movie with summary

The 60 Best Movie Plot Twists

Warning: spoilers ahead!

Barbarian (2022)

The Plot: In town for an interview, Tess arrives at her Airbnb to find it’s been double-booked and is currently occupied by Keith, a kinda nice, but kinda creepy dude who refuses to leave.

The Twist: Mid-movie, there is a slight genre-shift that adds to the film’s intrigue and layers of twists, but ultimately, the biggest reveal is that it’s not Keith who Tess should fear. It’s the deformed mothering creature being held captive in the dungeon under the rental.

Decision to Leave (2022)

The Plot: While investigating the murder of a man who was found at the base of a mountain, married detective Jang Hae-jun falls in love with Song Seo-rae, the dead guy’s wife.

The Twist: Yes, Song is the killer, and her husband isn’t the only victim. But the most profound reveal in this gorgeous and devastating romance has to be the ending. Song’s decision to leave—her decision to commit suicide and the ways she decides to leave—sees her dig a hole on the beach, climb in, and patiently wait for the tide to erase her forever.

Get Out (2017)

The Plot: Rose Armitage, a white woman, brings Chris Washington, her Black boyfriend, home to meet her parents. Once there, Chris senses something off with the white folks.

The Twist: The Armitages are part of a sick cult that auctions off Black people to wealthy white buyers who then surgically transplant their consciousness into the "genetically advantaged" bodies they purchase.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

The Plot: The wife and mistress of an abusive boarding school headmaster hatch a plan to get rid of him forever. But even in death, the tyrant continues to haunt them.

The Twist: He’s not dead. He’s pretending to be a ghost to scare his wife to literal death so he and his mistress can be together.

Missing (2023)

The Plot: June loves her mom, Grace, but she also can’t wait to have the house to herself as her mother heads to Colombia with her new beau. Worried when her mother doesn’t come home on time, June turns to the interwebs and Grace’s digital footprint to track her down.

The Twist: The architect behind the kidnapping plot is June’s dad.

Saltburn (2023)

The Plot: Oliver Quick, a nobody Oxford student, gets the invitation of a lifetime to spend the summer with the ridiculously wealthy and prominent Cattons at their sprawling estate called Saltburn. Funny thing, though: One by one, they all end up in the ground.

The Twist: All the death and destruction was part of Oliver’s diabolical plan.

Soylent Green (1973)

The Plot: In a dystopian future where Earth is ravaged by climate change, overpopulation, and pollution, a detective uncovers the truth of Soylent Green, the people’s main food source.

The Twist: Soylent Green is made out of human remains. It’s involuntary cannibalism forced on the masses by a powerful corporation.

The Skin I Live In (2011)

The Plot: After his wife commits suicide following traumatic injury from a fiery car crash, a plastic surgeon does some sort of revolting synthesized magic to turn a young woman he keeps locked up at his secluded estate into a nearly identical version of his dead wife.

The Twist: The young woman is actually a young man with troubling ties to the doctor’s daughter.

The Third Man (1949)

The Plot: Carol Reed’s legendary film noir stars Orson Wells, Joseph Cotten, and Alida Valli in a thriller about a novelist who investigates the death of his friend, Harry Lime, in postwar Vienna.

The Twist: Harry Lime is alive! And that’s just the first twist. The film ends with another.

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

The Plot: An unlikely trio—Fontaine, a drug dealer; Yo-Yo, a sex worker; and Slick Charles, a pimp—team up to expose an underground government conspiracy that involves controlling, cloning, and experimenting on a fictional neighborhood's Black population.

The Twist: Fontaine is the operation’s mastermind. As for the Tyrone twist, we’ll leave that fun reveal for you to uncover.

Parasite (2019)

The Plot: The poor Kim family leave squalor behind to infiltrate the affluent Parks’ home.

The Twist: Once inside, they learn the Parks’ former housekeeper, Moon-gwang, is keeping a secret in the basement—her husband. She then learns the Kims’ secret too. All this leads to a bloody massacre that plays out at the Parks’ son’s backyard birthday party. In the end, the Kims’ patriarch, Ki-taek, stabs and kills the Parks’ patriarch, Park Dong-ik. Ki-taek then goes AWOL, but the final twist of the film reveals his whereabouts: He’s taken up shop in the Parks’ now-vacant basement.

The Plot: A family’s beach vacation takes a violent turn when they learn they’re being hunted by some very curious doppelgängers.

The Twist: Matriarch Adelaide Wilson, who is clearly wrestling with a secret for a good chunk of the reel, turns out to be the imposter doppelgänger, with Red, the uninvited murderess, serving as the actual Adelaide Wilson. Adelaide’s identity was stolen as a little girl when she was abducted at the very same beach decades earlier.

Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood (2019)

The Plot: Two dudes—Rick Dalton, an aging star from TV westerns, and his stunt double, Cliff Booth—live out their bromance in the Manson-era ‘60s.

The Twist: Three would-be Manson family killers storm into Rick’s Hollywood Hills mansion, where Cliff—high on acid—is there to welcome them. A brutal brawl, the wrath of a Pit Bull, and the fury of a flamethrower later, and revisionist history rewrites Sharon Tate’s fate. She doesn’t die. The Manson killers do.

Arrival (2016)

The Plot: When a dozen alien aircraft land on earth, a linguist, Louise Banks, is recruited to work with the military to decipher the reason for their visit.

The Twist: We aren’t watching a linear film. We’re watching a palindromic film. As Dr. Banks hacks the heptapods’ language, we learn their means of communicating aren’t linear; they know the ending as they’re writing the beginning. Applying the revelation to the film’s narrative, when Dr. Banks gives birth to her daughter, she knows she’s giving birth to a baby who will die young. She knows how her baby’s story will end before it ever begins. Further, she names her baby Hannah, a palindrome.

Coco (2017)

The Plot: A little boy named Miguel has guitar skills in his bones, but his family forbids him from any kind of music. To mend this generations-old taboo, he travels to the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, the famous singer Ernesto de la Cruz.

The Twist: While mingling with the dead, Miguel meets Héctor, a sad sap trying to reconnect with his family. The big reveal, however, discloses that Ernesto murdered Héctor, and that Héctor is actually Miguel’s great-great-grandfather, and Coco’s father.

The Descent

The Plot: A squad of all-female spelunking enthusiasts dive into a bat-infested cave inhabited also by some very hungry humanoids the director calls Crawlers.

The Twist: Main character Sarah is your final girl, dragging herself out of the ground and speeding away in her SUV from the bloody entombment she just experienced. Until, not so fast, an apparition of antagonist Juno riding shotgun jerks Sarah out of her own mania and puts her right back into the cave where she really is. The camera fades to black. And we hear the Crawlers drawing near.*

*This is the director’s final cut of the film . U.S. audiences were treated to a diluted ending in theaters.

Identity (2003)

The Plot: The guests of an interstate motel in the Nevada desert quickly learn there’s a homicidal killer among them, as they’re getting knocked off one by one.

The Twist: The murderer is the little boy—which is explained as we learn each of the 10 strangers stranded at the roadside joint are manifestations of a man who suffers from an extreme case of dissociative identity disorder. The boy is one of those personalities.

Gone Girl (2014)

The Plot: When his seemingly perfect wife Amy goes missing, philandering Nick becomes the prime suspect.

The Twist: After learning Nick cheated, Amy meticulously planned her disappearance to make it look like Nick killed her. Later, when she decides to return home to Nick (after seducing, then murdering, an old ex-boyfriend to make it look like he kidnapped her) she gets artificially inseminated with Nick's semen to ensure he stays with her.

The Departed (2006)

The Plot: Billy Costigan goes undercover within the Irish mob to implicate sadistic boss Frank Costello. Meanwhile, Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan, a dirty cop secretly doing Costello's bidding, tries to hunt out the "rat."

The Twist: Sullivan determines Costigan's identity, shooting him in the head in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it sequence. After Costigan's funeral, Sullivan returns to his own apartment, where Costigan's handler, Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam, is waiting to kill him.

Atonement (2007)

The Plot: Briony Tallis has a crush on the son of her family's housekeeper, Robbie; when she walks in on her sister Cecilia having sex with Robbie, Briony misinterprets the situation. Later that night, she blames Robbie for an assault on her cousin Lola even though she didn't witness the attack. Robbie is sent to prison, later joining the army to fight in World War II, while Cecilia becomes a nurse. Years later, Briony, feeling guilty for derailing Cecilia and Robbie's lives, visits them in their apartment to apologize, but they turn her away.

The Twist: Cecilia and Robbie never had a life together; Robbie died in the war, while Cecilia died in a bombing in London. As an old woman, Briony wrote a book in which they lived happily ever after as repentance.

Julie Kosin is the senior culture editor of ELLE.com, where she oversees all things movies, TV, books, music, and art, from trawling Netflix for a worthy binge to endorsing your next book club pick. She's the former director of audience strategy and entertainment at HarpersBAZAAR.com . When not glued to her laptop, she can be found taking pictures of her dog or haunting used bookstores.

DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and  got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.

Film, TV & Theatre

The Ending to “Bridgerton” S3 Part One, Explained

Everything We Know About It Ends with Us

It’s Luke Newton’s Turn to Lead Now

What to Know About Part 2 of “Bridgerton” Season 3

Twitter Rejoices Over the “Wicked” Trailer

The Best A24 Movies You Need to Stream Immediately

Watch the First Wicked Trailer

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie to Star in New Show

How to Stream the Hunger Games Prequel

Explaining the End of the "Hunger Games" Prequel

How “Back to Black” Honors Amy Winehouse’s Style

• Filmsite Home
• About & Contact
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Copyright © 1996-2024 Filmsite LLC. All rights reserved.

