The Matrix (1999) | Sci-Fi Saturdays

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Seeing is believing, or is it?

Sometimes a film comes along that seems to reinvigorate the genre. The Matrix was one of those films. It opened new doors for science-fiction as well as captivating audiences with its philosophical discussions, its questioning of reality, plus some amazing special effects.

First Impressions

The trailer for The Matrix teases a world of action, weapons, and martial arts. Laurence Fishburne asks philosophical questions, such as: “if you never awaken from a dream, how can you tell the dream world from reality,” and “no one can be told what the matrix is–you have to see it for yourself.” In fact the trailer is almost impossible to describe. There’s so much going on here. You probably need to experience it, you know, for yourself.

Presented below is the trailer for the film.

The Fiction of The Film

In a dark hotel room, a leather clad woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) evades a number of police officers and several Agents, led by Smith (Hugo Weaving). She steps into a phone booth and vanishes, just as it’s struck by a garbage truck. Elsewhere, a computer hacker going by the alias Neo (Keanu Reeves) awakens to notice a message on his computer monitor warning him to leave his apartment. He visits a dance club and meets Trinity who offers him answers to his question: What is the Matrix?

At work the next day, Thomas Anderson (Neo’s given name) receives a cell phone via messenger which rings. On the other end is Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) who offers him answers and warns him that Agents are looking for him. Morpheus directs Neo on how to escape the building, but he cannot bring himself to climb up the scaffolding outside the window and is captured. Agent Smith questions him on his hacker activities and then places a strange bio-mechanical “bug” inside Neo’s abdomen as his mouth is erased by a flap of flesh. Neo awakens, startled, at home, as if from a dream.

Neo is again contacted by Morpheus, and a car picks him up and delivers him to an old building. Morpheus tells Neo that he can help him, but he must choose to take a red pill in order to “awaken.” Intrigued, Neo swallows the pill and immediately begins to see strange things, like the mirror turning to liquid and coating his body. His scream turns into the screech of a modem and he awakens, bald and naked, implanted with wires, in a pod filled with viscous pink fluid. A robot checks on him, and seeing that he is awake, flushes the pod. Neo is extracted from a sewer by Morpheus in his hovercraft, the Nebuchadnezzar.

Morpheus introduces his crew, which includes Trinity and Cypher (Joe Pantoliano). He explains that Neo has been asleep, plugged into a virtual reality computer simulation called The Matrix, and used as a biological battery to power the machine world, like 99% of humans. Early in the 21st Century, mankind created artificial intelligence, but it grew rampant and took over the world. It is now near 2199 and a small handful of humans have escaped The Matrix to create a Resistance out of the last human city, Zion. Morpheus believes that Neo is “The One,” a  prophesied individual that will help the Resistance to overthrow the Machines and return humanity to its rightful place.

Freed humans are still able to upload their consciousness into The Matrix, where they disrupt the machines’ processes. Inside, these digital representations of the self can manage fantastic abilities in the “not quite real” world. Neo visits with The Oracle (Gloria Foster), a sentient program, who reveals that he is not The One. Meanwhile, the Agents have been searching for Morpheus to put a stop to his terrorist activities. Smith has contacted Cypher who provides the location where Morpheus will be. After killing Switch (Belinda McClory) and Apoc (Julian Arahanga), Cypher attempts to kill Neo, not believing the stories of the prophecy, but he is in turn killed by Tank (Marcus Chong). Morpheus is captured and interrogated by the Agents for the location and passcodes of Zion.

Neo and Trinity decide to rescue Morpheus who is being held inside The Matrix. After rescuing Morpheus, Neo chases Smith into a subway station where they have an epic battle. In the real world, robotic Sentinels are attacking the Nebuchadnezzar and need to be stopped with an electromagnetic pulse. Unfortunately, triggering it with Neo still in The Matrix would kill him. Neo is shot in The Matrix, which would normally be terminal, but Trinity professes her love for him (something foretold to her by The Oracle), which revitalizes Neo. Realizing, and now believing, he is actually The One, Neo is able to see The Matrix as it really is: a dripping pattern of green code. He dispatches the Agents and escapes just as Morpheus triggers the EMP. Neo warns the machines that he is coming for them.

“Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague and we are the cure.” – Agent Smith

History in the Making

The Matrix is a clash of genres, emerging at the perfect time to capture the imaginations of audiences. It was the brainchild of the Wachowskis, Lana and Lilly (credited as Larry and Andy), incorporating an almost endless amount of synergy between various genres, styles, philosophies, and cultural references. Its emergence in the waning days of the 20th Century absolutely helped its success. It was able to springboard off the imaginations of early internet users about the power and technology behind computers and programming. It also took those computer based tools and created new levels of visual effects that would propel new imagery into future films, television, and advertising for the next decade and beyond. The Matrix also provided a new discourse of sci-fi philosophy around the release of the film, something that hadn’t happened in decades.

When The Matrix was released, the Internet (or World Wide Web) was a relatively new service, having been popularized by dial-up services like CompuServe and America OnLine within the last 8 years. Between the mid-90s and 1999, internet usage grew 15.5%, from 16 million people to over 248 million people. By contrast, in 2022 that number is now 5.54 million, or roughly 69% of the world population. At this time computer monitors were often cast in a green tint, download speeds might reach 64 kbps (kilobytes per second) with little to no audio or video elements on websites. Users had to dial in with a modem to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over their phone line in order to access the Web. Any videos that did show up on line were literally the size of a thumbnail and could still take minutes to load before viewing. The Matrix showed a world where that was still true, but the underlying reality was something that users could only dream about.

Viewers of the film were exposed to a virtual reality world where the digital imagery was closer to reality than anything visible on the ‘Net at the time. It was not the first film to expose viewers to an amazing simulated reality. Movies like Tron (1982) and The Lawnmower Man (1992) were ones that presented what a reality inside a computer might seem like. But their effects, while cutting edge for their time, created their realities based on the tools available at the time. The Matrix went a step further and created a reality that was realistic and indistinguishable from real life. The digital representation of a person in cyber-reality was not some strange humanoid with glowing circuitry on their clothes, as Tron imagined. Nor were the individuals created from a low-resolution polygon program as seen in The Lawnmower Man. The Matrix, in The Matrix, presented film footage of the actors, modifying only their hair, clothes, and accessories (called their residual self-image, or the mental projection of their digital self). The film’s belief was that creating a believable world was the first step in getting viewers to engage and believe in this new reality.

Genre-fication

While The Matrix was not the first cyberpunk film, it certainly did more than its fair share to normalize and elevate the genre. Blade Runner is often credited as the visual and thematic birth of cyberpunk, which has its roots in cinema as well as literature. Its style, typified by high-technology and noir aspects, was a staple of various sci-fi films from the previous decade including Ghost in the Shell, Strange Days, and the previous Keanu Reeves film Johnny Mnemonic. The Matrix brings together the visual style from these, and other films, plus the literary aspects seen in the works of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Philip K Dick, while redefining the style for the new Millennium. This is most evident in the use of 1940s and 50s technology seen throughout The Matrix, such as the television sets and overstuffed leather chairs in the white Loading Program room, or the retro-style telephones used by heroes to escape the program. This is contrasted with the post-punk and goth style clothing worn by the characters. Leather duster jackets, vinyl outfits, piercings and gender-neutral outfits create a clash of the old and the new. The film also bridges the idea of low technology (rotary phones) existing in concert with high technology (virtual reality), creating a clash of imagery more unique than previous depictions. A style that would be copied often in the future.

