Bullet Time is a cinematic visual effect that creates the illusion of moving through a scene at extreme slow motion while the virtual camera appears to move at normal or even fast speed around a frozen or near-frozen subject. The technique is most famously associated with the Matrix films, where it was used to show characters dodging bullets in dramatically slowed time.

Traditionally, bullet time was achieved by surrounding a subject with dozens of still cameras triggered in rapid sequence, then assembling the images into a continuous rotating shot. The result gives the impression that time has almost stopped while the camera freely explores the space. Modern versions are often achieved digitally using 3D capture, photogrammetry, or entirely in post-production with visual effects software.

In AI video generation, bullet time-style effects can be referenced in prompts to suggest extreme slow motion combined with dynamic camera rotation. As AI video models become more capable of handling complex temporal and spatial effects, bullet time remains a powerful reference for communicating a specific type of dramatic, cinematic motion to generation tools.