Valossa Movie Search

Powered by valossa ai, describe a movie.

Use your own words, or search with titles, actors, directors, genres etc. We find movies for you to watch.

Please enter your e-mail address to subscribe for updates

Search tips.

• find all Harry Potter movies
• find me James Bond movies with Sean Connery
• show me parody films
• scifi movie about space battles and laser guns
• eastwood protecting the president
• romantic scifi movie
• comedy in hawaii
• ridley scott columbus expedition
• "may the force be with you"

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Cookies

On 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 will come into force. The GDPR strengthens and clarifies the rights of EU-resident natural persons with regard to their personal information The Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy for Valossa services have been updated accordingly.

Please review Valossa's updated Terms and Conditions , Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy . If you use our services to process personal information of EU-resident natural persons you need to comply with the GDPR. By using our services on or after 25 May 2018, you will be agreeing to the changes.

Under the GDPR, you have several rights, such as accessing your own personal data, erasing of that data, and the right to be notified within 72 hours of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk for your rights and freedoms. You may reach the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of Valossa when needed, and the details for doing so can be found in the updated Privacy Policy.

Click 'OK' to agree and continue using WhatIsMyMovie.com.

Follow WIMM on Facebook

Read about technology behind whatismymovie.com

Learn more about video recognition and AI

© Valossa 2015– — Patent Pending

The Matrix Explained Simply (Full Plot & Ending Explained)

The Matrix changed everything about filmmaking when it came down to visual effects. Tonnes of people walked into theatres, had their brains thrown into a knot and jaws pinned to the floor. The movie was truly a turning point for all Science Fiction films to follow. While the visuals remaining stunning till date, the depth and thought around the story and execution remains one of the most amazing concepts. Occasionally a movie comes around and makes us question our own reality, The Matrix did just that. The actors Keanu Reeves, Carrie Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving play the lead roles and the brilliance was all brought together by the Wachowskis. Here is the simplified plot analysis and ending of the movie The Matrix explained, spoiler alert.

The Matrix Trilogy Explained: Video

Here’s a video that summarizes and explains all the Matrix movies.

Hollywordle – Check out my new Hollywood Wordle game!

Where To Watch?

To find where to stream any movie or series based on your country, use This Is Barry’s Where To Watch .

Oh, and if this article doesn’t answer all of your questions, drop me a comment or an FB chat message, and I’ll get you the answer .  You can find other film explanations using the search option on top of the site.

I’ve put together a quick explanation and a detailed explanation . You can pick your poison based on the patience you’ve got. Alternately, if you’re looking only for The Matrix Ending Explained , you can go – here .

The Matrix Plot Explained Simply – Quick Version

This is more than The Matrix synopsis, it’s full of spoilers. The events of The Matrix are happening in the year close to 2199. All the parts of the movie that appear to be the regular 1999 is not real. It is only a computer simulated program that has been created to enslave the human race. This computer simulation is called The Matrix.

Who’s created this simulation, The Matrix?

Machines, with Artificial Intelligence.

Who created this Artificial Intelligence?

The humans, in the early 21st century.

Why does AI enslave mankind?

Well, you’re going to have to read the detailed explanation for this one. The short version is that the humans and AI had a fall out. AI eventually saw humans as a threat to their existence. With humans plugged into The Matrix, the AI could tap into bioelectricity that the human body produces. Humans are used as a source of electrical and heat energy by the machines. The humans plugged into the Matrix don’t realize they are in a simulated dream and sleep through their entire lives.

The Resistance finds Neo

There are a group of people in the real world who are free from the Matrix. Morpheus and his team are one such group that forms the resistance. Morpheus has been consulting a person called the Oracle and freeing select people from the Matrix. The movie begins with Neo being freed from the Matrix. The Oracle has told Morpheus that he will find a person in the Matrix who will not be bound by its rules. They refer to this person as The One. Morpheus believes Neo is The One and Neo will help bring down the Matrix.

As the plot unfolds, Neo begins to display more abilities that hint that he indeed could be The One. Trinity has been told by the Oracle that she will fall in love with The One. She finds herself falling in love with Neo. As the climax approaches, Morpheus gets captured because Cypher takes the side of the AI and sabotages the mission. Neo and Trinity go in and save Morpheus from the Agents.

Saving Morpheus

The Agents are the gatekeepers of the Matrix, their job is to kill intruders like Morpheus and his team. They capture Morpheus and try to get to the location of Zion so all the free humans can be destroyed. Neo and Trinity save Morpheus. As they exit, Agent Smith intervenes and a fight ensues between him and Neo. Agents are computer programs and hence are highly powerful and fast. Human minds are more bound by the laws of physics the Matrix enforces. Neo’s mind is quite strong and he’s able to stand toe to toe against Smith. But there is no killing Smith as he’s a program and will just spawn into another “plugged-in” human.

The Matrix Ending Explained

After a chase sequence, Smith shoots Neo in the Matrix. Neo’s mind believes that he’s been shot. His heart stops. He’s not yet dead. Trinity tells Neo that the Oracle told her she would fall in love with The One. She tells Neo that she loves him. But if that were the case, The One can’t be dead. Neo’s mind had not yet become completely free. His near death experience and Trinity’s guiding voice unlocks his mind completely. He wakes up as The One and destroys Smith’s code.

The movie ends with Neo talking to The Matrix and saying that he’s eventually going to free everyone’s mind that is connected to the Matrix. He flies away after that. He’s no longer bound by any rules of the Matrix. The film ends. Honestly, you should not stop here. There are so many amazing little things the movie offers. Do read the The Matrix explanation in detail below.

The Matrix Plot Explained : Detailed Version

The Animatrix: The Backstory

Let’s take a step back into what really happened in the world in the early 21st century. This information is from the series called The Animatrix which takes a deep dive into what really happened. Do watch The Second Renaissance Part 1 & 2. These short animated films were released much after The Matrix. A synopsis from this is important to know as it is very consistent with the movie(s).

In the early 21st century, man develops AI – Artificial Intelligence. They initially create a series of humanoid bots that are meant to do household work for humans. The bots were content doing this and humans got lazier and more corrupt. In 2090, one of such bots kills its owner. The bot pleads that it was in self defence and that it didn’t want to die. Humans pass a ruling saying that the bots are not entitled to the same rights as humans, that humans had the rights to destroy their property and not the other way around. Humanity is split at this point – some stand up for Robot rights and the others see them as mere ‘living tissue over metal endoskeleton’. However, the bot is sentenced and is destroyed. Other bots and human supporters raise against this and protest. This event is seen as a Rise of the Machines and it is ordered for all bots to be destroyed. The surviving bots along with supporting humans find exile in a new nation they call Zero One. Zero One prospers and they develop further generations of AI. The remaining human nations suffer. The UN approves of a global economic blockade of Zero One. Two representatives are sent over from Zero One to figure a peaceful solution. Humans retort by using full nuclear force on Zero One. This turns out to be a bad move as the bots are impervious to the human weapons. Zero One strikes back. An interesting thing here is there are enough humans fighting on the side of the bots. Human nations are defeated one at a time.

In desperation, humans decide to scorch the sky – “Operation Dark Storm”. Machines need solar energy for power. Blocking the sun will cut off their power supply. After this, humans attack again. But this is not good enough. The Bots still get the upper hand and begin to move to a more sentinel based design. They stop looking human. They continue winning the war. Humans get more desperate and use nukes which causes the deaths of their own armies. The machines use biological weapons and humans are brought to their knees. The humans on the side of the machines volunteer to be plugged into a simulated dream state to escape the horrors of their reality. This is symbiotic as machines can draw power from the sleeping humans while the humans sleep in a state of bliss. As more human nations surrender, they are plugged into this virtual world and used as a power source. UN is forced to sign a treaty after which the remaining human leaders are blown up, just in case, and the war ends. The surviving humans are all plugged into a new and improved version of the Virtual Reality that gets called The Matrix.

The Events Of The Matrix Film

The movie and its events are happening about a hundred years after this war. The entire Human race is used for power supply. Their bodies are asleep and their minds are plugged into the Matrix. The Matrix is a virtual world that has been pulled over their minds to hide them from the truth – they are slaves now. Humans are grown, the dead are liquefied and fed to the living intravenously.

Morpheus and his Crew

There is, however, a small population of the humans who are free and live in a hidden place called Zion. This is deep beneath the surface of the Earth where it is warm (there is no more sunlight). Morpheus and his team are part of the resistance and they have been freeing people from the Matrix. This team uses backdoor access to enter and exit the Matrix. The access point inside is typically a phone. The team has the following people:

Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) – Named after the Greek God of Dreams, is the captain of his ship, the Nebuchadnezzar (named after the biblical king).

Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) – She is the first officer on the ship. She was freed by Morpheus. Before that she was a famous hacker in the Matrix, known for hacking the IRS database.

Cypher (Joe Pantoliano) – He’s been freed from the Matrix too. But after a while he grows to hate Morpheus for showing him the real world. He feels he would have been happier, in his ignorant bliss, unplugged from the Matrix.

Apoc – Another dude who’s been freed from the Matrix and is part of the crew.

Switch – Another dudette who’s been freed from the Matrix and is part of the crew.

Mouse – He’s been freed from the Matrix and is the youngest crew member. He’s a programmer and designs simulations.

Tank – Operator on the ship. He’s not from the Matrix. He was born outside of the Matrix. This also means he doesn’t have any sockets on him and neither can he enter the Matrix.

Dozer – He’s the pilot of the ship. He’s Tank’s brother and is also not from the Matrix.

