What we flagged
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Our take
The Matrix follows a hacker who discovers a war between humans and machines. Long, stylish gunfights drive the action, while a few body-horror images may startle viewers expecting only science-fiction ideas. Swearing is moderate, and there is brief non-sexual nudity when a body is pulled from a pod. We put it at around M and up, with a parent nearby for a first watch.
Uplifting themes
Waking up, choosing truth, and standing with a small crew against a huge system give the action a moral spine. Courage here is costly. The film asks what is worth fighting for Trinity and Morpheus keep their heads when panic would be easy, and the hero learns by listening before he charges in. They are not saints. Loyalty still looks like hard work Questions about what is real, and how screens shape us, give families a genuine after-film chat. It is philosophy wrapped in an action movie. Teens who like big ideas will lean in
Story (may spoil tone)
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Long martial-arts fights and a large lobby shootout leave many people d…
Long martial-arts fights and a large lobby shootout leave many people dead. The action is highly stylised, but guns and combat are made to look exciting
Language The s-word appears often in fights and close calls, with hell, damn, an…
The s-word appears often in fights and close calls, with hell, damn, and a crude a-word in the mix. Talk is casual and frequent. It sounds very 1990s
Sex / nudity When a body is yanked from a pod, full male nudity shows under slime, a…
When a body is yanked from a pod, full male nudity shows under slime, and the camera treats it as medical shock. A late kiss is tender and brief. The film never pauses for a bedroom scene
Drugs / alcohol A simulated restaurant scene treats wine and a steak as a small luxury,…
A simulated restaurant scene treats wine and a steak as a small luxury, and a no smoking sign flashes in a car. Nobody is getting wasted. Drink sits in the background of adult life
Frightening A sealed mouth, a metal bug under the skin, and rows of bodies in pods…
A sealed mouth, a metal bug under the skin, and rows of bodies in pods will unsettle some teens. Agents chase people through crowded streets with cold calm. The dread is sci-fi, but it lingers
Self-harm / suicide A crewmate calls a dangerous rescue plan 'suicide' to describe the risk…
A crewmate calls a dangerous rescue plan 'suicide' to describe the risk. Nobody tries to harm themselves; it is a figure of speech in a tense scene
Gore / death / weapons Bullets tear through walls and bodies in slow motion, and the pod seque…
Bullets tear through walls and bodies in slow motion, and the pod sequence shows tubes ripping from skin. Blood is present without lingering on open wounds. Firearms stay in close view
Dangerous behaviour Rooftop jumps and gunplay are presented as thrilling, even though the s…
Rooftop jumps and gunplay are presented as thrilling, even though the story treats them as part of a simulation. Younger viewers should understand these are unsafe to copy
Grief / bereavement Members of the rebel crew are lost in the fighting, and the survivors h…
Members of the rebel crew are lost in the fighting, and the survivors have to keep moving. The goodbyes are short. Loss is part of the war, not the whole film
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The film asks what is real and who gets to decide. What did your teen make of that?
- The heroes use a lot of force. When does fighting a system become something they should question too?
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The Matrix
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