Having said all that. One of the most interesting aspects of conversations around the true version of films and such is that just because of the way time works the vast majority of people's first experience with any film will definitely NOT be a in a theater.
The DVD was such a huge seller and coincided with the format really catching on. The Matrix was the "must have" DVD to show off the format and for many was likely one of the first DVDs they ever purchased.
It was also the go-to movie to show off DivX rips.
The popularity of The Matrix is closely linked with a surge in DVD popularity. IIRC DVD player prices became more affordable right around 2000 which opened it up to more people.