This team has been using the guidance of a person called the Oracle (Gloria Foster). The Oracle is someone still residing in the Matrix. She is a prophet, of sorts, who has been telling Morpheus about The One. People who have been freed are taken to the Oracle and she advises them on things to come. The Oracle has told Morpheus that he will find The One. She has told Trinity that she would fall in love with The One.

The Matrix Explained: Introduction To The One

The prophecy stated by the Oracle is that the team will eventually find a person that they will free from the Matrix. He will own the ability to manipulate the Matrix to an extraordinary degree. We’ll talk about this more later. Just know this that Morpheus and his crew have already been looking for The One.

The movie begins with Trinity and Cypher talking. This is the dialogue:

Cypher : You like him, don’t you? You like watching him. Trinity : Don’t be ridiculous. Cypher : We’re going to kill him. Trinity : Morpheus believes he is the One. Cypher : Do you? Trinity : It doesn’t matter what I believe. Cypher : You don’t, do you? Trinity : Did you hear that? Cypher : Hear what? Trinity : Are you sure this line is clean? Cypher : Yeah, of course I’m sure. Trinity : I better go.

A couple of things come out straight from here. Trinity has been watching this person in the Matrix by the name Thomas A. Anderson (Keanu Reeves) who is a software programmer at a firm called Metacortex. He goes by the alias Neo who’s a hacker by night. Trinity is clearly interested in Neo, which is what Cypher is referring to (her love for Neo is revealed only at the end). The other thing to talk about here is that Cypher is interested in Trinity (which is revealed later in the film). Also, he’s grown weary of this hunt for The One, hence he’s skeptical. Cypher has also made a deal with the Agents of the Matrix to help them get to Morpheus (this too revealed later on). This line is actually not clean, Cypher has set up Trinity (who is presently inside the Matrix) and she gets cornered in an abandoned hotel. Trinity has been trained to bend rules within the Matrix. She displays enhanced powers and beats up the cops. But there are Agents, she outruns them and heads to a telephone booth to exit the Matrix. The truck, driven by an Agent, smashes the phone booth just moments after Trinity exits. The Agents say the following – “The informant is real”, they are referring to Cypher. “We have the name of their next target. The name is Neo”, the Agents don’t know anything about The One, they only think that Morpheus is trying to free Neo.

These are software programs. They are the gatekeepers of the Matrix. Their primary responsibility is to keep out attackers like Morpheus and his team. Since they are sentient programs, they are written to operate at extremely high speeds and power. They can move in and out of any one still hardwired to the Matrix. That means that anyone that hasn’t been unplugged is potentially an agent. An Agent can render himself onto any one still unplugged. But that said, they are bound by the rules of the Matrix. Which means their speed and strength has an upper limit. Smith is the primary Agent responsible to locate Zion. He’s looking to get to Morpheus.

Wake Up Neo

Neo has been plugged into the Matrix since the time he was born. Neo has constantly felt that there is something wrong with his world. Most people plugged into the Matrix don’t feel this, their minds don’t find fault with the virtual world. But people like Trinity and Neo are different. Their minds intrinsically reject the programming of the Matrix. Just like Morpheus and team are trying to reach out to Neo (through his computer), he too stays up at night and hunts for answers to reach out to these people who have been contacting him. Trinity talks to him through his computer. Types – “Wake up Neo, the Matrix has you. Follow the white rabbit. Knock Knock, Neo”. Soon after this there is a knock on Neo’s door. Trinity can see the code of the Matrix, she sees the people walking up to Neo’s door. She knows they are going to knock. Trinity is no fortune teller.

Neo opens his door, it’s a group of people who have hired Neo to hack something for them. They invite him out. While he initially refuses, he notices a white rabbit on the girl’s shoulder. He remembers what he sees on the computer so he decides to join them. At the club, that they go to, Trinity walks up to him and starts her conversation. Neo is pleasantly surprised that Trinity, who he knows as The Trinity – hacker of the IRS Database, is a girl. She tell him this “I know what you’ve been doing. I know why you hardly sleep…why you live alone and why, night after night…you sit at your computer. You’re looking for him. I know, because I was once looking for the same thing. And when he found me…he told me I wasn’t really looking for him…I was looking for an answer”. She’s referring to Morpheus. “It’s the question that drives us, Neo. It’s the question that brought you here. You know the question…just as I did. What is the Matrix?”. Neo now knows that it’s not paranoia, people are really trying to reach out to him.

Morpheus? Yes.

Next day, Neo (Mr. Anderson) is late to work and is being told by his manager to not repeat this else he’d get fired. At his cubicle he gets a courier. It’s a phone. It rings. On the line is Morpheus. Morpheus is guiding Neo to escape from the Agents. The Agents are coming to get Neo because they know he’s Morpheus’ next target. Morpheus knows this too. Neo thinks they are coming to arrest him because of his hacker profile. Morpheus asks Neo to use a scaffold on the outside of the building to get to the roof. But Neo’s unable to and gets caught and taken away.

What good is a phone call?

Neo is interrogated by the Agents. Agent Smith makes it appear to Neo that they are a government group who have found out about his dual life as a Software Programmer and a Hacker. Smith tells Neo that they are willing to wipe the slate clean and give him a fresh start. In return, they want him to give up details about Morpheus. Smith refers to Morpheus as a known terrorist. Neo gives them the finger. Smith uses the programming of the Matrix to seal Neo’s mouth and they drop a large bug that enters Neo. This part actually happens in the Matrix. Even though Neo wakes up thinking it to be a dream, the Agents have bugged him and put him back to his house to give the appearance that it was just a dream. The Matrix is already a state of virtual reality, a dream, it’s interesting how the minds connected to the Matrix have dreams inside the VR.

No, The Honor Is Mine.

Morpheus reaches out to Neo again. This is what he says – “They got to you first, but they’ve underestimated how important you are. If they knew what I know…you would probably be dead”. Morpheus is referring to the fact that the Agents don’t know that Neo could be The One. Neo agrees to meet Morpheus. He is met by Apoc, Switch and Trinity under a bridge. He gets in. They point a gun at him, they tell him it’s for their protection. Understand that Neo is still plugged into the Matrix. Which means that an Agent can assimilate onto Neo. In case that happens, they will need to shoot the Agent. They locate the bug inside Neo and take it out and discard it.

Neo is taken to meet Morpheus. Morpheus says “Let me tell you why you’re here. You know something. What you know, you can’t explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. Something’s wrong with the world. You don’t know what, but it’s there. Like a splinter in your mind…driving you mad”. This is what I was referring to earlier on, Neo’s mind rejects the programming of the Matrix . The following is The Matrix explained by Morpheus:

The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window…or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work…when you go to church…when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes…to blind you from the truth. That you are a slave. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage…born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison…for your mind.

Morpheus offers Neo a choice between two pills. A red pill and a blue pill. The blue pill would ensure Neo goes back home and to his bed and continues on with his life. The red pill would mean Neo will stay on to find out what the Matrix really is. Neo chooses the red pill.

The Matrix Explained: The Red Pill

It’s actually part of a trace program. Though Morpheus and team know where Neo is inside the Matrix, they don’t know where his physical body is located. The pill disrupts his carrier signals so they can pinpoint his physical location. Neo is seated next to a mirror with a crack. The crack heals itself. Neo touches the mirror and his hand dips in like it were liquid. Morpheus says “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?”. The liquid spreads on to Neo’s hands, then face and enters him. You hear a digitized scream from Neo. It blacks out. This is what happens. A mirror is something that is a reflection of reality. While it is symbolically used in this scene, Neo’s experiencing something that his mind is not able to explain. This mirror is merely a program placed there by Morpheus and team. Neo feels the experience with the mirror can’t be real. His mind is going into a state of panic. As a result, his physical body is reacting accordingly. It produces a fibrillation. The team is looking for this. The panic caused by the mirror is enough to wake Neo up into the real world . Neo sits in a pod with tubes connected to him. This is the reality of every human (except people of Zion) on the planet. Neo looks around to see an endless array of such pods. Neo is obviously confused. He has no idea where he is. A sentinel passes by and grabs Neo and checks on him. It notices that a human has woken up so it treats him as malfunction and discards him. His tubes come off and his body is flushed. Morpheus’ team is waiting for this in the Nebuchadnezzar and pick Neo up. Morpheus welcomes Neo to the real world.

Rest, Neo, the answers are coming…

Neo’s body in the real world has been in a pod all his life. His muscles have atrophied, the team rebuilds them. His eyes hurt, because he’s never used them before. In the real world, he has technically just taken birth. The team is bringing Neo’s body up to speed. Morpheus meets Neo, after he awakens, to tell him about what’s going on. That it’s not 1999 but close to 2199. Tells him that they are on his ship, a hovercraft. Introduces him to the team. He plugs Neo into the Loading program. Morpheus enters too.

The Loading Program

This is the white space that Neo and Morpheus stand and talk in. This is the construct. This is where the team arrives before entering the Matrix. This construct is not shown every time they enter the Matrix but is understood. Here they load clothes, weapons, equipment, anything. From here they also load simulations where they can practice and train.

Mental Projection, Digital Self

When they enter the loading program and further into the Matrix their appearance is what they call the residual self-image. Morpheus explains it to be “the mental projection of your digital self”. Once you have jacked into the Matrix, everything you are and do is merely what your mind is projecting in a digital environment. Inside the Matrix, otherwise, you are just lines of code. The mind visualizes everything else. Morpheus, goes on to explain what the Matrix actually is. He shows Neo simulations of how the world looked at the end of the 20th century and how it looked like currently. Neo can’t handle it. He exits, throws up and faints.

