One of the main factors that decide the success of an action movie is the authenticity of its action sequences. Excessive use of CGI often leads to poor audience ratings, so filmmakers create those action-packed sequences in real life. Without a doubt, actors like Tom Cruise and Dwayne Johnson are dominating the action genre today, however, there was another film, featuring Keanu Reeves, that was made two decades ago that contained authentic stunts.

Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded, is arguably the best movie in the Matrix franchise. There is an iconic motorcycle chase scene in the movie that was made entirely on a 1.5-mile stretch of fake freeway. With the help of some visual effects, the scene came to fruition.

The motorcycle chase scene in The Matrix Reloaded was made on a freeway

A still from the iconic bike chase scene in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
2003’s The Matrix Reloaded was well-received by the fans. The film contained some memorable action scenes that managed to captivate the audience. One of these scenes was the motorcycle chase scene. The scene was shot over the course of three months, with a combination of some scenes shot on an actual freeway and some visual effects. The 1.5-mile stretch of fake freeway was actually constructed just for the scene.

The movie was the sequel to The Matrix (1999) and the second installment in the Matrix film series. The film featured Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Gloria Foster.

What was the damage from the Keanu Reeves movie?

A still from the iconic bike chase scene in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The results of performing these stunts on a real freeway cost a lot of money. Over 300 vehicles were destroyed, which can be reflected in the extensive budget of the film, which was expected to be somewhere between $127–150 million.

The stars of the movie, Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves did most of their stunts on their own. The Wachowski sisters managed to give fans some death-defying stunts that push the boundaries of what is visually possible. Without a doubt, The Matrix Reloaded‘s stunts make it one of the most iconic movies in the history of action movies.

Why are action movies successful?

Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix
One thing that has remained constant in Hollywood since it came into existence is the audiences’ love for action movies. The high-octane sequences, explosive special effects, and cheeky one-liners deliver fans an immersive cinematic experience.

It doesn’t matter if the movie is set in futuristic dystopias, a historical era, or contemporary urban landscapes, Hollywood action movies always manage to captivate the audience and earn big at the global box office continuing to push cinematic boundaries, providing an unforgettable experience for cinephiles.

The Matrix Reloaded is available for streaming on Max.