Reeves: Award for role as Neo

The Matrix, in which the world is merely an electronic program run as a form of prison to control humans, won four Oscars in March.

Plans are under way to shoot two back-to-back sequels in Australia, set for release in Christmas 2002 and the summer of 2003.

Lips sync

Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar snapped up the award for best female performance for her role in the film Cruel Intentions, a contemporary update of Les Liaisons Dangereuses targeted at a teen audience.

Blair and Gellar: Best kiss award

She also received the trophy for the best kiss between her and co-star Selma Blair.

"I just want to thank Selma for my most rewarding kiss on-screen ever," said Gellar, star of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, said before turning to Blair and giving her a quick smooch on the lips.

For her part, Blair thanked Gellar for the "hours of practice".

Spoof victory

The other multiple winners of the night was the spy spoof Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

The Austin Powers sequel was honoured for best villain played by Mike Myers. He was also honoured for the best on-screen duo with Verne Troyer, a smaller and more sinister clone of Myers' evil character.

Verne Troyer: Smaller clone of Dr Evil

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, picked up an award for the best musical performance for a song from the big screen version of their television show.

Other winners included The Sixth Sense star Haley Joel Osment who picked up the breakthrough male performance prize. Julia Stiles of 10 Things I Hate About You won the corresponding female prize.

The show, hosted by actress Sarah Jessica Parker, is to be broadcast on Thursday in the US, and on Saturday on MTV's UK and Ireland service.

The MTV Movie Awards aim to be a hipper alternative to the staid Oscars. The winners were based on a US nationwide poll of MTV viewers, who began casting votes in April.