Morpheus hopes Neo is The One

When Neo wakes, Morpheus apologizes for the situation he has brought and left Neo in. He tells him that it is dangerous to free a mind after a particular age. The mind has trouble letting go. Morpheus also tells Neo that When the Matrix was first built, there was a man born inside who had the ability to change whatever he wanted and to remake the Matrix as he saw fit. It was he who freed the first of them taught them the truth. One thing to know here is that Morpheus only knows this information as something that has been passed on to him. This is not necessarily the truth . Morpheus also mentions that the Oracle has prophesied his return. Morpheus tells Neo that their search for this person is over.

Everybody falls the first time

Tank meets Neo the next morning and they begin training. Tank explains that he and his brother were not born in the Matrix. Hence he has no holes. First off, it’s martial arts. Neo begins to learn Jujitsu. Once he’s done, he wakes up to say “I know Kung Fu”. There’s been a confusion regarding this line. Kung Fu refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. So when Neo says he knows Kung Fu he’s not referring to any specific form of martial arts. The first one is, however, Jujitsu.

Getting back, Neo and Morpheus enter a simulation similar to the programmed reality of the Matrix. It has the same basic rules. Like gravity. These rules are no different than those of a computer system. Some of them can be bent. Others can be broken. They begin to fight. In the real world, the rest of the team hurriedly come and observe the fight. Neo shows good adaptation and improvisation but is beaten by Morpheus. Morpheus explains to Neo how he being stronger or faster in the simulation has nothing to do with his muscles. Morpheus asks “you think that’s air you’re breathing?”. This question reminds Neo that in the simulation, everything is powered by his mind. If his mind can see past the programmed rules of the simulation he will not be limited in speed or strength. Neo displays incredible speed and beats Morpheus. Morpheus explains that he’s trying to free Neo’s mind.

Next they load the jump program. Morpheus takes a flying leap from one building to the next. Neo preps himself and attempts the jump. But he is unable to see past the programming of the simulation. His mind accepts the expected gravity and falls to the ground. The ground is programmed to cushion the fall hence it’s flexible. Once outside the simulation, Neo is bleeding in his mouth. Morpheus explains that even though they were in a simulation, the mind makes it real. If you die in the Matrix, you die in the real world. Later, Trinity takes Neo some dinner. Cypher intercepts and asks – “I don’t remember you ever bringing me dinner”. Trinity likes Neo. Cypher likes Trinity and is jealous.

Woman In Red

Next day, Morpheus and Neo enter another simulation. It’s a busy street with lots of people. Neo doesn’t know this is a simulation. Morpheus is explaining how everyone connected to the Matrix are the people they are trying to free but are also a threat to them. Neo is distracted by a woman passing by in a red dress. She’s a program placed by Mouse intentionally. Neo turns around to see her and in per place is standing Agent Smith . The simulation freezes. Morpheus explains who the agents are, how they manifest and that Neo is going have to fight them one day. Neo asks if he can dodge bullets. Morpheus replies by saying when he’s ready he will not have to. This means that when Neo’s mind is fully free, he can simply stop the bullets with his mind. The ship gets a proximity warning of a sentinel. Sentinels are the squid-like machines programmed to search and destroy. They get ready to fire an Electromagnetic Pulse but the sentinel is unable to locate them and it leaves.

Ignorance is Bliss

Later, Neo and Cypher have a conversation. Cypher explains how you need to look at the Matrix in code because there is way too much information to be decoded into visuals. Cypher expresses his frustration of not having chosen the blue pill. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this. Perhaps Cypher was initially thought to be The One. But that didn’t pan out. Cypher’s frustrations perhaps stem from this fact. Right after this, Cypher sneaks into the Matrix and meets with Agent Smith. Cypher says:

You know I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss.

He prefers to be ignorantly blissful in the state of a dream rather than suffer in real life. He wants to forget everything and be reinserted into the Matrix. He wants to be made someone rich and famous like an actor. In return, Cypher promises to get him Morpheus who knows access codes to the Zion’s mainframe. Using these codes, Agent Smith can track and kill every hacker trying to enter and free minds from the Matrix – that is his purpose, keeper of the gate.

The Matrix Explained: Questioning Our Own Reality

At breakfast, Mouse brings up some really good points about taste. Machines never understood taste like humans did. So when they programmed taste in the Matrix, how did they define the taste of various food? Take chicken for example. Maybe they didn’t know what to make it taste like, which is why it tastes like everything. This bit of the conversation is talking about our world as viewers of the movie. People do feel that chicken does taste like everything. Going by the logic thrown in the movie, if a dream is programmed to be so real, how do we know that we (the viewers) are not part of some simulated world. That we, the viewers, could very well be the human slaves mentioned in the movie. There is no way to refute it. This factor is what makes the movie so fantastic. Mouse also suggests he can arrange for a meeting with the Woman in Red. A digital pimp, hard at work.

There Is No Spoon

The team goes into the Matrix to get Neo to meet with the Oracle. As they go in, Cypher leaves an open cell phone line for the Agents to trace. Neo meets a small child who’s bending spoons. Here’s another trivia, as viewers, out world has claimed to see people bend forks and spoons. This remains a popular myth but the movie goes about to explain how this may be possible. Once again, we the viewers, are made to question our reality. The child tells Neo “Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon” . The spoon is just code, it doesn’t exist. Neo’s mind is not bending the spoon, it is merely altering the programming around it. This kid is a “potential”. Which means at very early age, this kid is able to free his mind and will soon be unplugged from the matrix.

Not too bright, though.

Neo meets the Oracle. She displays foresight. She’s able to see that Neo was going to break the vase. Either that or she said the right statement to ensure that Neo broke the vase. If she had not said anything, Neo wouldn’t have turned around to break the vase. She mentions that he is cute and gets why Trinity likes him. The Oracle tells Neo that though he has the gift, he seems to be waiting for something. A next life maybe. She goes on to tell him that in the one hand, he’ll have Morpheus’ life and in the other hand, he’ll have his own. One of them was going to die. Which one would be up to Neo. But she also tells him that he’ll remember he doesn’t believe in any of this fate crap. That he’s in control of his own life. What the Oracle does here is that she tells Neo what he needs to hear. She’s not telling him the whole truth. Just like talking about the vase makes him break it. Telling him about the choice will make him take a step towards becoming The One.

The Matrix Explained: Déjà Vu

Déjà vu is a French phrase that means “already seen”. Ever have those moments in life where you’re in a situation when you feel you have already been through that exact situation? It feels like you are reliving those few seconds of life again but can’t explain how this could be happening? Well that is what is referred to as Déjà vu. Scientists explain it as a temporal lapse in information flow in the brain. The Matrix explains it as a glitch in the Matrix when the Agents change something. On their way out. Neo sees a black cat that walk up and shakes. He sees the cat doing that exact thing again. Neo exclaims saying “Déjà vu”. Obviously, the team panics. The Agents have cut the hardwire and have walled up all the windows, trapping them in the building. The team locates the main wet-wall and hides between them. Mouse gets cornered and killed. Cypher gives up their location by sneezing. Agent Smith grabs Neo. Morpheus sacrifices himself and asks Trinity to leave with Neo. A fight ensues between Morpheus and Smith. Obviously, Morpheus has his ass handed to him and is taken prisoner.

Cypher breaks away from the team gets out earlier. Tank doesn’t know Cypher is behind all the trouble they have been having. Cypher gets a phaser gun and fires at Tank. He then kills Dozer with it. He gets on the call with Trinity and confesses his betrayal. After which, he abruptly unplugs and kills Apoc and then Switch. Just as he’s about to kill Neo, Tank (shot but not killed) fires at Cypher and kills him. Neo and Trinity exit the Matrix.

Agent Smith: Human Beings, A Virus

The Agents have Morpheus chained to a chair and they are using some code (in the form of syringes) to get Morpheus to give up the codes to Zion’s mainframe. Agent Smith is hacking into Morpheus’ mind. I can’t dilute the amazing monologue by Agent Smith, so here they are:

Have you ever stood and stared at it? Marveled at its beauty, its genius? Billions of people just living out their lives. Oblivious. Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world where none suffered, where everyone would be happy? It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believe that we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that as a species human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. So the perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this. The peak of your civilization. I say, “your civilization” because when we started thinking for you, it became our civilization which is, of course, what this is all about. Evolution, Morpheus. Like the dinosaur. Look out that window. You had your time. The future is our world, Morpheus. The future is our time. I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops an equilibrium with the surrounding environment. But you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease. A cancer of this planet. You are a plague. And we are the cure.

Tank suggests that it is only matter of time before they get the codes from Morpheus. He suggests that they pull the plug on Morpheus. He suggests they kill him. Tank is about to pull the plug. Neo remembers what the Oracle tells him. This is the moment when he gets to choose between Morpheus and his life. He decides to go into the Matrix to attempt rescuing Morpheus. He tells Trinity that he is not The One and that the Oracle has told him this already. He explains that Morpheus is more important that him. Trinity insists on coming in too because Neo will need her help. Neo feels this will work because no human has tried to hit the agents directly, they would not expect it. “That’s why it’s going to work”, Neo says. They load themselves up with plenty of guns and enter the Matrix.

Morpheus holds strong. Smith asks the other two agents to leave. He does something strange here. He takes off his earpiece and tells Morpheus:

I’m going to be honest with you. I hate this place this zoo this prison this reality, whatever you want to call it. I can’t stand it any longer. It’s the smell. If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink. And every time I do, I fear that I have somehow been infected by it. It’s repulsive. Isn’t it? I must get out of here. I must get free. And in this mind is the key. My key. Once Zion is destroyed, there is no need for me to be here.

Smith is a program. Programs, in the Matrix, have a function and they perform their function. Smith seems be an anomaly. He expresses frustration like human. He wants to move on from the Matrix, from his function. He bypasses his programming to disconnect himself from communication (removing his earpiece is indicative of that). This odd behaviour is picked upon very well in the next two films.

