90s Cool (also known as The Matrix Effect or Bullet Time ) is an aesthetic that was prevalent from the mid-1990s to mid-2000s, and emphasized martial arts-style fight choreography mixed with computer-generated (CGI) effects. This aesthetic was loosely inspired by the growing popularity of anime in the West and featured a rigid application of Y2K Futurism and Cyberpunk aesthetics.

90s Cool became more prominent after the success of The Matrix movies. During The Matrix hype around 1999/2000, studios were quick to release the next Matrix by taking influence from the film's various styles. The aesthetic was mostly known for its use of Bullet Time (a slow motion camera tracking shot), costumes in Y2K style (black leather trenchcoats, combat boots, Oakley glasses, bullet proof vests, latex catsuits, tactical gear, and dark formal wear or garb inspired by American, Japanese, Hong Kong, and Chinese action films), and plot settings in post-Cold War Eastern Europe (typically with underworld themes) due to the collapse of the Iron Curtain (e.g. Goldeneye , Mission: Impossible ).

Action films exploded during the 80's with prominent stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Jean Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone - this was the power house era of action cinema, which continued on even into early 1990s - but from around 1994, action films started to take a lot of inspiration from eastern action and anime, since this type of format was starting to pick up some traction from western audiences.

Video games also became a slight influence on the action genre as certain plot details and story elements were heavily borrowed from video game tropes. The action genre at the time also began to incorporate computer-generated imagery, especially after the success of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).

John Woo was a significant influence on not only The Matrix but also most Western action films from the 1990s onwards. John Woo, director of Once a Thief (1991), Hard Boiled (1993), and Face Off (1997), included a lot of 90s Cool tropes in his films even before the aesthetic took off, once he started to produce more Hollywood action movies. He carried over many of his signature techniques that would further add to the coolness factor; he was also one of the first to implement a sort of bullet-time one shot in the film Hard Boiled before The Matrix did.

Beginning with 1994's The Crow , action movies began to quickly adopt a noticeable "cool" factor. Films serving as early examples of the aesthetic included Hackers (1995), Desperado (1995), Heat (1995), Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Screamers (1995), Mortal Kombat (1995), Batman Forever (1995), GoldenEye (1995), Eraser (1996), Mission: Impossible (1996), Maximum Risk (1996), and Broken Arrow (1996).

During this part of the aesthetic, there was a lot more emphasis on either Cyberpunk , hacking, espionage, or lone savior tropes. The Early Cyber , Silicon Dreams , Cyberdelia , and Factory Pomo aesthetics were also used heavily around this time, a sort-of precursor to Y2K Futurism , as some storytelling revolved around the burgeoning popularity of the Internet and computer technology. These films used a lot of camera techniques to hammer home the cool factor, such as slo-motion, lomo effects, panning in and out, quick cuts, and split screen splicing. The films also featured early usage of computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Heading into the late 1990s, action movies continued to undergo changes. Factors such as the growing influence of Y2K Futurism , computer effects, anime, video games, the Internet, and science fiction suggest that the "Matrix Effect" period existed even before The Matrix was released to the masses; it simply did not have a name. Movies like Blade (1998), Lost in Space (1998), The Fifth Element (1997), Double Team (1997), and Spawn (1997) had elements of pre- Matrix action tropes that then allowed for The Matrix to succeed afterward.

Once 1999 entered the picture, this aesthetic experienced a significant surge in popularity, which led to the golden period of the early 2000s. Around this time, films started to look and feel exactly like The Matrix —it seemed like Hollywood studios wanted to achieve the same success the Wachowskis managed to do with their hit film—a ton of movies around this time were called the next Matrix, or at least followed the exact formula. Films such as Simon Sez (1999) , Charlie's Angels (2000) , Spy Kids (2001) , Blade 2 (2002) , X-Men (2000) , Resident Evil (2002) , Sword Fish (2001) , Die Another Day (2002) and The Art of War (2000).

In the mid-2000s, the aesthetic was still around but winding down, especially after both the success of the Bourne films and Christopher Nolan's Batman reboot in 2005—dark and gritty became the norm, and overly CGI-riddled action films with a Nu-Metal soundtracks seemed out of place by 2006. This is why films like Ultraviolet (2006) did not resonate with audiences of that time, as they seemed rather outdated by then. The movie was further marred by being noticeably "Y2K" in its visuals and resembling a long-winded music video from 2001. And the latest successful releases Featuring a cool, metallic palette, robust typography, an urban neo-noir atmosphere, predominantly black clothing (trench coats and leather jackets), and stylized action effects like bullet time, evoking the dark, futuristic look of The Matrix were: Max Payne (2008) And Wanted (2008).

The late 2000s marked the death of 90s Cool , as by this point, action films had become more gritty and realistic, going forward with tons of shaky cam and a more "hands-on" display of violence. With the heavy Y2K Era nostalgia in early-mid 2020s pop culture, however, one can speculate about a possible revival of this filmmaking style.

