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.

The Palace has be warned that a potential move could spark backlash from the public if it’s given the go ahead.

A royal expert has claimed that it’s unlikely that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be stripped of their titles.

Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, told The Royal Beat that it’s unlikely Meghan, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, will be stripped of their royal titles by King Charles III, even though they quit their royal duties in 2020.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyrood House on February 13, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool/Getty Images.
“I don’t think anything will happen to the titles because, if they lose their titles, Harry is still a prince of the blood and Meghan, instead of being the Duchess of Sussex, [would] be Princess Henry,” Seward said, according to The Mirror.

She went on to suggest that were the Palace to strip the pair of the titles it could be seen as “unkind” move by the public.

“That really would [confuse the Americans],” she added. “I think [it’s] probably best just to leave it because it looks unkind, it looks unnecessary.”

Prince Harry was born Prince Henry Charles Albert David, but goes by Harry. If Meghan lost her title as Duchess of Sussex, she would technically be called Princess Henry, since it’s royal tradition that a princess takes an official title with her husband’s name.

The same rule applies for Kate Middleton, who is technically Princess William — but is referred to as the Princess of Wales.

A royal expert has claimed it’s “unlikely” that the Palace would take such a step. Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images.
Seward said Harry and Meghan will likely be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex forever.

“The Queen gave them the titles, let them keep them – they’re going to be ‘H and M’ anyway,” she said.

“I think the best thing is to leave them, ignore them, and let them get on with it – which is really what the Palace and the Royal Family are doing.”

Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior working members of the Royal Family in 2020, and they now live in California with their two children Archie, four, and Lilibet two.

Royal author Tom Quinn recently claimed that Charles, 75, and William, 41, “have had lengthy discussions about stripping” the couple of their royal titles.

However, he doesn’t believe the king and his heir will make the move.

“They are terrified this would backfire and make the situation worse,” Quinn told The Mirror last month. “The last thing they want is to give the renegade royals something else to complain about.”