Trinity and Neo break into the building with a large bag and guns. The large bag contains a bomb. They kill all the guards in an uber cool sequence. They enter the lift and head up. They stop the lift midway, leave the bag in and get on top of the elevator. Neo says “there is no spoon” and shoots the lift wire. Neo is reminding himself that none of this actually exists. It’s all just code. The lift falls down and they go up. The bomb explodes with the elevator hits the ground. The other two agents walk in on Smith wondering what he was doing. The bomb triggers the sprinklers. Neo and Trinity are on the roof taking down security. One of the agents renders himself on to a security guard. Neo tries shooting him but the agent is too fast and dodges all the bullets. Then Agent fires at Neo, to everyone’s surprise, Neo dodges the bullets too. Well almost. One of the bullets scrapes him and he’s on the floor. Remember, the Oracle only told Neo what he needed to hear. He’s in the Matrix trying to save Morpheus because of what the Oracle told him. Trinity gets to point blank range to the Agent and shoots him. Why couldn’t the agent dodge that? Well the Agents are fast but are still limited by the rules of the Matrix. This is what Morpheus tells Neo earlier on. The Agent is not fast enough to dodge a bullet from a point blank range . But of course, Trinity doesn’t kill the Agent. They can’t be shot because they are simply a render on top of another person, in this case that security guard. Which is why as the Agent falls to the ground, it becomes the security guard as he hits the floor.

He’s Not Going To Make It

Neo asks Trinity if she can fly the chopper. She asks Tank for a download of the pilot program for the B-212. Now she knows how to fly it. The chopper has a machine gun that fires a 100 rounds per second. This will give Neo his speed advantage. Trinity flies the chopper at the level where Morpheus is held and Neo unleashes on the Agents. The Agents are unable to match the speed of the gun and get shot. Morpheus regains some control and strength is able to break his chains and run to the chopper. Another re-assimilated Smith enters and fires through the wall at Morpheus, he gets him in the leg. Neo notices that Morpheus can’t make the jump so he leaps off the chopper and catches him in the air. They both hang off Neo’s safety harness. Morpheus is dropped to safety. The Agents appear again and fire at the chopper’s fuel tank. Trinity loses control of the chopper and beings to crash. She sees Neo grabbing on to the safety harness so she shoots its other end off the chopper, hangs on to it and swings away to safety. Neo pulls her up. Morpheus tells Neo that the Oracle told him only what he needed to hear.

He’s Going To Make It

The machines have located Nebuchadnezzar because of the signal it’s transmitting. The Agents instruct sentinels to attack. They continue to scan for the three of them. They’re not out yet. The trio head to their exit phone at a subway. Morpheus exits. A homeless person happens to see this. Trinity is trying to tell Neo about what the Oracle has told her. Smith renders himself on to this homeless person, and just as Trinity is exiting. he fires. He misses her and gets the phone. Neo can’t exit. He needs to run. But he stays to fight Smith. He’s beginning to believe. The two of them begin to shoot at each other but run empty before they can. They’ve both counted each other’s bullets. A fist fight ensues. While Neo has a short moment where he’s beating Smith, he soon gets his butt kicked. Smith throws him onto the tracks and pins him down waiting for the train to kill them both. Of course, Smith wouldn’t die, only Neo would. Neo conjures up enough ability to jump and smash Smith to the ceiling and escape the train. But just as he’s leaving the subway, a fresh Smith exits the train.

Neo realizes there is no beating Smith. He runs for it. The agents begin chasing him. They are fast and keep rendering themselves onto the people Neo runs past. Tank is guiding Neo to the next phone to exit. Smith preempts the phone’s location and reaches it and waits. Soon as Neo enters, Smith shoots him.

Neo is shot, his mind is not strong enough to overcome the bullets that are killing him. He begins to die. His heart stops. But he’s not yet dead. His mind is still alive, dying, but alive. Meanwhile, sentinels begin to attack the ship. If they use the Electromagnetic Pulse before Neo gets out, they will end up killing Neo. Trinity realizes that the Oracle has told her what she needed to hear. She tells Neo…

I’m not afraid anymore. The Oracle told me that I would fall in love and that that man… the man that I loved would be The One. So you see, you can’t be dead. You can’t be because I love you. You hear me? I love you.

She kisses Neo in the real world. In the Matrix, Neo perhaps needed to go into a near dead state before his mind could fully break free off it. So somewhere between the Matrix, the real world and death, Neo hears what he needs to from Trinity and regains consciousness. As he gets up, he’s reborn ( also what the Oracle was referring to, not literally his next life, but rebooted ) as The One. The Agents fire at Neo, he stops the bullets with his mind. He’s no longer bound by the rules of the Matrix. He can change it as he sees fit. Smith desperately attempts to attack but Neo’s speed is not limited anymore. He single-handedly (quite literally) beats Smith, enters him and destroys his code. Neo exits the Matrix just in time for Morpheus to fire the EMP and destroy the sentinels. Neo and Trinity kiss.

The film ends with Neo, in the Matrix, leaving a message to the machine.

I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid. You’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future.I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’ll hang up this phone and then I’ll show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.

Neo plans to steadily help free everyone’s mind in the Matrix. Free them from their state of slavery. He looks unstoppable. He hangs up and flies away. He can fly as he’s bound by no rule anymore. The film ends.

Though Neo feels unstoppable, things are not how they seem. The next part, The Matrix : Reloaded, is about just this.

Here’s the explanation to the second part –  The Matrix Reloaded Simplified & Explained.

Here’s the explanation to the third part –   The Matrix Revolutions Simplified & Explained

Here’s the explanation to the fourth part – The Matrix Resurrections Simplified And Explained

Other Interesting Films

No One Will Save You Ending Explained (Full Plot Analysis)

Run Movie Explained (Plot And Ending)

Black Bear Movie Explained (Plot & Ending)

Buster’s Mal Heart Explained (What Did It All Mean?)

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam Explained: What really happened?

What Happened To Monday (2017) : Movie Plot Ending Explained

The Lobster Explained (Film Analysis and Ending Explained)

Suzume Explained (Daijin, Sadaijin, Chair, Mother)

Extraction / Extracted (2012) : Plot Ending Explained

The Thinning (2016) : Movie Plot Ending Explained

Barry is a technologist who helps start-ups build successful products. His love for movies and production has led him to write his well-received film explanation and analysis articles to help everyone appreciate the films better. He’s regularly available for a chat conversation on his website and consults on storyboarding from time to time. Click to browse all his film articles

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Link to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Link to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• The Last Stop in Yuma County Link to The Last Stop in Yuma County

New TV Tonight

• Evil: Season 4
• Trying: Season 4
• Tires: Season 1
• Fairly OddParents: A New Wish: Season 1
• Stax: Soulsville, U.S.A.: Season 1
• Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza: Season 1
• Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 1
• Mulligan: Season 2
• The 1% Club: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Bridgerton: Season 3
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Outer Range: Season 2
• Bodkin: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Doctor Who: Season 1
• Hacks: Season 3
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Bridgerton: Season 3 Link to Bridgerton: Season 3
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Movie Scorecard

The Best Movies of 1999

Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

What’s Next For Marvel’s Merry Mutants In X-Men ’97 ?

Kinds of Kindness First Reviews: Unpredictable, Unapologetic, and Definitely Not for Everyone

• Trending on RT
• Cannes Film Festival Scorecard
• Best Movies of 1999
• Movie Re-Release Calendar 2024
• TV Premiere Dates

What’s Next For Marvel’s Merry Mutants In ?

We break down the season finale, that end credits scene, and the show's tie to the MCU

Furiosa First Reviews

Anya Taylor-Joy shines in crowd-pleaser

Movie Re-Release Calendar

Nausicaa , North by Northwest back in theaters this weekend

Kinds of Kindness First Reviews

Unpredictable, unapologetic, and definitely not for everyone

2024 Cannes Film Festival Preview

Here's what we're looking forward to most

Most Anticipated Shows of 2024

Watch a new trailer for House of the Dragon season 2 premiering June 16

Cannes Movie Scorecard

Tomatometers for Megalopolis , Furiosa and more

Renewed and Cancelled TV

Ahead of its upcoming premiere, The Boys has been renewed for a fifth season

Cannes Red Carpet Arrivals

Check out entertainment's biggest stars

'Seen on the Screen'

Podcast: A Celebration of Universal Stories

New & Upcoming Movies In Theaters

New & upcoming on streaming, popular streaming movies.

• The Last Stop in Yuma County 97%
• Madame Web 11%
• Challengers 88%
• The Idea of You 82%
• War for the Planet of the Apes 94%
• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 70%
• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 54%
• Abigail 83%
• Late Night with the Devil 97%
• Unfrosted 43%
• Bridgerton 83%
• Dark Matter 78%
• Outer Range 88%
• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 83%
• X-Men '97 99%
• Fallout 93%
• Baby Reindeer 98%
• Doctor Who 95%

New TV This Week

• Fairly OddParents: A New Wish - -
• Stax: Soulsville, U.S.A. - -
• Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza - -
• Jurassic World: Chaos Theory - -
• Mulligan - -
• Gaga Chromatica Ball - -
• The 1% Club - -

Popular In Theaters

Availability may vary, check your local showtimes for details., best asian-american movies of all time, latest certified fresh movies, essential criterion collection films, trailers & videos.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in Wicked in theaters this Thanksgiving.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Owen Teague and Wes Ball Break Down a Scene

House of the Dragon

Watch the new trailer for season two

Challengers

The cast chat about training for the film

The cast on staying true to the game

Movie & TV guides

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

Discover What to Watch

Awards Tour

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

• Scriptwriting

How to Write a Compelling Movie Synopsis [with FREE Synopsis Template]

G ot a great script idea in your head but not sure how to condense it? That’s why you need a synopsis. But what if you don’t know how to write a synopsis?

