Movie: The Matrix
Year: 1999
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller
Directors: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss

Snapshot of Story:
The Matrix movie is about a world set in the future where an unknown source creates a virtual world for humans housed in animated suspension. The digital entity known as the matrix uses the energy of the human brain waves to furnish their own survival by allowing humans to live in a dreamlike world but appears real to them.

Storyline:
There is a band of humans who live outside of the Matrix and searching for the coming saviour that can infiltrate the Matrix and thus release all humans from it’s clutches. Keanu Reeves plays ‘Neo’ as the hero in this movie and meets up with Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) who is the leader of the renegade team in search for freedom.

In one scene Morpheus offers Neo a red pill and a blue pill in each hand and asks Neo to choose. In his decision, Neo opens his eyes and sees the ‘real world’ outside of the matrix and Morpheus introduces him to his other team and their mission.

In the ship that they use to move around in the desolate wasteland of the world, Morpheus and his team have methods to enter the matrix and pull out by a phone call to one of the many phone booths within the matrix. Neo begins to see the ‘other side’ and the entire team begins to feel that Neo could be their potential savior. He must battle with the ‘Agents’ within the matrix to accomplish his mission and save mankind.

The Matrix movie is a very intelligent movie and came about at the right time where the digital world is widespread and makes this story all that more believable. Many people at first were confused by the concept of the matrix but in essence it is quite simple. The Matrix is a virtual world which required someone who could see through this and bend this world to his shape and liking as Neo does towards the end.

By using humans as energy traps and suspending them in an animated state, the matrix allowed the networking of the brains to create a virtual world. The humans effectively think they are living ‘real lives’ but in essence they are living in a vast computer program creating the virtual matrix. The whole matrix setup opens up interesting avenues for stories which the directors have done with superb clarity, creativity and execution.

Towards the end of the movie Neo finally understands the limitations of the matrix and is able to defeat the agents with some of the best action scenes in the movie.

Further Thoughts:

The Matrix movie caused quite a sensation when it first appeared and now has a cult following. With two Matrix stories to follow, ‘Reloaded’ and ‘Revolutions’ were equally original, creative and highly entertaining. The movie created some milestones in filming where the directors employed an array of multiple cameras surrounding the action scene to create some of the effects in the movie. In particular where we see Neo dodging an Agent’s bullet and the camera pans around Neo showing the bullet nearly missing him in slow motion.

The movie was a big hit when it came out and the initial complexity in deciphering it’s meaning did not hinder many people as this was a perfectly great movie in it’s own right with all the actions and thrills of a Sci-Fi action film.

Rating:
9/10

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