A new video was brought to my attention that shows a handful of films that inspired were lifted in The Wachowski Brothers’ The Matrix.

Clearly, the concept behind the Keanu Reeves sci-fi thriller is a wonderful and fresh take on an age-old conspiracy theory, but that’s not the only thing that made it so revolutionary.

While the story arc and shocking finale (that’s on par with Planet of the Apes) created the icing on the cake, the incredible action put on display is what cemented it as an instant classic.

But, who knew that most of the action was lifted from the great Jet Li‘s catalogue? Fist of Legend is one of my all-time favorite action films, and yet I failed to notice the similarities between the fights in that and Matrix. That’s just the tip of the rip-off iceberg as Culturegraphy breaks down some of the biggest offenders – from scenes lifted from Total Recall all the way to Once Upon a Time in China!

Does this take away from The Matrix‘s legendary status in sci-fi cinema? I don’t think it’s that big of a deal; if anything, it shows that the Wachowski’s are huge fans of some of the best films ever made, and felt inspired to create the same kind of impact in their film. What do you guys think? It’s interesting food for thought, that’s for sure…