The film also drew from a plethora of different genres and styles including other sci-fi stories (both film and prose), the visuals and aesthetics of Hong Kong cinema, plus a healthy dose of various schools of philosophy. Obvious references to other stories include Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, both referenced several times in the film. These fantasy elements are linked to the science-fiction elements of post-apocalyptic and dystopian films like Blade Runner, Escape From New York, and Brazil. Most films would have stopped there, but The Wachowskis influence also ran into the realm of Asian cinema with elements of the anime Akira, and live-action martial art films Drunken Master and Enter the Dragon. The Matrix popularized the infusion of martial arts action into Western cinema creating a style known as “wire-fu,” by which the actors were supported on a harness in order to create visually stunning acrobatics that were impossible without assistance. These supports were edited out with visual effects creating a superhuman, and almost animated, style of martial arts. This style was elevated even further the following year with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The Matrix’s influence can still be felt in visual mediums today, and was the next evolution in science-fiction films after Star Wars. Coincidentally a new Star Wars film was released less than two months after The Matrix, to less than stellar reviews, cementing the darker and grittier world of The Matrix into the history books. The film re-imagined what a virtual world could look like. Borrowing the conceit of other depictions of a computer generated reality, like the Holodeck from Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Wachowskis created a reality that was indistinguishable from our own, giving other filmmakers permission to do the same. And unlike the Holodeck, the reality of The Matrix has no visible entry or exit points, turning the aesthetic design of the sets and costumes into its own world that could be contrasted against the “real” world.

Societal Commentary

“What is real? How do you define ‘real’? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.” That is Morpheus’ question to Neo after he presents to the younger man that he’s been living in a computer simulation. Morpheus’ reasoning is not a new thought. It resonates as a version of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, from Republic, which was written around 375 BC. In his tale, Plato relates a notion about men chained to the wall of a cave that experience reality by observing the shadows on the wall of the cave. From their perspective, these shadows represent reality. But to the outside observer, the shadows are only muddy versions of the true reality which exists outside, or in a higher plain. The Matrix is analogous to the cave, where the prisoners/humans only see representations of their true reality. Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo have achieved further enlightenment by escaping the system and thus being able to see the world as it truly is. This idea of belief versus reality also ties in closely with the themes of identity and enslavement, as well as freedom of choice.

All of the human characters in The Matrix lead a dual life. One of their identities is a super-powered individual, with a code name (much like the screen names internet users adopt), that exists within the simulation. The other is the frail human that is susceptible to damage in the real world. All of the characters, save Neo, have adjusted to this private versus public persona. Upon his arrival at The Oracle, where he supposedly will be given the answers he seeks, he sees the aphorism, “know thyself.” With his identity in flux, Neo doesn’t know what to make of the changes he’s been through. On one hand, he has Morpheus and team believing he’s some sort of messiah that will free them all from The Matrix. On the other hand, an all-knowing Oracle lets him know that he’s not “the One,” and offers him cookies. Neo’s identity no longer comes from what he “knows” but what others tell him he is. Enough people believe that he is the One, that it must be true. But then this all-knowing chain-smoking woman tells him that he is not. However, she provides him the choice to decide for himself. His identity, and what the filmmakers are trying to express, is not wrapped up in who others think he is. Neo’s final identity is up to him. Once he believes that he is The One, he is able to access the underlying layer of The Matrix and bend it to his will.

That freedom of choice is the key theme of the film. While in the simulation, humans appear to have free will but in reality they do not. They are enslaved by the machines, being used to power the AI controlled world. Outside of The Matrix, the world becomes more complex, and every being has a choice. Morpheus chooses to protect Neo and thus get captured, Neo chooses to rescue Morpheus even if it means his downfall. Neo also chooses whether or not to believe his place in the world. Could he really be The One, or is he just an ordinary guy? The Wachowskis are not as clear cut on this, siding with Free Will over Fate. The most famous choice in the film is certainly Morpheus offering Neo the red pill or the blue pill. The blue pill will allow him to stay asleep and inside The Matrix. The red pill will free his mind and open him to the reality of the world. It’s Neo’s choice. But Morpheus’ belief that Neo is The One, and the apparent reality at the end of the film that Neo is The One would suggest that there was never actually a choice. If Neo was destined to be The One, how could he have had a free choice to take the red pill? It’s these questions and others that continue to make this film fascinating to rewatch and discuss.

The Science in The Fiction

The technology within The Matrix is dizzying. While the computer simulated world of 1999 is a slightly dystopian vision of the modern world, the real world of 2199 is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Humans live in a world overrun by an artificial intelligence that threatens to snuff them out. The scorched sky and earth was humanity’s last attempt to destroy the machines, by creating a nuclear winter that would separate the machines from the solar power they needed to survive. That unfortunately backfired, as the mechanisms learned to adapt and eventually harvest humans as batteries. While the humans live underground with minimal technology, such as their hovercrafts, the machines run the Matrix and come in several robotic versions, including the squid-like Sentinels. But the most dangerous aspect of these artificially created constructs are the sentient programs within The Matrix. There are a few, like The Oracle, that appear benign, but the Agent programs–represented by Smith, Brown, and Jones–actively monitor and seek out transgressors to dispatch them from the system. Like real law enforcement officers that attempt to crack down on terrorist activity. Or like bugs being coded out of a computer program.

