The Matrix (film)
"The Matrix" is a groundbreaking science fiction film released in 1999, directed by the Wachowskis, which explores themes of reality and identity through the journey of its protagonist, Thomas "Neo" Anderson, played by Keanu Reeves. By day, Neo is a computer programmer for a large corporation, but by night, he is a hacker searching for the truth about his existence. He discovers that the year is not 1999 as he believes, but rather nearly two hundred years later, with machines controlling the world and using a simulated reality known as the Matrix to pacify humanity.
The film is rich with philosophical inquiries, raising questions about the nature of reality, self-identity, and the relationship between humans and technology. It incorporates numerous cultural allusions, including references to literature, philosophy, and other films, which contribute to its depth and appeal. Visually, "The Matrix" is notable for its innovative effects, such as the iconic bullet time technique that showcases the characters’ heightened perceptions.
Its release was both a commercial and critical success, winning four Academy Awards and influencing a wide range of media and popular culture. The film's impact led to the creation of a trilogy and additional sequels, expanding its narrative universe through various transmedia formats. Additionally, "The Matrix" has been recognized for its cultural significance, being added to the US National Film Registry, and continues to be a subject of scholarly study across various disciplines.
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Subject Terms
The Matrix (film)
DirectorsThe Wachowskis: Lana Wachowski (1965- ) and Lilly Wachowski (1967- )
Date Released on March 31, 1999
This highly influential and popular film reflected popular concerns about the relationships among technology, cyberspace, and humanity.
The Matrix tells the story of Thomas “Neo” Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a weary computer programmer for a megacorporation by day and a computer hacker by night. When he follows the advice of unusual strangers, Neo learns the truth of his existence: It is not 1999 as he and most humans believe, but nearly two hundred years later. Machines rule the world and have created a virtual reality—the Matrix—to pacify humans. The rebels free Neo and train him to manipulate the Matrix, hoping he will be the hero who will save the human race.
The story’s mystery is heightened by the philosophical questions it overtly raises: What is reality? Does a self exist? How do images relate to reality? How are humans and machines related? The almost constant allusions to literature, philosophy, theory, film, and popular culture provide resonance and sometimes humor. For example: Neo must follow the white rabbit to find the rebels and then go down the "rabbit hole" (Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, 1865). Neo’s understanding that his "life" in 1999 is an illusion exemplifies Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave." The names Zion and Nebuchadnezzar used in the film come from the Bible, and Neo may be "the One," a clear symbol for Christ and other savior figures. Film buffs will recognize allusions to Star Wars (1977), Ghost in the Shell (1995), and The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Although, as the heavy reliance on references would suggest, much of the film is to a large extent derivative, The Matrix blended its influences in a unique and highly influential way. The cyberpunk visual style is memorable, from the vertically falling "rain" of data on rebel computer screens to the extremely violent, stylized kung fu fighting sequences enhanced with wirework and computer-generated images. The so-called bullet time effect (in which computer graphics enhance simulations of hyperslow and hyperfast speeds and rotating cameras, specifically to show characters dodging bullets) is particularly striking, not only producing breathtaking images but also expressing the heightened perceptions of the main characters while in the Matrix.
Impact
This film reflects many of the concerns of the 1990s: worries about pollution, the approaching millennium, and the increasing electronification of American lives (proliferation of cell phones and surveillance technology, miniaturization of electronic devices, and increased reliance on computers and the Internet, for example) that might lead to social alienation. The Matrix proved hugely popular and quickly became a modern myth as viewers engaged with both the themes and the style. It was also a critical success, winning four Academy Awards including for best special effects. The film’s visual style was much copied, especially the sophisticated fight scenes and special effects. It would prove a lasting icon of turn-of-the-millenium culture, with its influence perhaps most apparent in the widespread parodying of the film as it became a ubiquitous part of popular culture.
The success of The Matrix prompted the completion of the trilogy with The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003. In 2021, Warner Bros. Pictures released The Matrix Resurrections, which expanded the Matrix franchise to four installments. The Matrix is also the base of a large transmedia franchise that includes The Animatrix (2003), video games, and comics; each of these contributes information valuable to the story as a whole. The Matrix has been taught in a variety of college courses, including courses focusing on philosophy, science fiction, media, and psychology. It also received renewed interest from gender studies scholars after both the Wachowskis came out as transgender women, especially as the film has been most popular with men.
In 2012, The Matrix was selected for inclusion in the US National Film Registry as a "culturally historically, or aesthetically significant" film.
Bibliography
Clover, Joshua. The Matrix. London: BFI, 2008. Print.
Dawson, Anna. Studying The Matrix. Leighton: Auteur, 2008. Print.
Berlatsky, Noah. "Will Matrix Film-Makers Coming Out as Women Turn Off Men's Rights Activists?" Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 20 Mar. 2016. Web. 6 Apr. 2016.
Irwin, William, ed. The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to the Desert of the Real. Chicago: Open Court, 2002.
Kapell, Matthew, and William G. Doty, eds. Jacking in to the Matrix Franchise: Cultural Reception and Interpretation. New York: Continuum, 2004.
Lonsdale, John. "'The Matrix Resurrections' Is Here: Here's How to Watch the New 'Matrix' Film Online." Rolling Stone, www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/how-to-watch-the-matrix-resurrections-free-1274347/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2022.