The Matrix (1999)

Trailer of The Matrix (1999)

“How would you know the difference between the dream world, and the real world?”

I remember having dreams that felt like it was so true, I end up crying once I wake up and then realizing it was just a “dream”. It’s the same with the film, The Matrix: a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowski Brothers. The film shows us a dystopian (an undesirable or frightening society) future in which the reality seen by humans is actually a simulated reality or cyberspace called "the Matrix". This “Matrix” was created by sentient machines to pacify and subdue the human population, while their bodies' heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source. Computer programmer "Neo" discovers this truth and is drawn into a rebellion against the machines, which involves other people who have been freed from the "dream world" and into reality.

The Matrix movie poster

Thomas Anderson, who sits in a cubicle and works as a computer programmer by day, then becomes “Neo”, a hacker by night is our hero in the story. After discovering the truth from Morpheus, who tells him that enslaved humans are kept docile within the "Matrix" – a simulation of the world as it was in 1999 and he has lived in this simulated world since birth. Morpheus also explains that he and his crew belong to a group of free humans who "unplug" others from the Matrix and recruit them to their rebellion against the Machines. They are the only ones who can hack into the Matrix and re-enter the simulated reality, where their understanding of its true nature allows them to manipulate its physical laws, granting them superhuman abilities. Morpheus believes Neo is "the One", a man prophesied to end the war between humans and machines. Neo then joins together with them and fight in order to save the humans who are enslaved in the Matrix.

This world depicted in the film is totally frightening in a way, since humans are put to sleep and being controlled. It is actually the same with the world today; we tend to be dependent on technology that we end up being controlled by them ‘unconsciously’. As I see it from the scene where Neo was talking to his boss due to him not working properly, I think that Neo is more ”alive” in being a hacker than being a programmer. Most technological addictions are on to social media and video games. Isn’t it true that most of us sit in front of the computer for hours? We enjoy the virtual world since it is a place where we can be who we want ourselves to be. We are imprisoned in this kind of world, and we appreciate it more than the real world, just how most humans in the film are.

The society in the Matrix is completely futuristic, thus the presentation of the characters in the film is important. I think that the cast is appropriate in their roles, and I actually like Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith. He totally looks scary being an agent that keeps the system of the Matrix. He is different as compared to how I remember him from The Lord of the Rings as Elrond. Keanu Reeves (Constantine, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Sweet November) on the other hand, I think his acting in this film is just the same in The Day the Earth Stood Still; but looking at how Neo slowly understood everything about the truth, he showed just how his character is developed, from being weak into becoming “The One”. The way the characters are dressed also accentuates their characters: Agent Smith and the other agents wearing suits while Neo and his team wears boots and leather stuff making them look more rebellious towards the machines.

Keanu Reeves as Neo

Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith

Let us not forget  the famous bullet dodging scene! This is a famous visual effect noted in the film called "bullet time". This allows the viewer to explore the moment progressing in slow-motion as the camera appears to orbit around the scene in a normal manner. a lot scenes are also shown in slow-mo. Well here's a clip:

"Have you awaken from the dream yet?"