Films like The Matrix

15 picks with a similar feel

What defines The Matrix, going by its Boxlist taste profile: Otherworldly and sweeping: a very fast sci-fi film, fresh rather than familiar. Best if you like spectacle over intimacy. Its strongest markers on Boxlist are themes of social commentary, underdogs and mysteries that are not what they seem, plus tags such as simulated reality , gnosticism and messiah.

Here are 15 films with a similar feel, ranked by how closely they match that profile. Treat them as picks to try, not a definitive list.

Based on The Matrix (1999).

  1. 1

    Inception (2010)

    Film8.3Slower burn

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: philosophy, virtual reality.

  2. 2

    Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

    Film7.5Slower burn

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: cyberpunk, artificial intelligence, dystopia.

  3. 3

    The Terminator (1984)

    Film7.6

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and fast-paced, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: saving the world, artificial intelligence, action hero.

  4. 4

    eXistenZ (1999)

    Film6.9More intricate

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: virtual reality, hacker, dystopia.

  5. 5

    I, Robot (2004)

    Film6.9Slower burn

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: man vs machine, artificial intelligence, dystopia.

  6. 6

    Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

    Film7.2

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: cyberpunk, martial arts, dystopia.

  7. 7

    Escape from New York (1981)

    Film7.1

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and fast-paced, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: cyberpunk, martial arts, dystopia.

  8. 8

    Upgrade (2018)

    Film7.5Slower burn

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: cyberpunk, artificial intelligence, dystopia.

  9. 9

    Tron (1982)

    Film6.7Lighter option

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: simulated reality , virtual reality, hacker.

  10. 10

    Serenity (2005)

    Film7.4

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: martial arts, dystopia.

  11. 11

    They Live (1988)

    Film7.3Slower burn

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: dystopia.

  12. 12

    Sunshine (2007)

    Film7.0

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: saving the world.

  13. 13

    Total Recall (1990)

    Film7.3

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: cyberpunk, action hero, dystopia.

  14. 14

    Starship Troopers (1997)

    Film6.9

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: dystopia.

  15. 15

    Equilibrium (2002)

    Film7.0

    Why it's like The Matrix: Also heightened and fast-paced, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: martial arts, dystopia.

Boxlist compares The Matrix with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point. Ratings are TMDB audience scores out of 10.

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Questions

What should I watch if I like The Matrix?
Picks with a similar feel include Inception, Blade Runner 2049, The Terminator and eXistenZ. Each shares part of The Matrix's taste profile, themes or tags; the full list has 15 films.
How are these films like The Matrix chosen?
Boxlist compares The Matrix with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point.
Is there a lighter film like The Matrix?
Tron has a similar feel but scores lighter on Boxlist's weightiness scale.

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