The Matrix Film - Movie Review Example

After Neo is unplugged from the Matrix and joins the freed human rebels in the devastated human world, he comes to accept his fate of being the only one to end the war against the machines. The cast can only be described as superb and precise. Keanu Reeves portrays the lead protagonist Neo; Laurence Fishburne is in the noble role of Morpheus; Carrie-Anne Moss portrays Trinity, Neo’s love interest; and Hugo Weaving plays the role of Agent Smith, the main antagonist and rogue sentient computer program whose sole purpose is to prevent the rebellion from spreading or surviving.

All of these actors portray their characters exceptionally well. Reeves is convincing as the antisocial, work-by-day-hack-by-night misfit who cannot escape the belief that there is something more to life. Fishburne and Moss are the epitomes of rebel leaders from their cool attitudes to their bold countenances. Weaving wove in seamlessly with the character of Agent Smith, completely owning Smith’s serious demeanor and distaste for the human race. The actors truly and thoroughly complement their characters.

The Matrix successfully grabs its viewers in every aspect possible, beginning with the immediate jump into the story. Before the opening credits even finish rolling, Trinity is being hunted down by agents and a SWAT team. Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, Neo’s character is introduced, as well as his mission of finding Morpheus, and Trinity’s success at locating Neo to inform him that Morpheus has also been looking for him. As the first half of act one comes to a close, a huge chunk of the storyline has been revealed, leaving viewers hanging on for more.

The movie does not leave them waiting for long as the story rushes into Neo’s capture by the agents. While it is a common practice in the film industry to let as many elements as possible harmonize the film, The Matrix goes above and beyond what is average. From costumes to framing and lighting effects, every element is consciously done to enhance the differences between the real world and the computer-generated Matrix, and to help viewers understand the challenges that Neo is facing. In regard to clothing, while in the Matrix, the costumes of the rebels are very futuristic in style, black and sleek; in the real world, the characters wear tattered, ill-fitting clothes.

The costumes alone show the blunt dissimilarities between the Matrix and the real world. The Matrix is meant to be a utopia for humans, which, ironically, has caused the real world to crumble, leaving it in nothing short of complete ruins. The choice of framing, primarily the close-ups, allow viewers to become intimate with the characters. This holds especially true in regard to Neo, who is on the receiving end of most close-ups; his fear and uncertainty are evident as we watch him slowly come to accept the truth of the Matrix and the existence of human beings.

The remaining close-ups are used to reveal conflict and hardship between the other characters, such as between Morpheus and Neo, Trinity and Neo, and Agent Smith and whichever rebel he is instigating at the time. Towards the end of the film, a medium close-up between Agent Smith and Morpheus, which is one of the greatest conflict-driven scenes of the film, clearly show the struggle that each character is facing in their attempt to free themselves of the Matrix. The choice of