Poll: Matrix or Inception

[WouldYouKindly]

Inception had an awesome special effects and cinematographic effort on top of a solid acting cast. The Matrix was a wonder of cinematography when it first came out, but I can't really say the plot or characters were as well executed as Inception.

There's also the matter that Inception is a finished plot. The Matrix was always intended as a multi movie franchise. Don't take the other movies into consideration and you've got half a plot, no real resolution. Inception has an ending, ambiguous though it may be.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

I prefer the Matrix personally. I like the concept better, I think the action was better, I prefer Keanu Reeves to Leanoardo DiCaprio as an actor and I really dig cyberpunk.

 

[aba1]

Both fantastic movies but the Matrix I would say is a better over all theme. It revolutionized how we approach movie action had a deep science fiction lore and everything about the film was planned so detailed that even the light palate will change depending on whether they are in the real world or the matrix. Not to mention the absurd amount of symbolism throughout the film it really fantastic.

Don't get me wrong it is a tight race Inception was a fantastic movie.

 

[Ekit]

I never cared for The Matrix and I loved Inception.

 

[Mikeyfell]

Hmmmmm Let's see...
A decent Sci-fi movie
Or one of the worst films ever produced?

I think I have to go with The Matrix

I don't understand anyone who says Inception was good.
If you look at it clinically at all it's fucking awful. Basically proof that Christopher Nolan should never be allowed to pick up a pen

 

[Casual Shinji]

I think Inception works better as a stand-alone movie. It's self contained and satisfying, whereas The Matrix leaves the story unresolved unless you watch the dismal sequels.

Quite the opposite, I would say. The first movie wraps things up pretty definite.

Spoiler

Neo is an all powerful cyber god, and can bend the Matrix to his will. The end.

The reason the sequels sucked was because there was nowhere else to go with this concept. So they had to come up with nonsense in order to keep the movies going. Also bad, bad CGI.

Because, you know, fuck the billions of people still plugged into the Matrix, and all the people in the hellish real world.
That's not an ending. The entire plot is utterly unresolved. We are given no indication of how Neo can stop the machines, and frankly by the end of the movie the humans haven't really accomplished anything. They've gained one new asset in the Matrix, powerful though he may be, and nothing at all to help them fight the battle in the real world.

That's because the first movie was contained within this one ship that our heroes were on. It's a small story set against a giant backdrop. As soon as the sequels started venturing outside it to try and flesh out the world, the whole thing fell apart.

The Matrix left certain things in the dark, whether on purpose or because the Wachowski's thought this movie was going to be just a one time thing (probably the latter). Things like Zion or the Oracle were left for what they were to focus on the tale at hand. The movie was all about this small group of rebels on a ship in a cybernetic no man's land. And it ended in a manner that left mankind's salvation up to the viewer's imagination.

 

[Something Amyss]

Both are shallow movies with terrible leads that were mostly special effects vehicles. Between the two, I'll take the one with the kung fu action. The Matrix

 

[Manji187]

For me, it's the Matrix. Hands down. For all the iconic action scenes and one-liners (You think that's air you're breathing?). In my mind, the Matix is a lot more memorable. I definitely don't mind rewatching it every now and then.

As for Inception, I didn't really care for any of the characters and I've already forgotten most of the movie. Definitely don't feel like rewatching it again.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Oh. I totally thought this thread would be 'which universe would you like to live in more'. Then my answer would have hands down been 'Inception' as I could do funky ninja shit... then be able to leave and be rich by it. And even if I didn't know I left, I would have been relatively at peace thinking I did.

If it's about the movies, it's a tie. Only because the fact that the Matrix was heralded as the great martial art epic of our generation.

If you're serious about martial arts, as someone who practices or someone who just loves watching it, you understand what a tragedy that is. If you even google "The Matrix Genre", it's right there. As a sideline, I'll forgive a bit. But to be marketed as that and have high expectations and to be treated to.... that... So disappointing. I like the Matrix universe more, but the fact that I was let down due to the Marketing makes me resent it.

 

[Username Redacted]

Can I have a write in vote for Dark City? For those who haven't seen it the movie is stylistically and thematically similar to the Matrix. It is a movie that does a lot with a little. We've got our gritty environment, our so-so cast and we're fucking rocking that shit. It also came out a year before the Matrix.

 

[Gorrath]

Can I have a write in vote for Dark City? For those who haven't seen it the movie is stylistically and thematically similar to the Matrix. It is a movie that does a lot with a little. We've got our gritty environment, our so-so cast and we're fucking rocking that shit. It also came out a year before the Matrix.

