The Matrix Case study

My case study is The Matrix.

The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction and action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, it stars high profile actors such as: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving. It has earned over $460 million at the box office all over the world, it was a so popular within ten years they re-released it as an anniversary special. It was co-produced and distributed by Warner bros studios and Australian Village Roadshow pictures. As a whole it is a very postmodern film, first of all it often references the postmodern theorist Baudrillard and his book to demonstrate that it is a allegory for contemporary experiences, furthermore all the actors within the film had to read his book ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ to gain a good understanding of what he was trying to get across in terms of philosophy and make sure the cast understood the thematic background of the movie they was making.

The film describes a future life, in which reality is the Matrix, this a hyper reality life created by machines to pacify and subdue the human population. Their bodies heat and electrical activity is used by the Matrix as an energy source, as a result of this Neo is draw to rebel againt’s machines throughout the film. It references the Simulacra and Simulation book throughout the whole film, this is significant in different ways for example the movie helps demonstrate that the movie is a allegory for contemporary experience in a heavy commercialised society. This book also actually features within the film as Neo opens a copy of it to use it as a hiding place for his black market software, the directors placed it on a specific chapter to give a specific referential point for the film, the narrative structure of the film is so based on the book it has been described as a conscious validation of Baudrillard’s theory. Furthermore it also uses pastiche very regularly and references to cyberpunk, hacker subcultures, philosophical and religious ideas and uses homage to films like Alice in Wonderland, Hong Kong action cinema and spaghetti westerns.

It has also helped expand and challenge the way films are made, for example the visual effect known as bullet time was a key aspect of the film which allowed the audience the explore a moment progressing in slow motion as the camera appears to orbit around the scene at normal speed. The method used to do this was when a large number of cameras are placed around a object and triggered nearly all at the same time.

This is the scene which I have chosen to analyse:

The scene from the film which I have chosen to analysis is about Morpheus explaining to Neo about the Matrix which they feel exists, this scene is also when Neo and the audience first meet Morpheus as a character. First of all Morpheus explains to Neo that he feels like Alice like he is ‘tumbling down the rabbit hole’ this is postmodern because it references and homages Alice In Wonderland, this is also done further one in this clip to help Neo decide what to because Morpheus explains how he can stay in Wonderland and discover how the deep the rabbit whole is. This is significant in this clip because it explains how curious Neo is however it shows how they don’t have any control over how they fall down the hole. Further on in this scene Morpheus explains how ‘The Matrix is Everywhere’ this represents Baudrillard and his books influence’s because within the book he makes it clear that you are either in or outside the Matrix however you can choose what you want to believe. Lastly he also explains how the world Neo is from is covering him from the truth about the Matrix because they are born into a prison where no one is free to discover the truth. This again relates to postmodernity because it is very crazy and easily links to Baudrillard’s book.