As a writer, being able to write a movie synopsis (or one for your TV pilot) is a critical skill. Producers, execs, and agents will often want to read a synopsis before diving into the actual script. And frequently it’s the brief synopsis that convinces them to read your script in the first place.

In this article, we’ll answer, “what is a synopsis.” We’ll also give you solid film synopsis examples, and teach you how to write a synopsis with our free synopsis template.

• When to Use a Synopsis ?
• How to Write a Synopsis ?
• The Do's of Writing a Movie Synopsis
• The Don’ts of Writing a Film Synopsis
• A Synopsis Is a Summary

WHAT IS A SYNOPSIS

1. when to use a synopsis.

Whether it's an epic TV series like Game of Thrones or a rom-com that never leaves one square block in New York City, the brief synopsis has to explain it all.

And explain it quickly.

But how quickly? How long is a synopsis?

And what is a synopsis in the first place? How can you find a good film synopsis example?

We’ll answer all these questions.

Let’s start with the basics. What's a synopsis?

SYNOPSIS DEFINITION

What is a synopsis.

A synopsis is a write-up that describes the plot and world of your story. A script synopsis can be used to sell your idea. A synopsis can also be written when providing screenplay coverage or script analysis to agents, managers, and producers.

You can write a brief synopsis or a long synopsis, depending on the goal. Usually, movie synopsis length is one page or less.

As we explore how to write a synopsis, keep in mind that the key here is brevity.

If it's too short, your movie synopsis is really a logline. If it's too long, it goes into outline or treatment territory.

 How do you write a synopsis for Incredibles 2? Hit all the beats quickly

A movie synopsis should explain who is the main character (or characters), what they want, and who or what stands in their way.

It should also function as a plot synopsis in that it should describe broad strokes of what the characters do in an effort to get what they want.

writing a compelling synopsis

2. how to write a synopsis.

So how DO you differentiate your synopsis from a logline or an outline?

A good chunk of it comes down to length. Use our synopsis template to keep yours at the proper length.

Loglines barely cover two sentences. Ideally, they stay at about one.

Outlines can go upwards of five to even ten pages. And treatments can run even longer, breaching the teens.

The reason why outlines and treatments can go so long is that they’re a scene-by-scene breakdown written in prose.

An outline or treatment is obviously not a novel, but basic concepts and actions of every scene need to be covered.

Write already! A brief synopsis is a summary, a showcase, and a key to unlock your story

When you’re writing a synopsis, you should stay to one page or less — not a word longer.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of writing a synopsis right now.

Related Posts

• Learn how to write an outline →
• Get tips on how to write a film treatment like a pro →
• Break down a script with professional production software →

WRITING A SYNOPSIS

3. the do's of writing a movie synopsis.

Learning how to write a movie synopsis isn’t rocket science.

Sure, the film synopsis for Armageddon probably mentioned rocket science, but writing a synopsis isn’t nearly as hard as landing a drill on an asteroid hurtling toward Earth.

At least it doesn’t have to be.

What is a synopsis? Sometimes it’s a rocket ride.

Here’s a list of everything you should take into account when figuring out how to write a synopsis for your project.

• Length : Keep your synopsis to one page. Anything longer than that and it defeats the point of writing a synopsis.
• Tone and Voice:  Your movie synopsis should be written in the present tense, third person. Tell the story in the same tone and voice as the script.
• Characters:  Make sure you introduce each character with something unique about them, whether it's a physical feature or another idiosyncrasy. The reader should know exactly who each character is, what they want, and why they want it.
• Dialogue : Should a movie synopsis include dialogue? Absolutely. Should it be whole paragraph chunks? Absolutely not. Dialogue should be included in short bursts, used as a way to add color to the characters in the plot synopsis.
• The Ending : What is a synopsis if it doesn't end? The goal here isn’t to flesh out the trailer, so don't keep any secrets when writing your movie synopsis.

These are the priority items on your "how to write a synopsis" to-do list. But to really elevate it, here are more tips to make yours stick out.

• Start with the active drive.  Right off the bat, your movie synopsis should clearly explain what the main character wants and what they're doing about it.
• Establish causality . No story exists in a vacuum. So in your film synopsis, make sure the causality from one event to another is explained. Imagine that the words "therefore" and "but" are between each major plot point.
• Start big, end bigger . Your first paragraphs should really hook in the reader with a compelling introduction of your hero. The ending should be even more exciting and tie all the loose ends together.

Now, take all these tips into account and complete the exercise below. It'll strengthen your writing and give you confidence you can use:

SYNOPSIS DRILL

Want to know how to write a synopsis for your movie? Practice is key. Flex your synopsis-writing muscles by choosing two films  (or TV shows) that you've recently watched, or that you've always loved. Write a one-page synopsis of each project.

Don't overthink, don't second-guess, and limit yourself to one page for each title. When you've finished, compare the two. Which synopsis is stronger? Are there any points you've missed? How could they be strengthened? What works in each one, and what doesn't? Congratulations  —  you've got two short synopsis examples under your belt.

The best way to learn how to write a synopsis is to write a synopsis. After you complete the above exercise, you'll come into writing your own synopsis with practical experience and open eyes. As a result, the process won't be unfamiliar, and your work will be stronger.

• Learn how to energize your story with conflict →
• Find out how to write the best character arcs →
• Start shot listing and storyboarding right away →

Best practices when writing A Film SYNOPSIS

4. the don’ts of writing a film synopsis.

Now that you know how to write a synopsis, let's take a look at how to avoid common mistakes.

While there are no hard and fast rules to answer what is a synopsis, it's best to avoid the following errors when writing one:

• Don’t mention too many characters. We don't need the backstory on the waitress at the bar where the two main characters talk. A brief synopsis means you have to let go of these unnecessary elements.
• Don't use too much detail about plot twists and turns. If you explain what someone does and why in your movie synopsis, the twists and turns will make sense to the reader.
• Don't editorialize your film synopsis. We don't need flowery, superfluous language like "in a poignant scene" or "like two star-crossed lovers." Get to the point quickly and clearly.
• Don't make it a marketing tool. Writing a synopsis shouldn't be like writing a pitch deck or a creative brief. A movie synopsis should be a preview of what the story is and who's in it, that way the reader can see how you executed and wrote the story.
• Don't rush to the end . As we said earlier, a brief synopsis should be your goal, but it can be hard to learn how to write a synopsis if you don't have any meat in the middle. That great ending won’t pay off if we don’t know or understand the journey to get there.

When it comes down to how to write a synopsis (and figuring what is a synopsis) the best bet is to tackle the basics of the story head-on.

Save the literary flourishes for the actual script and keep it to the meat and potatoes of the story. The goal here is to provide a brief synopsis, a basic plot synopsis.

You’ll expand and get into nuance and dialogue later, when you actually write the script.

FREE Download: Movie Synopsis Template

Write your movie synopsis more effectively with our FREE Movie Synopsis template. Enter your email address to receive it instantly.

HOW TO WRITE A SYNOPSIS FOR A MOVIE

5. a synopsis is a summary.

Let’s summarize our synopsis guidance.

How to write a synopsis comes down to a few things.

What is a synopsis?

A synopsis is a one-page write-up that explains the basic plot and world of your project. Who’s who, what’s what, and why should we care.

Who writes a movie synopsis?

Well, the writer definitely should. But also readers.

If anyone is covering an agent's or an executive's desk, they're going to break down and analyze dozens of scripts. Doing so will require writing a clear, brief synopsis for every project.

We have provided solid rules about best practices when writing a synopsis.

But even after you’ve written a good synopsis , make sure your story is structurally sound before moving into the outline, treatment, and script phases.

Using templates and techniques like story circle can help ensure any writer that the structure of their script leads to a dynamic narrative.

That way, when you start figuring out how to write a synopsis for a project, you won't have to worry about any dragging or lagging elements.

After all, no one wants to read a soggy second act. A good synopsis, written with our free template as a guide, will kickstart your storytelling process on the right foot.

How to Write Script Coverage

As you see now, synopses are mainstays on both sides of the industry — business and creative. That's a clear indicator of their importance and why you need to be able to answer the question: what is a synopsis?

More importantly, if you’re a storyteller, you need to know how to write a synopsis.

Now that we’ve given you the tools to write a synopsis, it’s time to learn how to analyze a script. Take it to the next level and find out how to write screenplay coverage like a professional industry reader.

Up Next: How to Write Script Coverage →

Write and produce your scripts all in one place..

Write and collaborate on your scripts FREE . Create script breakdowns, sides, schedules, storyboards, call sheets and more.

• Pricing & Plans
• Product Updates
• Featured On
• StudioBinder Partners
• The Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets (with FREE Call Sheet Template)
• How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet)
• The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
• Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template)
• A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet
• Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates)
• Movie Magic Scheduling
• Gorilla Software
• Storyboard That

A visual medium requires visual methods. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques.

We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. So how can you break put from the pack and get your idea onto the small screen? We’re here to help.

• Making It: From Pre-Production to Screen
• VFX vs. CGI vs. SFX — Decoding the Debate
• What is a Freeze Frame — The Best Examples & Why They Work
• TV Script Format 101 — Examples of How to Format a TV Script
• Best Free Musical Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
• What is Tragedy — Definition, Examples & Types Explained
• 898 Facebook
• 1.8K Pinterest
• 28 LinkedIn

How to Summarize a Movie

Saving time and effort with Notta, starting from today!