I loved Dark City, but there were sooo'ooo many things wrong with it, the worst being the editing. The whole story was pretty darned interesting and the twist was shocking the first time I saw it. Good stuff! I would recommend it to anyone, but I'd also tell them it is a movie with many flaws.

OT: I'll take the Matrix. I am one of the few people I know who didn't hate the sequels either, though some parts in them were downright dumb. I don't agree with anyone who says they had no place else to go with the movies after the first. The idea that werewolves, vampires, ghosts ect. were all glitches in the programming was rather neat I thought, and dealing with the programs as sentient beings who had ideas and even emotions was also cool, even if the train station scene was boring. I won't argue against the idea that it went off the rails by giving neo super powers outside of the marix and all that, and Trinity's death sequence made my eyes roll so hard they popped out of my head and scattered across the floor.

Inception was good and I liked its concepts, but like other people I wish it had done more with the 'dream' aspect of everything, not just a shoot-em-up gallery. I accept The Matrix and INception for what they are and enjoy them on a certain level.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

I preferred The Matrix to Inception, because I liked the memorable former's kung-fu action mixed with a cybernetic world which explored admittedly light but still interesting psychological themes about fate and the reality of the world, whereas the lackluster latter had an interesting concept before subsequently running it into the ground with ridiculous exposition and poor pacing to the point that I just didn't give a crap about the characters or the plot (which I didn't really get anyway).

 

[Lionsfan]

For me, it's definitely The Matrix. Inception had some cool concepts, but they rarely played around with those. You can't show these grandiose shots of everyone bending reality, turning the ground on a 90 degree angle, and then say "Oh but you can't do that or everyone will kill you". I mean, other than the rotating hallway, there wasn't anything great that set it apart from a normal action movie

Can't stand Keanu Reeves either. From what I've read he's a really great guy, but his acting... Damn.

What are you talking about? That was the most honest genuine crying I've ever seen in a movie

 

[FEichinger]

One thing I find very interesting here is that a lot of people who prefer Inception tell roughly the same tale "The Matrix didn't grab me, so Inception!"

You have a couple of voices saying "Inception was terrible, Matrix", but out of the people who watched and more or less liked both of them, the Matrix seems to win.

For the record: The Matrix, because the first movie was indeed both revolutionary and self-contained - we didn't need the sequels for the story to be sufficiently wrapped up.

 

[moggett88]

I loved the Matrix, and hated Inception. I honestly dont see why it has gotten the praise it has...just different strokes I guess.

Since the subject has been raised, I have a question about Inception though; why was the effort made to assemble an "elite team" if they all just basically did the same thing in the end anyway? (been a while since I saw it, dont rage at me).

 

[Captain Billy]

I'd have to go with Inception. I think the Matrix is a great movie, but Inception has more of a human touch, and I really appreciate that in my sci-fi action movies.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Would you believe me if I told you I prefer The Matrix?
...
I liked Inception but I was a little disappointed with it (the constant exposition first and foremost, followed by an incredible lack of imagination in figuring out the dream worlds). It's a fun movie, I loved watching it, but it didn't rub me like an instant classic the way The Matrix did.
...
However, I must take the Third Way Out and declare Total Recall the victor. Same meta-reality issues inspired by the great Phil K. Dick with Ahnold instead of Keanu, which is a huge plus in my book, and none of the pseudo-philosophical babble the Wachowski's are so in love with.

 

[omega 616]

I would have to say matrix.

Inception just has this plot hole (I think that's the right category for it) that ruins the film for me.

Spoiler

they have the bit with the van falling backwards into water as a "kick", due to this the next level down is Joseph Gordon-Levitt floating round a hotel, which I understand to some extent but the next level down after that there is gravity again.

Why? How come only 1 level below the fall doesn't have gravity?

Matrix probably has plot holes a bound but none are as glaring as that.

Matrix also goes more FPS than inception. We are in Neo's shoes, things are happening that we don't understand such as his computer telling him to follow the white rabbit, then a girl with a white rabbit tattoo appears.

I think it has a greater sense of wonder and excitement, I think the plot is more grand and the action is more intense.

The more I think about it, the more I think it isn't even close.

 

[Lethos]

I prefer Inception because I prefer the plot and characters in it. That and DiCaprio is my favourite actor and Nolan is my favourite director.

 

[Neso]

Both movies are really good but I'll go with Inception.