After the red carpet ceremony ended, fans gathered outside the Chinese Theatre, reluctant to leave.
They wanted to catch a glimpse of more details about the film, but the theater doors stood like an unbreachable barrier, separating them from what lay inside.
But that was fine—at midnight, The Matrix's late-night screening would begin. They just needed to wait a few more hours to see the full film.
Paul was one of the few lucky fans. Apart from those who had attended the test screening, only a handful of fans, including him, had the privilege of seeing The Matrix in advance.
Even though he had lost fifty thousand dollars,Paul still felt triumphant. He was getting to see it before his rich second-generation classmate, and a sense of superiority welled up inside him.
Finding his seat,Paul sat down, nervously rubbing his hands together.
His heart pounded in his chest—just like the feeling of meeting his first love!
Sitting a bit further ahead, James Cameron looked at the giant screen before him and felt a surge of emotion.
He was one of the few who had seen the film in advance. He could confidently say that The Matrix would leave an indelible mark on the history of sci-fi cinema.
Turning to chat with the guests around him, James Cameron said, "Don't blink later. I'm afraid you'll miss a lot of incredible scenes."
Sitting beside him, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman exchanged a smile.
Tom Cruise said, "Whenever I watch a Gilbert film, I never blink.
I think most people here feel the same way."
The people around them nodded in agreement. They shared the same sentiment.
Before the film started, Gilbert was chatting with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
"Steven, Armageddon had DreamWorks' investment, didn't it? Why didn't you attend the premiere in New York?" Gilbert asked.
"I may be old, Gilbert," Spielberg waved his hand and said, "but my passion for film hasn't diminished. Sometimes, I like to see how other films perform.
The Matrix has been getting such an overwhelming response—I had to come and see what kind of film you've made."
Gilbert smiled and shook Spielberg's hand. "You flatter me,Steven. I hope this film won't disappoint you."
George Lucas, standing beside them, added, "It definitely won't disappoint, Gilbert. You've revolutionized action filmmaking—I believe you'll bring something new to sci-fi as well.
These are the things Steven and I need to learn from, which is why we're here."
It seemed unbelievable for two legendary directors to say they wanted to learn from a younger filmmaker, but it was happening.
The reason was simple—both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg clearly understood that this was an era of rapid change.
If they didn't work hard to keep up, absorbing new elements and making them their own, they would eventually be left behind—just like Francis Ford Coppola, who had begun his decline.
Whether George Lucas was declining was unclear, but since Gilbert had taken Saving Private Ryan from Spielberg, the latter did seem to have lost some momentum in recent years.
The waiting time before the film began was always agonizing.
A well-prepared feast required careful crafting, building tension and anticipation. The Matrix had undoubtedly achieved that.
Ruiz and Evans hadn't been able to secure test screening tickets in New York. However, as senior members of the Gilbert Fan Club in New York, they had managed to get two premiere tickets.
To attend this premiere,Ruiz and Evans traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast, making a grand appearance.
Both had dyed their hair black, matching Neo's in the trailer. They wore wraparound sunglasses—though, unfortunately, not the exact model, since The Matrix-branded sunglasses weren't on sale yet.
They also wore long trench coats similar to Neo's, sitting expressionlessly in their seats, exuding a cool aura.
However,Ruiz was slightly overweight, and his coat was stretched tight, making his "coolness" a bit comical.
"Hey! Where did you guys get those outfits?" a curious fan sitting beside them asked.
Ruiz smirked. "We went to a bunch of stores to put together this look. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the exact Nokia phone from the movie. Otherwise, we'd be even cooler.
What do you think?"
The fan gave a thumbs-up. "Super cool! But I think the coolest character is still Trinity. Look at the posters—those legs are amazing. I'd love to be trapped between them forever."
He stared at the The Matrix cast seated ahead, practically drooling.
A little further forward, a fangirl was chatting with her boyfriend.
"Brownie, I don't care who directed this movie. I just know Keanu is so handsome—I'm in love with him."
Brownie wasn't thrilled. No guy likes to hear his girlfriend gush about another man's looks—especially when, unfortunately, it was true.
"Stacy, you've never seen a Gilbert film before, have you?"
"No," Stacy nodded. "I'm only here for Keanu."
"Trust me," Brownie said confidently. "After watching The Matrix, you'll understand the magic of Gilbert's films—and you'll fall in love with them."
"Why?" Stacy wasn't a dedicated moviegoer and didn't quite understand.
Brownie said with certainty, "Because Gilbert presents us with a fantastical world. He pushes the limits of our imagination and takes us beyond."
