THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR IS BETTER THAN THE MATRIX - ASK ME HOW

The Thirteenth Floor is better than The Matrix. Both came out in 1999, both have virtual worlds as part of their plot but the former is more interesting than the latter.

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[yutehube]

The ending to Thirteenth Floor is the biggest mindf**k of all movies, ever. The fact that the ending takes place less than one year from now _(for our reality)_ makes it even more insane.

[pipedevnull]

I worked on the 13th floor of an office building in 2000 and there was a 13th Floor movie poster on a wall.

[TomGallagherSuperboyBeyond]

I prefer The Thirteenth Floor too. I watch it at least once a year. I adore this film.

[Interference]

My husband worked on this movie (VFX) and I always thought it was sad that "The 13th Floor" was overshadowed by "The Matrix", even though the plot is more multifaceted ... Thanks for this fantastic movie review. 🌻

[ajpisharodi]

I think in terms of being a metaphor for reality, both films are equally compelling. But in terms of a metaphor for control and concealing the truth, The Matrix does a better job, and thats why it is more culturally significant. However, The Thirteenth Floor brings up other themes that The Matrix does not. Such as, what is a real person? The characters in The Matrix are real in the real world and have Matrix avatars. But in The Thirteenth Floor, the sentient beings on the simulation dont all have anothet life in reality. So who is to say they are not real? Also, it raises the question, if the 1937 world is a simulation in a simulation, and the world above it is also a simulation, then how can the people in the "real world" be sure that they are not also living in a simulation? However, The Thirteenth Floor does not have an equivalent of the agents nor the resistance from The Matrix, and each of those characters, plus the red and blue pills are important to express the metaphor in a way the former cannot.

[curiousworld]

I haven't seen 'The Thirteenth Floor', but I'll be looking for it. It sounds like it brings up some interesting questions of autonomy, how 'life' is defined, etc. I recall 'Star Trek' addressed this on a couple of occasions. It's also nice to know I'm not the only one, not mind-blown over 'The Matrix'. A film which I do still enjoy, and which played on similar themes of 'questioning reality', was 1998's 'Dark City'. I enjoyed it far more than 'The Matrix', and I think 'Dark City's special effects hold up comparatively well. Thanks, as always. :)

[feuerrm]

100% agree, and I've never heard anyone else who shares the opinion that this movie is better than the matrix! The ending to the 13th Floor is in my top 3 most shocking endings of all time and I love it so much

[williamblakehall]

Thank you for this! An American YouTuber calling herself Retro Nerd Girl has already given a glowing essay on this. I will be interested to see what you make of Fassbender's World on a Wire. While I like The Matrix, I think this hangs together better and has more ideas. it makes an interesting showcase for actors I would otherwise associate with other roles. For me Bierko has been the bad guy in The Long Kiss Goodnight, Haysbert, the President in the first episodes of the crazy TV show 24, and Mol played the title role in The Notorious Bettie Page, but Floor gives me a whole new window on their talent. Finally, I always appreciate a story in which the hero is named Hall -- I appreciated Dr. Mark Hall in The Andromeda Strain, and it was good to meet Douglas Hall here. (Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack and Sam Hall in The Day After Tomorrow, ehh, not so much.) Looking forward to your horror selections. Thanks, Ter.

[dlee]

Thanks for telling us about The Thirteenth Floor. I never got on with The Matrix and gave it up after the second film but this sounds like it might be a more rewarding view.

[gregcampwriter]

The Matrix would have been more interesting if it had been a single movie. But every question that it asked got a silly answer in the sequels. And using humans as computers would have made more sense than as batteries.

I recall having the same impression as you about The Thirteenth Floor, but it's been a long time. I'll have to add a rewatch to my list.

[patchso]

I’ve watched World on a Wire, and I’d definitely recommend it. This is the first time I’ve heard of the 13th Floor and it sounds like it’s worth a watch. You make some really interesting points in the video.

[Karadjanov]

Great video. Very good analysis! The 13th Floor is truly an amazing movie. It is a shame that the movie did not gain the popularity it deserved. The only good thing about lacking in popularity is that it is a good candidate for a remake (unlike most unwanted remakes of today) I keep thinking that Christopher Nolan would be a great person to direct such a hypothetical remake.

