The Matrix Dystopian Film Analysis

Victor Mardikian

Mr. Garner

ELA 8A

May 6, 2011 The Matrix
Dystopian Film Analysis

The film, The Matrix took place in both a virtual reality and the real world. The hero, Neo, tried to understand how he was chosen to be “the one.” His goal was to fight off the agents who were not only computer programs but also the gatekeepers of the Matrix; therefore, Neo and Morpheus had to fight off the agents so that the human race would cease to be manipulated and used for energy. Since Neo was “the one,” the most powerful being in and out of the matrix, he could manipulate or change anything in the matrix. At first Neo questioned his reality because he had an indefinable feeling that something was wrong with the world; therefore, Morpheus approached him, offered him the “possibility pills,” and trained him to use his powers for the freedom of all humans.

The utopian impulses of progressivism, behaviorism, and technophilia are evident in the film. Before the matrix existed humans sought better conditions to improve their society through technology. This technophilia, manifested by all of the movie’s characters, helps lead to the change from utopia to dystopia. In the 21st century the human race, marveling at the power of machines, continually refined technology. Eventually, the machines turned back on the humans and used human energy to power the machines. In one scene a character confirms, “Ignorance is bliss.” Humans were unaware that the matrix trained them to make them happy. The matrix blinded the people to the existence of the real world. In the matrix the humans believed they were progressing. However, they stood still, frozen in utopia “gone bad.”

A dystopia is an imaginary world, often the future of the present, in which a make believe utopia exists because of a totalitarian government. In The Matrix the control of society was by technology, that is computers. Neo, the protagonist, realized something was wrong with the world as it existed so when Morpheus offered him the possibility of seeing the truth from which he had been blinded, he chose the red pill and was reborn, covered in a slimy substance, into the real world. Now, Neo discovered the truth of the matrix manipulation. The matrix was a computer generated dream world to control humans. It prevented humans from seeing reality, the truth, and allowed machines to use human energy to “live.” Morpheus showed Neo the fabricated world of the computer programs that controlled everyone. In the real world there was no sun.

The setting of the film reflects the importance of technology in our everyday life today. Not only have we progressed so rapidly technologically that “big brother” can know where we are now simply by tracking our cellular devices, but also many aspects of our everyday life are monitored by our computer use. In the matrix, the machines created the conflict. Presently people seem to be vigilant about the power of technology and react to the possible controls. Will this continue or will it influence our ability to control our lives and technology?

Present day technology is continually advancing toward its peak and if technological growth continues it might not only lead to a complete dependency on technology but computers may eventually take all power. If we depend on technology too much, we lose our ability to choose. We lose our freedom and therefore our human dignity. We must be aware of the pitfalls of too much technology so that we will not be controlled by anyone or anything.