Sitting behind them, Evans overheard their conversation and fell into thought.
Why do people love Gilbert's movies? Everyone had their own answer.
Brownie's answer was clear—imagination.
"Shh, the movie's starting…" someone whispered.
Instantly, the once-busy theater fell silent.
The Matrix was finally about to unveil its mystery.
But this silence didn't last long. As the Warner Bros., Disney, and Melon Studios logos flashed across the screen, the opening scene immediately captured everyone's attention.
A woman in a black bodysuit, accentuating her long legs, was being pursued by the police. Her series of moves—running along walls, leaping through the air in breathtaking stunts—were both cool and dazzling, making the audience erupt in cheers.
Ruiz excitedly grabbed his friend Evans' hand and said, "Buddy, you were right. I'd be happy to be trapped between those legs for a lifetime."
Evans rarely made sarcastic remarks, but this time he couldn't resist. "You've got no chance, buddy. Those legs belong to the master of Melon Manor."
"Oh," Butcher Ruiz suddenly remembered. During the film's promotion, the lead actress Charlize Theron had openly admitted that she had been with Gilbert since she was eighteen.
It was clear that Gilbert had crafted the role of Trinity specifically for his woman.
But Ruiz quickly came to terms with it—after all, even if she didn't belong to Gilbert, she would belong to some other man. So, she might as well belong to Gilbert.
Because when it came to filming women, Gilbert had a special touch—especially with sexy women like her.
Unlike Ruiz, who was fixated on Charlize Theron's Trinity,Paul focused entirely on the stunning action sequences.
He knew a little about Chinese kung fu. He had seen the works of Bruce Lee, the legendary martial arts master, as well as Rush Hour, where Jackie Chan's action scenes were quite impressive.
But Paul had never seen such dazzling fight choreography before—this was on an entirely different level.
Just this opening action sequence alone was enough to leave both the audience and the seasoned directors and actors in the theater in awe. Gilbert was playing with visual spectacle, and when it came to action filmmaking, he was undeniably one of the best.
Spielberg turned to George Lucas and said, "Just from this one fight scene, you can already see Gilbert's mastery."
"I heard you wanted to bring him to DreamWorks, but he turned you down," George Lucas brought up another topic.
"And didn't you invite him to direct Star Wars? That didn't work out either," Spielberg replied.
Both of them sighed. Just a few years ago, this young guy had needed their mentorship. Now, he had grown to this level.
The only things Gilbert lacked now were a few prestigious awards and more time to establish his legacy.
"Between James Cameron and Gilbert, who do you think better represents the future of Hollywood?" George Lucas asked.
"Is that even a question?" Spielberg seemed puzzled by his friend's inquiry. "Without a doubt, it's Gilbert. No one else comes close."
As fellow Jewish filmmakers, George Lucas naturally agreed with Spielberg's assessment.
The two of them stopped talking and continued watching.
After captivating the audience with its thrilling opening sequence, the film finally introduced its protagonist, Neo.
Keanu Reeves' portrayal of Neo carried a stylish yet slightly weary charm that instantly drew the attention of the female audience.
That couple from earlier—while Brownie was still admiring Trinity's long legs, Stacy had already shifted her focus to Neo.
Following the mysterious instructions he received, Neo ended up in a nightclub with an underground crowd, where he encountered Trinity. The two of them exchanged cryptic dialogue.
Ruiz suddenly snapped to attention. "Buddy, didn't she get run over by a truck?"
"What are you even watching? The agent clearly said Trinity escaped. And she's obviously the female lead—how could she die at the beginning?" Evans wanted to knock some sense into his friend.
Ruiz finally realized, "From the trailer, this doesn't seem like the real world. Maybe Trinity escaped through the phone line."
"Exactly," the fan sitting beside them joined the conversation. "Did you notice? The film's color tone is strange—it has an eerie greenish tint."
"Now that you mention it… yeah, that's true," Evans was already starting to feel his brain working overtime. "Damn, I think we're going to have to watch this movie multiple times. I'm already struggling to understand the dialogue."
And that was just the beginning.
The film then presented a stunning visual moment—Neo received an envelope, which contained a soon-to-be-released Nokia flip phone.
Advertisers had a lot of faith in Gilbert. Rather than using futuristic props, all the products in the film were cutting-edge items from the current market.
The reason behind the sponsorships was obvious—they wanted to use the film to promote their products and boost sales.
It was easy to predict that after the movie's release, there would be a surge in demand for wraparound sunglasses, Nokia phones, computers, MP3 players, and other tech gadgets.
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