The things I respectfully disagree with are the following:
1. The Matrix is an amazing movie in it's own right and even though they have some similarities they are just too different to compare. The core idea of the 2 movies is just fundamentally different. I am happy we have both and we can enjoy then for what they are and what they bring to the table.

2. The Matrix sequels have a really bad reputation and the main reasons for that are studio interference as well as how late they were made compared to the Original. The technology and style used in the sequels made a very significant VISUAL difference that was impossible to overlook and caused a significant "disconnect" between them. That being said the story is solid and a logical continuation of the Original. The things that are set up in the Original are paid off in the sequels that are telegraphed in the Original. (The execution of those pay-offs could have been done better but it is what it is)

3. The idea of machines using humans as batteries truly is stupid and moronic however the original concept was that the machines were using the Human Brain's neural networking power to sustain and develop their civilization. This was a great concept that delved into the unused potential of the Human brain which the machines have cultivated but are unable to replicate creating the need for humans to exist. That concept was deemed to complex by the studio and they were forced to dumb it down to simple batteries.

[spacepope]

I'm surprised no one has commented on the human batteries The Matrix.

Originally they were supposed to be using us for our minds. We were supposed to be used for processing power. But the producers thought the audience was too stupid and they added the battery bit.

It's been a while since I've watched the film, but if I'm not mistaken, the battery bit was a throw away thing and the crew didn't really know why they were harvesting humans. Only speculation.

I prefer The 13th Floor & Dark City over The Matrix. More dystopian and less Science Fiction but I also prefer Equilibrium over The Matrix.

[EdDale]

I loved the 13th Floor when I saw it in the theater. The Russian nesting dolls nature of it was really interesting. I hated that the poster gave away the twist in the story.

I disagree with the opinion you have on the Matrix. I found the cyberpunk look and feel, and the action was done in a way I had not seen before. Dark City was another film I saw and I liked how that film did a more interesting take on what is reality, what does it mean to fall in love and what is our identity. Three films that fit together well as different treatments on the same themes.

Is “world on a wire” available subtitled? Streaming or just as physical media? I’ll have to find a translated version of the books.

[Code]

I completely agree with you on all points. Been telling people the same thing for years and still The Thirteenth Floor has yet to be discovered by most people, even those who are fans of "intelligent" sci-fi. It just never got any traction after being smothered by the cultural adoration of The Matrix.

[livinginvancouverbc]

Hi Terry,
The 13th Floor is definitely a gem. The third act is a stunner.
The Matrix, oy. It blew me away when I first saw it in the theatre, but the more I watched it the more I saw shortcomings. Interstellar had the same effect but even more pronounced. Awesome in IMAX.... a lot more WTH??? when watching at home.

[KarlBunker]

I watched _The 13th Floor_ years ago but don't remember much about it. Maybe it's time to rewatch it.
Thanks very much for the tip on Maggie Mae Fish! I just watched her two episodes on Campbell and the hero's journey and she seems pretty awesome.

[ellingtonhilligas]

Watched the first Matrix movie twice. Found it fun yet unsatisfying. The only reason I watched it a second time was that it was so popular. Thank you for turning me onto The 13th Floor. I like movies that fly under the radar.

[GiantBoarMonster]

Yep, extremely underrated and still overlooked. Incredible cast. Dark City (1998) was another very similar one. I would have thought by now, Thirteenth Floor would have gained a lot more notoriety, like Dark City has over the years. But all three, Dark City, Thirteenth Floor, Matrix make a nice little scifi trilogy. Variations on these themes. I favor Thirteenth Floor and Dark City over Matrix. Matrix was more shallow in its story undeniably, and I completely ignore the sequels, but I'd say it's in the top list of action movies, that's where it really shines the sheer spectacle.

I'll always associate the Matrix with eating steak and ZIMA because that's what I was having the first time I watched it, and it was my first beer as well. It was a funny coincidence because as I was enjoying my homecooked steak, the movie arrives at the famous steak scene.

[marSLaZZ]

Well, i only know "The 13th Floor Elevators" (their guitarist/singer Roky Erickson actually took a lot of pills and lived on a virtual world 😵), but i'll check for this movie.
However my local media library's got the Fassbinder film.