Made at the tail end of the 20th century it’s a meshing of genres, with a vice-tight storyline and script and an abundance of amazing special effects. It separates itself from the slew of recent science fiction thanks to its adhesion and capability to portray one of the more original takes on a post-apocalyptic netherworld, where man is not in control of his destiny, but is controlled by machines – another example of man creating his own destruction.
The most striking aspect of the “The Matrix” is its amazing pacing. Brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski, who both wrote and directed the film, obviously take their cue from comic books. Such is the narrative structure, the film reads like a graphic novel. Its composition is made of a great number of close ups, emphasising the emotional toll of something that is unexplainable, something like the Matrix. When the attention isn’t placed on the characters, the vista opens up to amazing special effects and action sequences. The Wachowski brothers pull back and let the action flow, generally in slow motion. You could be mistaken for reading it as a comic, soaking up every piece of design and production in the frame.
Like so many other comic book style films and stories, the core character of “The Matrix” is a superhero, a man who will save mankind. No one knows exactly who he is, until one day, his cover is removed. Neo (Keanu Reeves), aka Thomas Anderson, could be the one, but all we have to go on to know this is the prophecy of Morpheus (Lawrence Fishbourne). Morpheus is the leader of a ragtag bunch of human resistance fighters. Their battle is against the machines, who breed humans for their energy, which in turn powers the machines in their domination of the remnance of Earth. The world in which we exist is nothing more than a computer programme, designed to pacify our souls as we are drained for power, much like a battery.
Neo, who lives his double life as software programmer by day, hacker extraordinaire by night, has always felt his life is different to everyone else’s. He’s been intrigued by finding out just what the Matrix is. Where he got the original knowledge of the concept of the Matrix is unknown – it’s almost as if he knows by osmosis.
His suspicions are confirmed when it all coalesces in a short space of time. Neo’s life as Anderson is removed. Morpheus is revealed to Neo by Trinity (Carrie Ann Moss), a beautiful heroine and messenger. When he is finally introduced to Morpheus his journey into the ‘real’ world and out of the Matrix begins. It’s a thrilling ride that combines a number of classic ‘cool’ movie themes, including martial arts, action and sci-fi paranoia to name a few.
Morpheus is presented as a Zen-like, Yoda-style sensei. He speaks in contradictions and double meanings. “Don’t think you can hit me, know you can,” he says when training Neo in martial arts. The way in which Neo ‘learns’ is a slight copout. All his newly acquired knowledge is planted into his brain via computer. While he may be the saviour of mankind against the tyranny of the machines, his intelligence is ‘programmed’ via a hook-up to his brain. In that sense Neo becomes artificial intelligence as he has not learnt his craft but has been programmed with it.
This aside Morpheus trains Neo to remove himself from his human vessel, to become more of a spirit that can transcend his earthly cadaver. Neo (an acronym for One, aka The One?) becomes a Bruce Lee style action superhero, complete with an arsenal that would befit two Arnold Schwarzeneggers. His main enemies are Sentient Agents – created by the machines to travel in and out of the Matrix to destroy the earthly Neo as Thomas Anderson. When they fail and Morpheus’ training of Neo begins, the Agents (led by Australian actor Hugo Weaving) realise their task has become a great deal more difficult. It all results in some amazing action sequences of special effects and bullets that make for an effective and uplifting ending.
Science fiction angle aside, “The Matrix” has enough to please everyone. Its subplots include romance, a little comedy, social commentary and a great deal of action. It draws on a number of similar films such as “Zardoz” and “The Terminator”. Once again, it befits the sprawling nature of a comic book, touching different nerves when needed within the narrative.
The special effects are brilliant and far outdo the efforts of George Lucas’ “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”, which was released the same year. While Lucas’ film was created to almost look unreal – far too fantastic to be believable – “The Matrix” is more plausible, if a science fiction film of this ilk can be believable. The fluidity and positioning of the effects works because we do not have to convince ourselves we are in what we are witnessing. Costume design borders on S&M, with its black leather and synthetics perhaps touching on some underlying sexual overtones the film seems reluctant or unable to pursue.
The acting, whilst not the focal point of the film, is strong enough. Reeves is effective, Moss credible and Fishbourne majestic. Weaving’s Agent Smith is an odd but suitably evil character and sports possibly the most cosmopolitan accent I have ever heard.
“The Matrix” was a huge hit on release and has subsequently dominated VHS and DVD charts around the world since. Its combination of sheer entertainment and an in depth (if slightly diluted for the screen) story is enough to keep all audiences happy, from popcorn munching teens, nerdy sci-fi fanatics to the film enthusiast.
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