Retroseans: “Matrix”

From time to time, productions appear that are written in large letters not only in the history of cinematography, but also in the broadly understood pop culture. One of them is the iconic Matrix , the first part of which is celebrating its twentieth birthday this year.

I remember that moment as if it was yesterday when I first saw The Matrix . Although at that time I was still a bit of a chick, he made a great impression on me. I admit that I watched this movie with bated breath, and the glasses Neo wore were my little dream, I’m not kidding. Now, which may seem surprising, I would find those who have not seen this film with their eyes. It is interesting, however, that the same people, when asked what they associate this title with, will be able to accurately define the thematic field affected by production. Without a doubt, this film is not only a milestone in the field of cinematographic technology and science fiction, but is also of great importance to the culture we know today.

I must admit that I returned to the Matrix with great desire after all these years. There was not a single bit of uncertainty in me that after all this time, there would be anything to watch at all. However, memories of the atmospheric shots, wrapped in a specific green filter, returned.

A slightly different fight against evil

The story, which oscillates around the conflict between humans and machines, has, I would say, a timeless and educational dimension. Although it may seem that this is not a particularly original concept, its implementation in The Matrix is truly extraordinary. In this case, people are not only a party to the conflict, but also something that, paradoxically, artificial intelligence cannot live without. The heat energy produced by the human being becomes the driving force for machines, but in order to be able to use it effectively, humanity must be kept in a state of suspension. The Matrix, a virtual world that facilitates the enslavement of people, comes to the rescue here.

Our heroes appear in all of this, especially Neo, who is to be the chosen one saving the last free communities hidden deep underground. The plot is coherent and refined, and the characters are built credibly. Both the “good guys” and the “bad guys” are distinctive in their own way and definitely memorable. The implementation of this concept took place without major or minor bloopers. History unfolds freely, which only proves in favor of production. This time, the fight between good and evil has a really intriguing face.

Enter the Motherland

The dark recesses of the real world, destroyed by the war between humans and AI, were intertwined with the digital reality of the Matrix. Only this meant that in 1999 there was probably no other such characteristic film from the borderline of SF and, after all, the post-apocalypse. The story, outlined by the Wachowski brothers at the time, was embellished with a rich number of special effects, which were then almost innovative. The crowd surrounding the characters is shown as a meaningless background. The digital illusion really feels lifeless and unreal, which of course is heightened by this unnatural green filter. However, this is not a true pearl in the crown. The plasticity of the digital Matrix is ​​particularly evident in scenes such as when the helicopter crashes into a skyscraper, moments after the heroes’ famous liberation of Morpheus. The directors should be rewarded that they did a solid job, which is also evident in the case of the “real”, destroyed world. Visually, the whole thing looks really good, which makes it hard to believe that this production is already twenty years old.The Matrix has grown old with dignity and is still impressive.

Wake up!

The sound quality is as high as the visual effects of the film. As soon as we follow the white rabbit together with the main character, at the very beginning of our ears we hear songs from The Prodigy, which, after all, fits perfectly with the Matrix atmosphere . It’s also impossible to forget about Spybreak! by Propellerheads, which fits perfectly into the dynamism of the fantastic shooting scene in the lobby, which is considered to be one of the best scenes of this type in the history of cinema. In addition to these songs, the Matrix soundtrack is also filled with performers such as Marylin Manson and Deftones. A nice trick is to throw Wake up! At the end of the song ., by Rage Against the Machine. It fits perfectly with the plot, referring to the transformation of the main character. In fact, there is only one thing that bothers me a bit in this case, and that is the sounds of shots that sound very plastic. Well, maybe I’m just picking on.

While nostalgia may be a big part of me, I don’t think I’ll lie to you if I say that The Matrix is a cult piece that was great both at its premiere and after twenty years. There are very few products that age that well.