Chapter 69: Critical Acclaim and Skyrocketing Popularity

Chapter 69: Raving Reviews and Skyrocketing Popularity

The audience immersed themselves in the cinematic experience, utterly overwhelmed by the sheer sense of awe.

Unwittingly, the film came to an end.

The lights flickered on.

The host and the main creative team stepped onto the stage, and thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

Reporters frantically snapped photographs.

The host immediately began interviewing members of the audience. A scholar-like gentleman stepped up to share his thoughts, looking rather emotional:

"This is truly a milestone in science fiction cinema, far beyond a mere popcorn flick. The film presents an entirely different worldview: the realization that we have always lived inside a dream."

"The plot of this movie is easily on par with any brain-teaser thriller. Even so, the subsequent thrilling and breathless battle sequences were absolute perfection! The continuous slow-motion shots are simply classic!"

"The special effects are also breathtakingly magnificent. This is the very embodiment of The Matrix I envisioned in my mind! My sincere thanks to the director, the cast, and the entire behind-the-scenes team!"

Qin Feng stood on the stage, listening intently before responding, "Thank you! I deeply appreciate your evaluation."

A reporter stood up and asked, "I would like to ask Director Qin, we've noticed that you have a strong preference for directing science fiction films. Do you plan to explore other genres in the future?"

Qin Feng replied, "Well... I would certainly consider fantasy and monster movies. As for other genres, there are already many exceptional filmmakers working on them, and they aren't really my forte."

"Could you predict what the box office earnings might reach?"

"I'll let our producer answer that question."

Assef took the microphone and smiled, "We don't force box office expectations; as long as the audience enjoys it, that's what matters. Since this film is receiving a global release, we aren't particularly worried."

Another reporter asked, "Director Qin, I'd like to know if there will be a sequel to this movie?"

Qin Feng pondered for a moment and said, "I believe so. The Matrix lends itself very well to a trilogy structure."

Other reporters proceeded to interview the main cast members, and the atmosphere at the venue remained intensely vibrant.

An hour later.

The host announced, "Due to time constraints, our event must now come to a close! Thank you all to the fans and media friends for attending the global premiere of The Matrix!"

"To conclude today's event, let's invite Director Qin Feng to say a few final words."

Qin Feng picked up the microphone and faced the dozen or so rows of enthusiastic audience members.

"The theatrical run of The Matrix is only just beginning. I sincerely hope more viewers will step into the theaters and watch it grow."

"The AI revolution, a sci-fi epic! Thank you all once again for your support! To every single audience member and every media friend, thank you!"

...

Within two days, press releases from major entertainment media outlets had already been published.

[Warner Bros. Hosts The Matrix Premiere, Main Cast Makes First Public Appearance.]

[Dazzling and Explosive, Setting the Town Ablaze! Tickets for The Matrix Are Impossible to Get.]

[The Era of AI Intelligence: Witnessing the Rise of the Matrix Together, and the Deep Reflection Brought by Cinema.]

[Will Humanity's Future Become Slaves to AI? You Will Find the Answer in This Movie.]

[North American Philosophy Experts Discuss The Matrix: Building Fatalism Upon the Foundation of Nihilism.]

[The Matrix Explodes in Popularity—And the Mysterious Director Turns Out to Be Him!]

[...]

Meanwhile.

The first wave of reviews was posted online.

"I was moved to tears multiple times during the film by the subtle flavor of that hidden truth. Though disguised in the cloak of science fiction, the film is deeply underpinned by various philosophical and theological theories."

"Ah, bro in the comments above, how did you manage to read so much into it? All I want to say is: it's so easy to hold your bladder! Not a single dull moment from start to finish!"

"To be honest, there were some parts I didn't quite catch on my first viewing, so I've decided to go for a second round. Any girls want to join me?"

"I went to the premiere yesterday, and I was beyond thrilled. So many handsome guys and gorgeous women! Oh, and by the way—the director is extremely young, drop-dead gorgeous beyond all human reason. I never imagined an Asian man could be this handsome!"

"Keanu and Carrie's action sequences are flawless, the slow-motion is remarkably cool, and it's high-octane from beginning to end. Needless to say, a solid 8.5 out of 10."

"The special effects in this movie have reached a whole new level. I never expected film technology to have advanced to this extent; it's truly shocking. The drama films I watched previously instantly lost their appeal."

"..."

Capitalizing on the momentum, Qin Feng uploaded several photos from the premiere to his Twitter account, accompanied by a caption:

[Scenes from the global premiere of The Matrix. Photos are here, everyone has kept waiting!]

Soon, netizens began flooding the comments section.

"Facts prove that anything produced by Director Qin is guaranteed to be a masterpiece. No haters allowed to argue."

"I am so excited! Going to watch it this weekend!"

"Keep it up, Director Qin! The Chinese kung fu in the movie is super cool!"

"Director Qin, I love you! Hurry up and make a new movie!"

"Director, director, the photos are all great, but we only see group shots. Why aren't there any selfies of you?"

"Right, director, you should post a solo photo. The movie is already out, don't waste any more time!"

Qin Feng: -_-||.

...

Over the next few days, several media outlets vied with one another to invite Qin Feng for exclusive interviews.

Qin Feng accepted four of them and received them one by one at the Warner Bros. headquarters office.

The conversations revolved around nothing less than the philosophical concepts behind the film, scriptwriting, the filming process, and post-production details.

Discussing genre films, he expressed his fondness for science fiction and his desire to bring imaginative worlds to life one by one.

As for himself, he often glossed over personal details, steering the conversation back toward the film itself.

For a time, topics surrounding Qin Feng dominated discussions. After all, the emergence of a Chinese director in Hollywood remained a highly conspicuous phenomenon.

While there were already successful predecessors like John Woo and Ang Lee, someone as young and handsome as him was genuinely the first of his kind.

Even across the entirety of Hollywood, young directors entrusted with high-budget blockbusters were exceedingly rare.

Had Qin Feng not unlocked his golden cheat code, reaching such heights would have been utterly impossible.

Deeply aware of his own fortune, he approached every single film with the utmost seriousness.

When the time was ripe one day, he vowed to direct his own original science fiction masterpiece.

...

Soon, major film rating websites released their initial scores.

IMDb: Debuted at 8.6.

Rotten Tomatoes: Debuted at 91%.

An exceptionally strong showing!

It clearly demonstrated how much the audience adored the film.

...

Chicago.

A movie theater located in the downtown area.

It was approaching noon, and the morning screenings had just concluded.

As the crowd trickled out, lingering at the very rear were two men.

Both appeared to be in their early forties. Upon closer inspection, their facial features bore a striking resemblance; they were biological brothers.

The elder brother was leaner, wore glasses, and sported an ear stud, exuding a somewhat enchanting aura. His name was Larry.

The younger brother was sturdier, wore a black cap, and had a beard. His name was Andy.

The two brothers shared the surname Wachowski and were known as the Wachowski Brothers.

Since childhood, they had harbored a passion for comic books and science fiction films, eventually growing up to become film directors themselves.

Two months prior, they had begun following Qin Feng on Twitter, discovering that he was developing a sci-fi film centered around an AI virtual world—a revelation that had thrilled them immensely.

Having just finished watching *The Matrix*, they walked out of the theater.

Their faces were etched with absolute shock!