Computer simulations of the late 20th Century were nowhere near as complex or believable as The Matrix would have it appear. The level of graphics on home machines were better than they had been a decade before, but still limited in their detail. And if someone wanted a real time simulation, they got graphics that looked more like blocky wireframe polygons, such as those in The Lawnmower Man. Today, less than 25 years after The Matrix created an entire virtual world, computers, virtual reality goggles, and wearable haptics all bring the experience of a virtual reality much closer to being realistic. Films like The Zero Theorem or Ready Player One present realities closer to our own in terms of capabilities for virtual environments. Even if the scope of those worlds are still somewhat out of reach.

Perhaps the biggest technological advancement that came from The Matrix was not part of the fiction of the film. The cutting edge design and special effects work of John Gaeta defined a generation of film imagery, particularly the “bullet time” effect. The effect, which was overused immensely following the release of this film, creates a virtual camera that is able to freeze (or slow) time, drift through the scene in a graceful move, and then allow the action to pick back up where it left off. It was basically extreme slow motion. Action directors had been using slow-mo for decades to create a more artistic and visceral design to their sequences. Bullet time trumped them all. Utilizing a series of still frame cameras in a predetermined path, a moment from the action would be captured simultaneously (or in near-succession)–such as a character falling backwards. When these frames are separated and played back in a film projector, the camera appears to spin around a frozen character. In conjunction with additional visual effects, wire rigs, and traditional effects, the new visual image can compliment any live-action sequence. It was a real-world way to bring sensibilities of animated films into live-action films.

The Final Frontier

There are so many things to discuss about The Matrix. Books have been written on any one of the topics briefly touched on above. In much the same way that The Matrix had a cultural influence and inspired future films, like Star Wars, it also followed the archetypal hero’s journey as defined by Joseph Campbell. The similarities between Neo and Luke Skywalker (and also Frodo Baggins, Paul Atreides, and others) follow the steps of Campbell’s definition of storytelling. The both resist the call to adventure, the each face the various trials along the road, and cross the threshold without the ability to return inevitably becoming the master of two worlds. It’s always interesting to see how many different variations of this story can be accomplished, and the popularity that comes from them.

The Matrix inspired dozens of copycat films and paved the way for an entire franchise. Some of the films that were potentially inspired by it (or at least were compared to it) include The Thirteenth Floor (coming up on Sci-Fi Saturdays in a couple weeks) with its own spin on a virtual reality world, Inception which has a similar alternate reality feel to parts of the film, Wanted for the crazy action inspired/superheroics and its “wire-fu,” and Ready Player One which is sort of voluntary version of The Matrix. But the success of the original was not lost on Warner Brothers which put together a plan with the Wachowskis to create a trilogy of films. The Matrix was followed in 2003 by an animated film of short stories called The Animatrix, which provided some backstory to the universe. That was immediately followed by The Matrix Reloaded in May and The Matrix Revolutions in November. These additional sequels expanded on the world of the Matrix and Neo’s place within it. The continued to one-up the original in terms of action and spectacle, but many critics and fans felt they fell short of a satisfying resolution to the trilogy. Then 18 years later, in 2021, Lana Wachowski surprised everyone by returning to the characters of Neo and Trinity in The Matrix Resurrections, a film which picks up two decades later and makes use of advancements to modern culture over the past 20 years including social media, gaming, and political changes.

Certain movies exude a timeless quality to them. Even twenty-three years later The Matrix still feels like a relevant film designed to induce the audience to question aspects of their life and reality. Like any good piece of art, it doesn’t necessarily have answers to these questions. But it offers up so many nuggets of thought that it continues to motivate viewers to seek their truth. Every time someone watches The Matrix, they are a different person, and thus can come away with something new. Remember that the spoon is not bending, only yourself.

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