Chapter 100

The summer vacation for schools in North America mostly starts in May, so August doesn't really count as the peak of the summer season. However, the August craze sparked by last year's "The Sixth Sense" has continued, and this year, Chen Tiandu's film has also risen to prominence. Although the two films were not deliberately scheduled for release in August, the fact that both were released in this month has led people to speculate whether Chen has a special affection for August...

Despite no discounts or promotional activities, many theaters in bustling areas in North America, out of 3,200, were fully booked. From Monday to Thursday, the average occupancy rate of all theaters never fell below 30%, and on Friday, it suddenly surged to over 75%, raking in more than $20 million in a single day.

The movie's continued popularity has defied the pre-release predictions by Hollywood media that the box office craze would gradually wane and the second week would not match the first.

Instead, due to the lack of strong competitors among the films released simultaneously, most audiences flocked to "The Matrix." The only film that could potentially impact "The Matrix" was "Runaway Bride," a comedy starring Julia Roberts, which, despite being in its third week, still maintained a strong presence in the top three due to its excellent word-of-mouth, showcasing the star's box office appeal.

—But that was the extent of it.

If the first half of the year was a celebration for "Star Wars" fans, the second half has been dominated by the social wave and topics sparked by "The Matrix."

As the film's run continued, its positive word-of-mouth and topics spread even wider. Everyone believed that if the film were not rated R, its box office would have been even higher.

After "The Matrix" claimed the top spot in its opening week, The New York Times, which had previously been reserved, published a detailed report on the film in the entertainment section. The author, renowned film critic Mike Vasey, wrote: "I have never seen a science fiction film with such a strong character. The film's rhythm is unlike any other sci-fi movie, with the extensive use of 0.5-second shots keeping the audience in a state of excitement and tension. I believe that even if this film were released ten years from now, it would still create a sensation. Its unique charm and action scenes are unparalleled!"

Just as Mike Vasey said, "The Matrix" did not lose its momentum after the opening weekend.

On the contrary, it was around this time that the internet began to see an even more intense wave of discussion.

Stunning stills from the film's official website began to spread to other websites, and the distinctive fight scenes and classic lines started to circulate.

This kind of grassroots promotion has its pros and cons. The downside is the excessive spoilers. Chen Tiandu's previous film, "The Sixth Sense," achieved a box office miracle because fans voluntarily kept the ending a secret.

Of course, the benefits are also evident, as more and more people are becoming aware of how amazing the film is and are growing increasingly interested.

On the official website of "The Matrix," the comments are overwhelmingly positive:

"A new philosophy, pioneering action films," "A cyberpunk masterpiece! Revolutionary bullet time technique," "A sci-fi epic rich in philosophical depth, with Yuan Heping's action direction elevating Eastern martial arts to the world, the scene of Neo dodging bullets is iconic," "I was completely immersed in the Matrix after watching the film," "I was moved to tears," "I can't distinguish between the virtual and the real, feeling like I've fallen from one dream into another"...

"An epoch-making work. If 'The Sixth Sense' was the film that made Christmas Chen famous, then 'The Matrix' is the one that solidified his status. Both the story and the film's presentation are outstanding. It's thrilling, fast-paced, and I love this movie. As a commercial sci-fi film, it also contains rich philosophical depth, providing a dual impact on both the visual and the soul."

These are the passionate expressions of excited fans, but there are also those who offer contrary opinions: "... Unfortunately, the ending, which sets up the sequel, is slightly melodramatic. However, the three gray mechanical octopuses in the post-credit scene are a highlight!"

Considering the integration of styles, when Chen Tiandu decided to modify the mechanical octopuses, he took into account many people's opinions.

Whether they fit the overall style of the film was the top priority. Therefore, although the octopuses have a cute appearance, they are a rare exception. Of course, the mechanical octopuses appear very briefly in the first film, and the only close-ups are in the post-credit scene. Their oval metal faces, red electronic eyes, and gray, metallic-looking shells do not stand out too much in the overall film.

The Matrix Special Effects Studio did more than just create these few scenes.

According to Chen Tiandu's wishes, there is also a short, independent story related to the film. It is full of action and cuteness, and after the film's release, it was officially uploaded to the internet, receiving positive reviews from the audience.

Not only the main actors of "The Matrix" received attention, but even the actors playing Tank and the third computer police officer were sought out by fans. This indicates that the audience truly accepted and loved "The Matrix," and the word-of-mouth promotion in real life is helping to spread the film virally.

