Matrix Reloaded features one of the most impressive chase scenes ever seen in cinema. However, this required some sacrifices – including 300 cars that were destroyed for it.
Matrix Reloaded is the sequel to one of the best action films of all time – Matrix, from 1999. Surpassing its iconic moments was nearly impossible, and in general perception, part 2 also falls short of the original.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Reloaded has a critic score of 73 percent, compared to 83 percent for part 1. Nevertheless, the sequel managed to remain memorable in one particular scene.
Are you looking for more action films? On MeinMMO, we have a list of 5 recommendations for hardcore fans of the genre.
A Chase on the Highway
Which scene is being talked about? In the film, there is a roughly five-minute sequence where Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) race down a highway, pursued by the so-called Twins. The heroes have found the “Keymaker,” a crucial character in the story, and are trying to get him to safety. By the way, Laurence Fishburne will be part of the 4th season of The Witcher.
To shoot this scene, the film crew had to make a considerable effort. First, a road was specially built for the film. It was nearly two kilometers long and relatively wide with three lanes in each direction. The team erected high wooden walls on the sides, so people couldn’t see what lay beyond the road.
All of this already cost 2.5 million US dollars – compared to the total budget of about 150 million US dollars (via boxofficemojo.com), that doesn’t seem like much at all. However, this calculation does not yet include the numerous cars that appear in the scene.
These were provided by the manufacturer General Motors. A total of 300 were used for the shoot, and each one was destroyed during the filming. A significant effort and a high degree of destruction – all for a single scene.
For the shoot, the crew needed three months. In the end, the road was dismantled. What remains is a chase that still impresses today, over 20 years later. Lead actor Keanu Reeves, who appears as Neo in all four films, had big ambitions: He wanted to play a role in one of the greatest film trilogies of all time – but that didn’t quite work out.
