “The Matrix” (1999). Much like George Lucas did with the first “Star Wars” film (1977), the Wachowskis created a wholly original world assembled from their various influences (in this case: anime, kung fu, cyberpunk). There’s hardly a person alive who doesn’t know what it means to “take the red pill,” whether they understand what it means or not. Yet while some classic ’90s sci-fi movies have aged poorly, “The Matrix” has aged like a fine wine, especially in an age when AI is evolving more rapidly than humanity can keep up with.