Analysis of Film The Matrix

Analysis of Film The Matrix

The Matrix, released at Easter in 1999, is both a piece of cinematic

entertainment and a film portraying religious and philosophical

allegories. The Matrix can therefore be viewed from two different

perspectives; purely as an action film or instead on a deeper level,

exploring the more insidious values hidden in the plot.

As a piece of cinematic entertainment, the Matrix was a very

successful film release. It contains fight scenes, chase sequences and

special effects to rival any other film released during 1999. The

matrix was a Hollywood blockbuster. In order to be successful it had

to appeal to a wide audience. Like any other typical blockbuster, the

matrix contains a few simple aspects. These include attractive

characters, a love interest to appeal to girls, a feel-good ending,

action scenes, and a bit of violence to satisfy men.

The action scenes involve fights, music, chases and special effects.

The chase scenes include close escapes and near misses such as those

witnessed in the first scene, with Trinity reaching the phone box a

matter of seconds before it was hit. The loud explosions and

soundtracks add to the building sensation of nerves and terror and

then relief. They help to create tension, apprehension and pressure as

the plot thickens and we find out more about Neo and his destination.

The fight scenes contain many special effects such as bullet time and

agents 'morphing' between bodies. The Matrix was one of the first

films to use bullet time, putting, the film in a class of its own.

This aids entertainment, especially when shown on a large screen. The

kung fu fight scenes are predom...

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...derson, thirdly as he is unplugged and woken

into the Matrix and then finally as he is killed by agents before

being resurrected/ reincarnated following Trinity's kiss of life.

Although the film can be viewed in many different ways, religiously,

philosophically or purely for entertainment, it has one final,

underlying message. 'Wake up.' It is encouraging us to think for

ourselves, to explore what we once thought of as real. Maybe it's yet

another coincidence, but the final soundtrack was titled 'Wake up,'

and performed by a band known as 'Rage against the Machine.' This

seems rather appropriate, considering the plot.

I would sum up the film as having one over-riding theme- the theme of

a single truth and a single path to find it. As Morpheus said to Neo,

"I can only show you the door, you have to walk through it!"