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While the idea of modern simulation theory was popularized by The Matrix<\/a> in 1999, there was another film that came out just months after <\/strong>it that had fun with the idea. The Thirteenth Floor, often anachronistically considered a cheap imitation of the Wachowski classic, does boast an intimidating amount of parallels to the Keanu Reeves-starring franchise, but it\u2019s more of an exercise in parallel thought than anything else. In fact, the overlap was so strong that both movies saw wide releases within two months of each other, meaning they had similar production schedules, and any thematic overlap is coincidental.<\/p>\n Loosely based on Daniel F. Galouye\u2019s 1964 novel Simulacron-3, The Thirteenth Floor explores concepts similar to those in The Matrix<\/a>, but takes a pulp noir approach to its premise, making for an entertaining attempt at exposing the simulation, even if it ultimately falls flat and fails to stick the landing.<\/p>\n Though I don\u2019t want to discredit The Thirteenth Floor for fumbling at the one-yard line because it makes a valiant attempt at constructing its virtual reality, it\u2019s easy to see why most sci-fi<\/a> fans consider The Matrix the superior film on the subject.<\/p>\n We Have The Matrix At Home<\/strong><\/p>\n The Thirteenth Floor takes place between the real world and a simulated one, where we\u2019re introduced to Douglas Hall (Craig Bierko), the heir to Hannon Fuller\u2019s (Armin Mueller-Stahl) multi-billion-dollar tech company. Hannon is murdered by an unknown assailant in the streets at the film\u2019s outset in 1999, and LAPD Detective Larry McBain (Dennis Haysbert) thinks Douglas had more than enough motivation to carry out the crime. After all, he has plenty to gain if Hannon is taken out of the picture. Shortly thereafter, Douglas meets Hannon\u2019s estranged daughter, Jane (Gretchen Mol), who thinks her father\u2019s technology is incredibly dangerous and should be liquidated.<\/p>\n Knowing he\u2019s the primary person of interest in Hannon\u2019s murder, Douglas, with the help of his coworker, Jason Whitney (Vincent D\u2019Onofrio<\/a>), fires up the simulation technology and wakes up in 1937 Los Angeles, where Hannon had been exploring before implementing human trials on his controversial project. There, Douglas assumes the identity of John Ferguson, meets a man who looks strikingly similar to Hannon named Grierson, and has frequent run-ins with a bartender named Jerry Ashton, who resembles Jason back in the 1999 timeline. With Detective Larry on his tail whenever he returns to his present day, Douglas doesn\u2019t have much time to find Hannon\u2019s real killer, clear his name, and uncover Hannon\u2019s secret intentions in the process.<\/p>\n Starts Strong, But Quickly Unravels<\/strong><\/p>\n Starting strong and then pushing into increasingly disjointed territory, The Thirteenth Floor has legs, but they quickly give out underneath its overzealous premise. Identities are mistaken, timelines are crossed, and the fabric of reality is undermined every time Douglas goes back into the 1937 simulation. Each time he returns to his present day, those close to him start acting in ways that suggest nobody\u2019s fully in control of their faculties, which comes off as complex for complexity\u2019s sake. <\/p>\n One thing I\u2019ve learned about sci-fi that follows this kind of logic is that it\u2019s better when the rules aren\u2019t over-explained, allowing the fiction\u2019s internal logic to carry us through each increasingly surreal scenario. The Thirteenth Floor, on the other hand, gets downright nutty when the premise devolves into exchanges like \u201cyou thought I was this person, but I\u2019m actually this person. Also, you\u2019re not who you think you are, because you\u2019re actually somebody else, but you just don\u2019t know it.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite its best efforts and its endlessly fun neo-noir vibe, The Thirteenth Floor gets lost in the weeds despite how much it has going for it. In my mind, The Matrix handles the same tropes with more grace and in a more timeless fashion that still feels relevant today, while The Thirteenth Floor meanders too long in the minor details that ultimately undermine its own premise. Thinking about movies I\u2019ve watched recently, it\u2019s the same reason why I loved 2020\u2019s Possessor, but couldn\u2019t quite say the same about Inception<\/a>. Both films operate in similar realms, but the former does a better job subverting your expectations instead of beating the premise over your head.<\/p>\n The Thirteenth Floor definitely isn\u2019t a Matrix ripoff, but it lives within the same set of simulated rules. However, the reason nobody talks about it is because it tries too hard to sell you on its premise through its logical leaps, while The Matrix just happens to you in a way that feels more organic and less patronizing.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Thirteenth-Floor-1999-18-900x507.png\")
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