In Hong Kong, director Yuan Heping, who was filming "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," was interviewed by the Oriental Daily, asking him about his thoughts on the success of "The Matrix" in North America due to its action style.

Yuan Heping was both amused and moved. At his age, having started as a film action director in 1970, it was surprising and somewhat bittersweet to see "The Matrix" become a huge hit in America. The enthusiasm of Hong Kong people for this Hollywood film, while somewhat painful, reflects the fact that the innovation in Hong Kong cinema over the past decade has not kept up with the growing curiosity of the audience. With hundreds of films released each year, a hit from the previous year often leads to dozens of copycat films the following year. The decline of Hong Kong cinema in later years can be attributed to self-destruction and self-inflicted consequences.

Li An also congratulated "Eight Sir," saying, "The success is great, and it's timely. My 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' will also benefit from your success."

...

Even major publications like The Atlantic Monthly commented in their entertainment section, "In this film, he has proven his abilities as a screenwriter, director, and producer. 'I'm not just a Chinese director who only makes horror films; I'm also a kung fu kid.' All Chinese stars who have entered Hollywood can do a few moves, and now it's Christmas Chen's turn. Describing him as having a bright future is already a bit pale. Perhaps we can expect more and quietly see what he can achieve!"

There are also those who delve deeply into the film, like John McCarron, a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, who extensively analyzed the film from a philosophical perspective: "A thousand people see a thousand different Matrixes. When you wake up in the morning, is the sleepy person in the mirror really you? Do you feel a vague sense of emptiness? Is what you know real? Everything will be gradually revealed..."

He analyzed the film's themes from 26 philosophical perspectives, including "Alice in Wonderland," "Cyberpunk," "Descartes," "Christ," "Kant," "Marx," "Prophets," "Socrates," "Trinity," "Utopia," "Yagyu Family," and "Tao," from A to Z, leaving Chen Tiandu speechless.

A cool sci-fi film, at most, adds a few layers of virtual reality and decision-making, with some biblical reflections. Yet, the film critics managed to write so much about it, leaving the creator himself to simply say, "You're really talented!"

This guy is overthinking it!

Chen Tiandu made the film purely because he liked it, to solidify his influence in America. However, he doesn't mind the high praise from the outside world and won't stand up to defend himself. The more "deep" a film is, the more likely it is to win awards. Perhaps he could even make a run for the Oscars next year, though he doesn't have high hopes, an additional award would add to his luster.

Of course, there are those who praise and those who criticize. The criticisms are mostly the same: "Confusing," "Nonsensical," "Just a popcorn movie," "Pretentious"...

However, the positive reviews still dominate. For those who don't understand, there are enthusiastic fans who voluntarily explain.

"This film almost completely redefines the concepts and models of previous films. It redesigns a world with its own rules, mechanisms, and even physical phenomena—referred to as 'anti-physics'—such as when a helicopter crashes into a glass building, the glass doesn't shatter immediately but creates a wave that ripples outwards, then shatters layer by layer from the point of impact. This is a completely new visual effect. Combined with the widely praised 'bullet time' concept, the film shatters the audience's imagination framework, leading to the common complaint of 'confusing'..."

Compared to Americans who like to delve deep, Koreans found the film amusing, "Neo's romance is so Korean drama-like, almost kissing but interrupted, just like a Korean drama." Curious Korean netizens, upon seeing this comment and comparing it to the film, found it to be somewhat true.

After a week of buzz, the box office results for "The Matrix" in its second week were released on Monday morning.

The occupancy rate on Friday was 75%, Saturday 70%, and Sunday 65%. Just these three days brought in another $52 million, with a weekly total of $88.5 million. Adding the previous week's results, the North American box office for the second week successfully broke $100 million, reaching $149.38 million. In overseas markets, the film earned $72.5 million this week, with Japan being the largest contributor.

In total, the global box office for the film has surpassed $200 million.

This performance has secured "The Matrix" a spot in the top ten of the North American annual box office. Including last year, Chen Tiandu has now achieved a top ten box office ranking twice in his two-year career.

The announcement of this performance will likely generate more buzz among potential fans, but the results will only be seen next week.

(Yes, "Luanma 70k" classmate, you guessed right. Happy Singles' Day! %>_<%. Fellow singles, sitting in front of the computer, please vote!)

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