Featured Image Credit: New Line Cinema
Topics: The Matrix, Film and TV
Anish Vij
The Matrix has been accused of 'ripping off' a sci-film most of us have never heard of.
1998's Dark City came out one year prior to Keanu Reeves' most iconic film and just by the trailer alone, it looks pretty similar.
Watch below:
As we all know, Reeves famously played the role of cybercriminal and computer programmer Neo/Thomas Anderson.
And just in case our memories need a refresh, the movie follows a future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside 'the Matrix' - a simulated reality that intelligent machines have created to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source.
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When Neo finally uncovers the truth, he joins a rebellion against the machines along with other people who have been freed from 'the Matrix'.
Similar in cinematography, atmosphere, and plot, Dark City follows John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) who awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he is wanted for a series of brutal murders.
The slight issue is that he can't remember whether he committed the murders or not.
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The character seeks to unravel the twisted riddle of his identity.
But as he edges closer to solving the mystery, he stumbles upon a underworld controlled by a group of ominous beings collectively known as the Strangers.
Sound similar?
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Both plots attempt to distract a selected victim from the truth of the 'real' world.
But all of us know which movie came out first.
Taking to social media, some viewers were even calling the older a film 'a better movie'.
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One user wrote: "The Matrix is nothing more than a fancy rip off of Dark City. Prove me wrong."
Another added: "One of the most iconic things of the original Matrix was realizing that the whole thing was a blatant rip off of Dark City.
While a third person agreed: "Well The Matrix is somewhat of a rip-off of Dark City. However, Dark City is the better film."
"Dark City is the far better movie than its rip off, The Matrix. Pass it on," a fourth added.
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Although, someone else also gave The Matrix the benefit of the doubt, writing: "I don’t think the producers of The Matrix had time to rip off Dark City, since it was released only a year after Dark City (1998/1999)."
"Dark City and The Matrix were in development at roughly the same time," another added.