Python - rotate a matrix

rotate_marix.py

def rotate_matrix(matrix, times):
    times = times % 4
    if times == 0:
        # a full rotation or none
        return matrix
    elif times == 1:
        # for 90 forward or 270 backward
        return [i[::-1] for i in zip(*matrix)]
    elif times == 2:
        # for 180 forward or backward
        return [i[::-1] for i in matrix[::-1]]
    elif times == 3:
        # for 270 forward or 90 backward
        return list(zip(*[i[::-1] for i in matrix]))

for test:

matrix = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]

rotate 1 time forward or 3 times backward:

>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 1))
[(7, 4, 1), (8, 5, 2), (9, 6, 3)]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, -3))
[(7, 4, 1), (8, 5, 2), (9, 6, 3)]

rotate 2 times forward or backward:

>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 2))
[[9, 8, 7], [6, 5, 4], [3, 2, 1]]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, -2))
[[9, 8, 7], [6, 5, 4], [3, 2, 1]]

rotate 3 times forward or 1 time backward:

>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 3))
[(3, 6, 9), (2, 5, 8), (1, 4, 7)]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, -1))
[(3, 6, 9), (2, 5, 8), (1, 4, 7)]

and rotate 0 times or a full rotate:

>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 0))
[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 4))
[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, -4))
[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, 8))
[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
>>> print(rotate_matrix(matrix, -8))
[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]