While most of *The Matrix* (1999) was filmed in Sydney, Australia, one of its most iconic moments — the legendary lobby shootout — had to be filmed in the United States. The reason? Australia’s strict gun laws at the time prohibited the use of firearms and blank ammunition in film productions. The lobby scene required a massive arsenal of prop weapons, blank rounds, and intricate stunt choreography with explosions and debris. To bring the Wachowskis’ full vision to life, the production team deci

The Matrix | Behind-The-Scenes The helicopter action-sequence, rescue of Morpheus took over six months to prepare and plan. The helicopter was a full-scale, light-weight mock-up. Only the blades needed to be added in post-production by the visual effects team. The actual flying scene (which required helicopter shots) nearly caused the film to be shut down; as they flew the helicopter through restricted Sydney airspace. Laws in New South Wales, Australia were subsequently changed to allow filming