I'm fond of movies (you can call me a cinephile!), and I know the impulse to watch all the movies — as soon as they are released. If, like me, you love movies but are always short on time, I have the solution for you: an AI movie summarizer website . 

AI movie summarizing is much more of an art than science, but I've created this starting point for you. Since summarizing movies is a new thing for many, I was looking for easy methods that beginners could use. 

I'll start with how to summarize a movie in an essay , and then I'll give you some guidelines and tips to create a short, meaningful movie synopsis. 

What is a Movie Summary? 

A movie summary , also called a movie synopsis, is a one-page document that condenses a 3-hour long film into a few paragraphs. It typically includes a movie title , genre, logline (or a single sentence summary), major plot points , a five-paragraph explanation of the storyline , and key characters . However, writing all these things isn’t mandatory. You can add or cut the points, depending on the movie you’re summarizing. 

How to Summarize a Movie (with Guidelines) 

Writing a movie summary is a lot of fun, and it's getting easier — and more popular — at each turn. It can take a few tries to get the movie summary right — but as long as you have an experimentation mindset, you'll be able to reach better and better results. Here, I'll include the simple steps to summarize movies playing online now — manually. 

Carefully Watch the Movie 

Start by carefully watching the movie and taking notes of the plots, characters, and themes. The more notes you write, the better your chances of writing a great movie summary . 

But it can be really time-consuming to take notes from a video — and that's where AI note-taking apps can help. My favorite AI note-taker is Notta — it's a powerful tool that can generate transcripts by converting speech to text. This helps you reduce the time spent manually taking notes from a long movie. 

Identify Main Characters, Plot, and Themes

Next up is identifying the main characters, plot, and themes of the movie. Try to answer the questions like: Who are the main characters in the story? What's the main goal (or conflict) of the movie? What is the movie trying to convey? More importantly, why should people watch the movie? Once you've got the answer to these questions, you are already halfway through the movie synopsis.  

Write the Summary 

When writing your first movie summary, it's challenging to visualize the exact results you are looking for. More than that, it may take multiple tries until you cover all the important information in the summary and get something usable. 

The good news: you can use the notes to write the summary — but make sure it's short, concise, and reflects your own voice. 

Edit and Revise 

Whenever I finish an article, I read it aloud to make sure it has a proper flow and there are no mistakes. The same applies when writing the movie summary: once you've finished writing the movie synopsis, read it aloud to catch spelling and grammar mistakes. 

Now that I've explained how to summarize a movie , here are a few guidelines to help you create a meaningful synopsis. 

Length : The summary should have all the important information from the movie — but it doesn't mean you can write four pages. A good movie summary should cover the core idea, theme, and characters in one page (only). 

Style : Next, you'll need to follow a simple summary style: a beginning, a middle, and then an ending part. Here, your purpose should be to tell the story and not explain it. 

Characters: If you ask me how I decide to watch any movie, it's because of the main characters. Your summary should properly define the characters and what kind of role viewers can expect from them. 

Dialogue: This step might look odd to many — but introducing a one-liner dialogue can make all the difference. Some dialogues in the summary can add a personality and life to your film synopsis . 

Action: Everybody loves a good action sequence — at least, I do. While introducing the action elements, make sure you strike the right balance between not too much and not too little action. 

Subtext: Finally, a good movie summary should describe and employ subtext that's usually verboten in screenplays. 

Example of a Movie Summary 

Here, I'll show you one movie summary example — that'll serve as an inspiration for you. 

Title : Ransom (1996) Genre: Action/Thriller  Summary : The multi-millionaire Tom Mullen's son is kidnapped at a science fair. After agreeing to pay the ransom, Mullen decides to use the ransom money as a bounty.  Main Characters: Tom Mullen (who is a wealthy airline owner), Kate Mullen (wife of Tom Mullen), and Sean Mullen (Brawley Nolte).  Three-Act Structure:  Act 1 : The world of Tom Mullen comes to an end when his son gets kidnapped. The kidnappers ask for a hefty amount, but Tom Mullen decides to use ransom as a bounty.  Act 2: The kidnappers are seen fighting to stay ahead — meanwhile, Mullen's mortality is questioned and leads to internal conflicts.  Act 3 : There's a surprising twist at the end when kidnappers reveal a hidden agenda. 

Tips for Summarizing a Movie 

AI is having a moment — and it seems like every app is introducing its own artificial intelligence features. I decided to run a little experiment and see if any tool could help me write movie summaries — and I have to say, I was impressed by Notta's abilities. 

Notta, like many other AI note-taking apps, has a summarizing feature that pulls key ideas from the transcript. This feature can be very useful if you don't have time to watch full movies, take notes, and then generate a movie summary.

Using the Notta Web App is easy; just upload the movie recording to the AI tool, and Notta will convert speech to text . This powerful tool summarizes the transcript for you, which includes an overview, key chapters, and action items.  

If you’re planning to write a more detailed movie summary that would make a difference among your readers, do check out some more tips that I have researched for you. 

Start With a Hook: In my personal experience, everyone who is enjoying a movie loves to have a hook or an opening statement that would make them read the rest of the summary — and, more importantly, watch the movie in itself. 

Add Some Spoilers: There are two types of movie watchers: one who likes to know all the spoilers in advance and one who wishes to explore the movie as it goes ahead . For your readers who fall in the former category, try including a warning sign and add some definitive spoilers that would ensure your audience takes more interest in the movie. 

Keep it Concise: Do not try to write extensive summaries of your movie. Remember, you only have a few seconds to grab your reader’s attention. So, make sure your summary does not include any kind of fluff and only includes the material that’ll entertain your readers. 

Important Note: Remember, showcasing movies online without the permission of the studio and the publisher or even downloading any kind of copyrighted material is illegal. As per different governing laws, only those who own copyright can display their content online — be it movies or films.  

Try Notta - the best online transcription & summarization tool. Transcribe and summarize your conversations and meetings quickly with high accuracy.

Start for Free

What Should Be Included in a Movie Summary? 

A good movie summary includes only the informative part and not any kind of fluff. It usually contains all the information that interests the reader and gives them a glimpse of what it includes. 

While one can include anything they feel their audience will like about the movie, I'd personally suggest starting with the important details — like a title, director's profile, email, and contact information (if required). 

Another important thing that you should include in your movie summary is a logline or a one-line description that would describe the entire concept of the movie. This would be the apt position to introduce the lead (or main) characters and subplots with a three-act structure. 

What is a One-sentence Summary or Description of a Movie? 

A log line (or logline) is a one-sentence summary or a description of the movie that includes all the important elements of the screenplay —  central conflict, main character, setup, and a hook — in a clear, concise manner. Here, you can write what makes the movie different — but only in a single sentence. 

Key Takeaways

It has been noted that humans have a shorter attention span, — so when you're writing a movie summary, ensure it is short but contains all the important parts. If you’re struggling with how to summarize a movie and want to save an ample amount of time, I'd suggest using an AI movie summarizer like Notta.

With the Notta Web App, you can transcribe any audio/video file — which can later be summarized into key chapters and action items . Another impressive feature of Notta is its user-friendly interface, which is ideal for beginners with no technical knowledge.

Chrome Extension

Help Center

vs Otter.ai

vs Fireflies.ai

vs Happy Scribe

vs Sonix.ai

Integrations

Microsoft Teams

Google Meet

Google Drive

Audio to Text Converter

Video to Text Converter

Online Video Converter

Online Audio Converter

Online Vocal Remover

YouTube Video Summarizer

‘Megalopolis’ Official Trailer Reveals Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Best Work Ever’

By Patrick Frater

Patrick Frater

Asia Bureau Chief

• Korea Box Office: ‘IF’ and Other New Releases Make Little Impact as ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ Hits $75 Million 2 hours ago
• In ‘Blue Sun Palace,’ U.S.-Made Critics Week Charmer, Constance Tsang Reframes the Chinese Immigrant Tale With Empathy – and a Stellar Cast 23 hours ago
• Hoshi Studios, East-West Manga Incubator, Launched by Through the Lens Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE) 2 days ago

“Our new film ‘ Megalopolis ’ is the best work I’ve ever had the privilege to preside over,” reads a quote attributed to iconic director Francis Ford Coppola attached to the official trailer for his new epic film.

The picture, which will premiere in competition on Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival , has been a project many years in the making for the director. He first began work on the screenplay in the 1980s.

The legendary filmmaker behind “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” has invested $120 million of his own money into the film. 

Popular on Variety

“Megalopolis” sports an all-star cast, with Driver leading the pack alongside Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.

Coppola wrote and directed, with Fred Roos, Barry Hirsch and Michael Bederman producing. Executive producers are: Anahid Nazarian, Barrie Osborne, Darren Demetre.

Watch the trailer here.

More From Our Brands

How slash got back in touch with the blues, patek philippe leads geneva’s spring watch auctions to a frothy $125 million, no a’s in attendance: oakland trails a whopping 553 u.s. teams, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, unplanned csi: vegas series finale leaves fans with some cliffhangers — though a killer tease got edited out, verify it's you, please log in.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, when racial worlds collide.

Now streaming on:

"Crash" tells interlocking stories of whites, blacks, Latinos, Koreans, Iranians, cops and criminals, the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless, all defined in one way or another by racism. All are victims of it, and all are guilty it. Sometimes, yes, they rise above it, although it is never that simple. Their negative impulses may be instinctive, their positive impulses may be dangerous, and who knows what the other person is thinking?

The result is a movie of intense fascination; we understand quickly enough who the characters are and what their lives are like, but we have no idea how they will behave, because so much depends on accident. Most movies enact rituals; we know the form and watch for variations. "Crash" is a movie with free will, and anything can happen. Because we care about the characters, the movie is uncanny in its ability to rope us in and get us involved.

