Thomas Anderson is a dutiful company worker by day and a skilful
computer hacker named Neo by night. Neo holds cynical and sceptical views
towards reality, a feeling that there is much more to what he sees around him
and his uncertainties are confirmed when he meets a mysterious woman named
Trinity who takes him to meet the legendary Zen-hacker, Morpheus. Morpheus
proceeds to tell Neo that the “real world” that he “exists” in is nothing more
than an elaborate computer program designed by artificially intelligent
machines, which mankind initially created, to keep humans in a state of
complete ignorance and subjugation while they breed them en mass to supply them
with the electricity they need to survive. Morpheus believes that Neo is “the
One”: the hero that will save the human race from life-long imprisonment, and
so begins Neo’s journey with a small rebellious force of “freed” humans, to
wage war against the machines.
THESE MOVIES ARE AWESOME! The Matrix, in my book, is close to being the perfect science fiction
movie. Its balance between the genres and the amazing tricks and weaponry that
it holds in its arsenal makes it a real phenomenal movie, one that cannot and should not be ignored! IT’S ABSOLUTELY
EPIC!
Thomas Anderson is a dutiful company worker by day and a skilful computer
hacker named Neo by night. Neo holds cynical and sceptical views towards
reality, a feeling that there is much more to what he sees around him and his
uncertainties are confirmed when he meets a mysterious woman named Trinity who
takes him to meet the legendary Zen-hacker, Morpheus. Morpheus proceeds to tell
Neo that the “real world” that he “exists” in is nothing more than an elaborate
computer program designed by artificially intelligent machines, which mankind
initially created, to keep humans in a state of complete ignorance and
subjugation while they breed them en mass to supply them with the electricity
they need to survive. Morpheus believes that Neo is “the One”: the hero that
will save the human race from life-long imprisonment, and so begins Neo’s
journey with a small rebellious force of “freed” humans, to wage war against
the machines.
The significance of the movie comes in the form of many, many
things. Firstly, IT REALLY IS A MOST INCREDIBLE IDEA. Based on the strongly plausible
(and I personally think almost inevitable) idea that mankind will bring about
its own destruction through means of technology, the story, written by brothers
Andy and Larry Wachowski, serves up enticing slices of pop-philosophy and
techno-drug mind trips. Some of the ideas and theories put forward really set
your mind to reeling with questions and theories of your own and I think that’s
the greatest compliment the brothers could be paid: that their story makes people think! The Matrix is not your mindless sci-fi, action-packed, numbing
brain candy, but a highly intelligent, devilishly intrinsic, and wholly
confusing spider’s web, centred around a simple plot of good vs. evil, but then
corrupting that simple plot and making it void by simply asking “but what if”.
As if that were not enough, the brothers also incorporate elements of other
famous fictional pieces into the mix including Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, The Wild Bunch, and even
some themes from the Bible.
Secondly, as well as being a sumptuous feast for
the mind, it is also a feast for the eyes. The film’s action sequences are
possibly the most memorable fight scenes ever, combining John Woo’s style of
martial art ballet with Sam Peckinpah inspired slow motion gunfights. The slow
motion filming was used to the utmost perfection in this film: there is no
point in trying to describe it. You would have thought too that the combination
of the beautiful and sophisticated martial art of kung fu would not blend well
with the mindless and blind and rough violence of gunplay, but the film brings
both together, making all forms of action absolutely beautiful, through the use
slow motion. The slow motion also heightens the suspense as it’s really used to
depict inhuman speed. The whole action and stunts and more importantly, special
effects side of this film is just mind-blowing and makes the film a must-see
for that alone.
Amidst the action and gunplay and explosions, a wonderful bout
of comedy creeps into the mix, most of it being in the form of the
simply-too-cool look of the freed humans against the ones in the matrix. Case
in visual point, there is a high-action scene where Neo and Trinity come face
to face with a congregation of human authorities. Guns poised on them, they are
ordered to freeze, and the two just take a slow, nonchalant look at one
another, completely expressionless faces, sunglasses and all, and then they
proceed to run to the walls and run up and along them. Quite a lot of the
comedy that crept into this movie is neither said nor implied, it’s achieved
through a simple look or gesture: like the cocking of a head or a silence and a
raised eyebrow. It’s absolutely brilliant! I completely love the costumes too:
the suavity and the sophistication that the black leather and long coats
radiate is just dazzling.
Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Ann Moss, Gloria
Foster, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, Julian Arahanga, Matt Doran, Belinda
McClory, Robert, Taylor. Paul Goddard, and Hugo Weaving, The Matrix is a phenomenal movie that is packed to bursting with
ideas, machines, action, explosions, comedy, romance, and drama. IT’S
ABOSLUTELY PHENOMENAL and simply cannot
be missed!
Wake up Neo…
The matrix has you…
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