Film Studies: “The Matrix” by Larry and Andy Wachowski Essay (Movie Review)

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The Matrix tries to bring out the truth, and the reality of issues that affect the world. The film portrays social difference and inequality, through man and the machine. The machines symbolize change through a technological revolution. Man represents dynamism through social structures. A man may be related to social dynamics. The machines reflect the reliance by a man on technology.

The film shows that economic problems may reveal social differences and inequalities in certain cultures. In the world today, certain countries are more economically powerful than others. The Matrix also reveals that cultures, traditions, and beliefs may be linked to many nations. The film evaluates the concept of appearance. The machines are representative of technology.

The Agents have the freedom to control the making of the film and are responsible for all the program’s systems. This study sees the Agents as white men who believe that they are infallible. Competing visions of the characters The Agents see the world as dynamic. They need to compete for the minimal available resources. They tend to be oppressive and want to acquire power by force. Agents can impose their ideas on humans at will.

They can take over the “mental space” of the Matrix’s users. They do not want Neo to acquire knowledge on the Matrix. This aspect brings out their authoritarian characteristics. They want to take over the solar power and use it to access the matrix. Neo and Morpheus see society from a religious perspective.

They want to live in a society that upholds values in spite of technological changes. Morpheus symbolizes rebellion and dishonesty. He views the world as unfair to him. He believes in “hacking” into the Matrix to free captives for his advantage.

How characters build collective movements of individuals to support and enact their vision of society?

The Agents resemble three men who operate as a group for their advantage. They build their power by being together. This aspect enables them to confront Morpheus concerning the main computer in Zion. They manage to fight Neo due to their numerical advantage. They try to prevent him from accessing information on the Matrix. Morpheus and Neo also form a group to protect themselves against the Agents.

Morpheus appears to provide useful insights to Neo regarding the Matrix. The two visit the Oracle together. Morpheus allows the agents to detain him to let Neo and his group escape. Neo and Morpheus represent humans who are opposed to technological domination of the world. Social order is disrupted by the incessant wars between the humans and the machines. Technology seems to compete with the social order in this society.

The machines and the Agents bring disharmony among humans. This paper suggests that technology needs to be adopted with caution because it may be manipulated by man for his advantage. Status and resources belong to the most powerful, like the Agents in this society. Neo and Morpheus only seem to be looking for ways of outdoing the Agents to get power by stealing secret codes.

The characters build their collective movements through the use of language and influence. The Matrix uses cultural persuasions to perpetuate social and technological changes. In the film, the Agents can share their feelings with other characters in a ‘hive mind’ context. This aspect of communication helps the characters to enact their vision of society.

The film presents a society that is free from race, gender, and age barriers. According to fiction, progressive society is that which can adapt and embrace multi social values. This paper presents the aspect of language in the film as a theme of social dynamism. In the film, language brings out an efficient and singular cognitive approach. When machines convert into a Matrix program, they use minimal language and help the Agents to communicate.

The catastrophic destruction in the film happens when the Agents align themselves towards the Matrix. The language is technical and brings out the fact that Neo is likened to the machine. Technology may be used to improve society. This research observes that the society depicted in the film distributes its resources unequally. Few individuals control the media as a resource. Their ideas are capable of influencing many people.

The statuses of wealthy individuals like the Agents allow them to impose their will on others like the killing of Neo by Smith. Neo continuously refuses to program the language. He refuses the name given to him, which is connected to the Matrix. Various forms of technologies and their value

The film mainly features computers and robots. The computers signify programs that replace humans in terms of physical output in various activities. The man commands super humans or robots to perform specific functions. He assumes that robots are easier to work with than real humans. Robots only accept specific commands and may not perform any duties assigned to them (The Matrix, 1999).

The superhumans want access to solar power to exercise their freedom, that eventually destroys the world. Humans view life from a religious perspective. Morpheus relates to the religious world. Religion and technology seem to be competing against each other. The machines’ “orientation” is remarkable. In the film, the machines build the viewers’ trust in language and the Matrix’s program, which influences how man sees the technological world.

According to the film, a person has only one belief system which can change depending on external influences. Neo believes that humans have a combination of several ideologies, spirituality, and beliefs. Currently, the human belief system is a combination of religion, spiritual, cultural, and traditional beliefs.

This combination of different view structures operates as a suitable foundation for the marginalized people in the film. The different views and ideas can lead to the isolation of people, the and this perspective demonstrate how social inequality and differences operate in society. Machines can dictate an authoritarian belief system in humans.

The film examines a crisis between perspectives of determinism and autonomy. Neo and humans symbolize liberty, which binds, their spiritual realm. Smith and the machines represent the physical manifestation of determinism. Neo, who is presented as the ‘One’ in the film, signifies various unique people. Smith as a character, can replicate himself severally but symbolize only one ideal and value of life.

Neo’s continuous refusal to use his skills to select different ideas signifies that many people may not be willing to question social beliefs. The Matrix film is a precise and incisive presentation of media in the modern day world. The characters represent the social differences and inequalities in terms of race, class, and ideologies experienced by main and marginalized groups (The Matrix, 1999).

Conclusion

Man can always resolve cultural and economic challenges. This paper observes the need for harmonization of the two conflicting parties, as in the case of Smith and Neo. Man can use the media as an efficient tool of education in society if well managed. He can also use it as a way of disintegrating society by creating conflicts and crises.

Technology should be used to reconcile and not to set people apart socially and economically. The paper thus succeeds in evaluating the sociological perspectives of social change and technology.

Works Cited

The Matrix. Dir. Joel Silver. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fish, Carry- Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano. Warner Bros, 1999. DVD.

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IvyPanda. 2020. "Film Studies: "The Matrix" by Larry and Andy Wachowski." March 16, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/film-studies-the-matrix-by-larry-and-andy-wachowski/.

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