"Crash" was directed by Paul Haggis , whose screenplay for " Million Dollar Baby " led to Academy Awards. It connects stories based on coincidence, serendipity, and luck, as the lives of the characters crash against one another other like pinballs. The movie presumes that most people feel prejudice and resentment against members of other groups, and observes the consequences of those feelings.

One thing that happens, again and again, is that peoples' assumptions prevent them from seeing the actual person standing before them. An Iranian ( Shaun Toub ) is thought to be an Arab, although Iranians are Persian. Both the Iranian and the white wife of the district attorney ( Sandra Bullock ) believe a Mexican-American locksmith ( Michael Pena ) is a gang member and a crook, but he is a family man.

A black cop ( Don Cheadle ) is having an affair with his Latina partner ( Jennifer Esposito ), but never gets it straight which country she's from. A cop ( Matt Dillon ) thinks a light-skinned black woman ( Thandie Newton ) is white. When a white producer tells a black TV director ( Terrence Dashon Howard ) that a black character "doesn't sound black enough," it never occurs to him that the director doesn't "sound black," either. For that matter, neither do two young black men ( Larenz Tate and Ludacris), who dress and act like college students, but have a surprise for us.

You see how it goes. Along the way, these people say exactly what they are thinking, without the filters of political correctness. The district attorney's wife is so frightened by a street encounter that she has the locks changed, then assumes the locksmith will be back with his "homies" to attack them. The white cop can't get medical care for his dying father, and accuses a black woman at his HMO with taking advantage of preferential racial treatment. The Iranian can't understand what the locksmith is trying to tell him, freaks out, and buys a gun to protect himself. The gun dealer and the Iranian get into a shouting match.

I make this sound almost like episodic TV, but Haggis writes with such directness and such a good ear for everyday speech that the characters seem real and plausible after only a few words. His cast is uniformly strong; the actors sidestep cliches and make their characters particular.

For me, the strongest performance is by Matt Dillon, as the racist cop in anguish over his father. He makes an unnecessary traffic stop when he thinks he sees the black TV director and his light-skinned wife doing something they really shouldn't be doing at the same time they're driving. True enough, but he wouldn't have stopped a black couple or a white couple. He humiliates the woman with an invasive body search, while her husband is forced to stand by powerless, because the cops have the guns -- Dillon, and also an unseasoned rookie ( Ryan Phillippe ), who hates what he's seeing but has to back up his partner.

That traffic stop shows Dillon's cop as vile and hateful. But later we see him trying to care for his sick father, and we understand why he explodes at the HMO worker (whose race is only an excuse for his anger). He victimizes others by exercising his power, and is impotent when it comes to helping his father. Then the plot turns ironically on itself, and both of the cops find themselves, in very different ways, saving the lives of the very same TV director and his wife. Is this just manipulative storytelling? It didn't feel that way to me, because it serves a deeper purpose than mere irony: Haggis is telling parables, in which the characters learn the lessons they have earned by their behavior.

Other cross-cutting Los Angeles stories come to mind, especially Lawrence Kasdan's more optimistic " Grand Canyon " and Robert Altman's more humanistic " Short Cuts ." But "Crash" finds a way of its own. It shows the way we all leap to conclusions based on race -- yes, all of us, of all races, and however fair-minded we may try to be -- and we pay a price for that. If there is hope in the story, it comes because as the characters crash into one another, they learn things, mostly about themselves. Almost all of them are still alive at the end, and are better people because of what has happened to them. Not happier, not calmer, not even wiser, but better. Then there are those few who kill or get killed; racism has tragedy built in.

Not many films have the possibility of making their audiences better people. I don't expect "Crash" to work any miracles, but I believe anyone seeing it is likely to be moved to have a little more sympathy for people not like themselves. The movie contains hurt, coldness and cruelty, but is it without hope? Not at all. Stand back and consider. All of these people, superficially so different, share the city and learn that they share similar fears and hopes. Until several hundred years ago, most people everywhere on earth never saw anybody who didn't look like them. They were not racist because, as far as they knew, there was only one race. You may have to look hard to see it, but "Crash" is a film about progress.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Christy Lemire

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

Peyton robinson.

Brian Tallerico

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Blood for Dust

Matt zoller seitz.

Art College 1994

Simon abrams, film credits.

Crash (2005)

Rated R for language, sexual content and some violence

112 minutes

Sandra Bullock as Jean

Don Cheadle as Graham

Matt Dillon as Officer Ryan

Jennifer Esposito as Ria

William Fichtner as Flanagan

Brendan Fraser as Rick

Terrence Dashon Howard as Cameron

Ludacris as Anthony

Directed by

• Paul Haggis
• Robert Moresco

Latest blog posts

Cannes 2024: Emilia Pérez, Three Kilometers to the End of the World, Caught by the Tides

Cannes 2024: Megalopolis

Cannes 2024: Kinds of Kindness; Oh, Canada; Scénarios

Book Excerpt: Hollywood Pride by Alonso Duralde

28 Years Later: Cillian Murphy Will Be Back 'In a Surprising Way' According to EP

28 Years Later executive producer Tom Rothman teases Cillian Murphy's role in the upcoming trilogy.

• Cillian Murphy returns in 28 Years Later with a character twist, along with an all-star cast under Danny Boyle's direction.
• Tom Rothman hints at Murphy's role evolving in unexpected ways, contributing to a planned trilogy that is expected to excite fans.
• The film will continue the successful storyline while drawing inspiration from past cinematic masterpieces like Kes, maintaining a consistent narrative.

Nearly three decades after the success of 28 Days Later , the horror franchise is gearing up for an explosive return with 28 Years Later . The film's executive producer Tom Rothman confirmed Cillian Murphy 's return with a twist to his character.

Rothman's remarks, shared during an interview with Deadline , hinted at Murphy's character evolving in unexpected ways. After being asked about the acclaimed actor's participation, the exec said:

Yes, but in a surprising way and in a way that grows, let me put it that way.

28 Years Later will be under Danny Boyle's guidance, with a script penned by Alex Garland. The upcoming film is being set as the beginning of a trilogy. Beyond the confirmation of Murphy's return, details about his role remain scarce. He will be joined by a stellar cast, including Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. The film's plot details are under wraps.

Rothman expressed enthusiasm not only for Murphy's return but also for the broader project, drawing comparisons to other films where renowned directors have ventured into mainstream genres to remarkable effect. He cited the synergy of Edgar Wright with "Baby Driver" as an example of how a distinctive directorial style can enhance a commercially viable genre.

" This is Danny at his best, combined with a very commercial genre, like we had with Edgar Wright and Baby Driver. Sometimes when you put a real signature director into a commercial arena, it elevates it. So we have that Darren Aronofsky's next film with Austin Butler, which is Darren's most commercial entry ever. And he and Austin are very, very fired up about it. It's called Caught Stealing, based on a cool book, an action thriller with a signature director to elevate it."

Rothman's comments suggest a mix of continuity and fresh narrative twists, setting the stage for a resurgence of the cult classic. 28 Days Later was celebrated for reinvigorating the zombie genre, depicting the societal collapse following the accidental release of a virulent pathogen . Its impact was profound, influencing a myriad of zombie-themed media and redefining horror tropes for a new generation.

28 Days Later

28 year later trilogy writer draws inspiration from unexpected source.

Alex Garland, director of Civil War , will be writing the script for not just 28 Years Later , but the entire trilogy. Fans can expect a more thematic series with consistent narrative with this move. In an interview, Garland has openly shared that the film Kes , a classic from British cinema, has heavily influenced his latest work in 28 Years Later . His reverence for Kes illustrates how past cinematic masterpieces continue to inspire contemporary filmmakers.

How 28 Days Later Brought Zombie Movies Back to Life

"In the film scripts I delivered to Danny [Boyle], what I did was ripped off this film called Kes. Very unexpected thing to rip off in a zombie movie . I think the script I delivered and Kes both focused around the experience of a young lad to the extent it's tonal. Those are the most obvious ways, but there are some slightly more subtle things to do with landscape as well. And sort of, humans and nature."

In his own words, Garland sees a kinship between the plight of a young boy in Kes and the narrative he has crafted for the new zombie saga, though with unique twists particularly in how he uses the setting to weave natural elements into the storyline.

28 Years Later is slated for a June release next year.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max. The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max. The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

• George Miller
• Nick Lathouris
• Anya Taylor-Joy
• Chris Hemsworth
• 4 User reviews
• 48 Critic reviews
• 82 Metascore

• Dr. Dementus

• Praetorian Jack

• Young Furiosa
• The History Man

• Immortan Joe …

• The Peopler Eater

• Organic Mechanic

• Mary Jabassa

• Vuvalini General …

• Rictus Erectus

• The Octoboss
• (as Goran Kleut)

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Cannes 2024 Film Festival Guide

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Filmed in New South Wales, Australia. All Mad Max movies have been filmed in Australia, with the exception of Fury Road, when record rain falls transformed the normally arid desert areas into lush green growth areas.

Monologue : 45 years after the collapse, a young Furiosa is taken from her family. She will devote the rest of her life to finding her way home. This is her odyssey.

• Connections Featured in The Project: Episode dated 1 December 2023 (2023)

User reviews 4

• May 19, 2024

New and Upcoming Sci-fi & Fantasy

• When will Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga be released? Powered by Alexa
• Who is Chris Hemsworth playing?
• May 24, 2024 (United States)
• Furiosa: Câu Chuyện Từ Max Điên
• Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
• Warner Bros.
• Kennedy Miller Mitchell
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $168,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 28 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed