Joss Whedon is a big fan of the movie The Matrix, and it’s been referenced in Buffy a few times. In 4.17 Superstar, Jonathan claims to have starred in The Matrix. In 7.09 Never Leave Me, the butcher calls Andrew “Neo” because of the long, black leather coat he’s wearing (Keanu Reeves’s character Neo wore a similar coat in The Matrix). The final fight between Buffy and Adam in 4.21 Primeval was clearly inspired by the movie too.
In the Angel episode 3.11 Birthday, Skip says:
“Loved that flick. When Trinity’s all ‘Dodge this!’ and the agent goes and crumples to the…and I’m not really instilling any awe any more, am I?”
Related episodes: 3.11 Birthday, 4.17 Superstar, 4.21 Primeval, 7.09 Never Leave Me
Comments on this trivia
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emersoneells on January 29th, 2006 at 7:15 am
Joss Whedon stated, “For me, all movies should be The Matrix. The Matrix is the beginning and end of all films.”
The Monster Book page ix
MagicBone on February 8th, 2006 at 7:36 am
And the Matrix-y type fight that Buffy and Caleb have in End of Days, with the slow-mo and the leaning back and stuff. Or, I think.
Esual on June 14th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
In Bargaining (part 2) where Spike kicks the demon off his bike, there is a shot of the bike with Spikes hand in the top left corner. This is very Matirx, as it happened in the fight with Neo and Smith in the first and last movie.
Kevmaster2000 on July 30th, 2006 at 12:50 am
What about the total Matrix rip-off in the “Angel” episodes “A New World” (in the teaser fight sequence - a tad silly, if you ask me) and the epic battle at the end of “Apocalypse, Nowish”? Both are obviously Matrix-influenced. At least, in my eyes.
ildjarn on July 13th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
The scrolling letters in the computer files that Willow’s trying to crack in Primeval is very Matrix’y too.