The Matrix

Question 1

Scenes and how they show how the Matrix philosophise

Answer 1

Scenes for the explanation of theory

• Where Neo wakes up
• Where he takes the Pill
• Where he is in the simulated real world
• The film philosophises, which becomes apparent through its formal elements, which build upon Baudrilliard’s writing and offers its own view
• Before knowing that this is not the real world, the cinematography and colour already renders it as not real, which can suggests that subconsciously people are aware of hyper-reality a
• We do not awake with Neo, but we are already aware of the fact that there is no reality

This is most visible in the opening chase sequence:

• Trinity jumps over the roof in slow motion
  
  • Non-real angle from above between two houses
• Trinity’s jump into the window
  
  • Unreal the way she turns
• The green-ish tint adds aesthetically to this non-real cinematography
• In the real world there is a cold blue more realist colour present
• Fast movements exaggerated through swoosh sounds
• Shallow depth of field that represents that allow spectators only to see the things that are immediately in front of them (hides reality
• At the same time, by showing us reality without this green tint, we are convinced that the outside is real
• Yet besides the initial ‘rebirth’ we are only inside the spaceship
• The other view of the reality is only simulated
• The film’s colour thus convinces us that there is a reality and makes us forget that this could also be not real
• This agrees with Baudrilliard’s criticism, yet is important as this choice of colour shows how the film critiques his belief that there is no reality whatsoever
• It is the way the film shows the real that reveals it as a critique not a misunderstanding of his theory
• The film philosophises in the sense that it is unsure if there is a real beyond the hyper-real or not
• This is the case as the blue colour convinces us that there is, but the fact that we are shown it in a simulation makes us question it still
• The film does not misinterpret Baudrilliard but comes to a different more ambiguous conclusion

Question 2

Info

Answer 2

• Directed by the Wachowski Sisters in 1999
• Neo
• Trinity
• Morpheus