90s Cool is more vivid in its marketing aesthetic, especially in posters and trailers, as it uses a ton of vibrant colors. It displays psychedelic and abstract computerized images, usually of the main protagonist posing or facing directly towards the camera, the font is either bold or highlighted around the edges to make it stand out, and surrounding it is mostly computerized grids, this adds to the Y2K Futurism / Cyberpunk aesthetics respectively.

Another vivid aspect of this aesthetic is the costuming which is often very dark and ominous, there is a big emphasis on looking cool so black leather is often the go to look that adds to that factor, this aesthetic also takes heavy inspiration from anime, hence why it shares similarities to shows like Tri Gun (1998), Akira (1988), Vampire Hunter D (1985) and Eat Man (1997).

The movies that really personified this aesthetic's look were Blade and The Matrix , reinforcing the black leather look as the new standard for action movies going forward. Key elements often used in the costume design of 90s Cool include:

Typical Examples:

This aesthetic employed a significant amount of CGI artwork and innovative camera work to convey a sense of unworldliness, particularly during the period we discussed earlier, such as the Matrix Era . Campy CGI was often used in these films, lending them a unique quality. Other aspects include close-up shots, split-screen splicing, one-take shots, slow-motion rotation (also known as Bullet Time), and extensive wirework in the choreography.

Martial Arts is typically the main component of this visual aesthetic, although it is not a new concept in action films. The martial arts during the 90s Cool era often combined heavy use of special effects, such as CGI, with fights to create that otherworldly feel. There was also a significant amount of wirework used around this time, which increased even further after the release of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000). Here are some cinematic tropes often associated with this aesthetic.

These are the films from the first wave of the 90s Cool era, before the Y2K aesthetic really kicked things into motion. However, they still hold relevance as they utilize many of the tropes, techniques, and, eventually, clichés mentioned earlier.

This is when things really took off; movies began to fully adopt the Y2K Futurism aesthetic. It then all culminated in the release of The Matrix in 1999, although there were films before The Matrix that had very similar styles and tropes that would inspire The Matrix and every other 2000s action/Sci-Fi film going forward.

This style was also heavily featured in television, particularly in some low-budget TV shows or those centered around an espionage plot. The main aspects of 90s Cool became more noticeable around 1998–99 and continued to gain popularity from there. There was also a heavy emphasis on "girl power" around this time, with TV shows focusing mainly on female protagonists, as well as male protagonists. With that anime in the east came to be enjoyed by western audiences and was often a direct inspiration for the 90s Cool aesthetic as well as the espionage TV that was marketed towards young kids and teens at the time that often used 90s Cool motifs.

From around the time of The Matrix, popular music videos often paid homage to The Matrix or other similarly styled movies. The music videos would usually feature espionage-style aesthetics, latex catsuits, black leather outfits, high-tech gadgets, bullet time, CGI Effects, and lo-mo effects. This was mainly due to the videos being composed as music for the movie soundtrack, hence relating it to a similar theme. This was true in the music video for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider . The popular band U2 released their music video for Elevation , which features significant use of bullet-time techniques that loosely pay homage to both Tomb Raider and The Matrix . Other music videos (especially those released before the Matrix movies) merely referenced the tropes of the era's movies without necessarily name-checking any in particular.

During the late 1990s, gaming began to appeal more to late teens and adults, especially with the release of both the PlayStation and PlayStation 2. Video games began to exhibit a noticeable tonal shift towards an "edgy" or "gritty" feel, coinciding with the rise of material-arts-heavy action discussed earlier. Combained with the switch from 2D to 3D, many video games appealed to a more action-orientated audience, ushering in the rise of Mature Gaming with games such as the Grand Theft Auto series (1997–present), the Metal Gear Solid series (1998–present), Max Payne (2001) and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003).

Like most media during this time, The Matrix influenced video games, with certain aspects of the film seeping into the game design process. Likewise, many action-oriented games incorporated a variety of techniques, including bullet time, slow-motion effects, time splicing, and freeze-frame effects, into their mechanics to create a unique experience. Notably, Max Payne (2001) utilized these techniques heavily, with a significant emphasis on bullet time and time-splicing. Another game that used matrix styled techniques is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003), in which the player can rewind time before death using a magical time altering dagger, both the Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid series pre-date The Matrix , but still have uniquely action-orientated mechanics embodied by the 90s Cool aesthetic.

Various fashion brands perfectly capture 90s Cool by being heavily inspired by the Matrix Era , some of which incorporate Y2K/Cybercore aspects, as the style made a comeback in the early 2020s. Another point to note is that these are very high-fashion brands, often featuring designer clothing with a major emphasis on looking cool and futuristic, rather than seeming practical, with heavy East Asian-inspired street clothing influences as well.