Eng 340 - Film Genre Development

The Matrix

Film Genre Development

James Shepherd

Eng 340

August 28, 2011

Dr. Sarah Weinstock

The Matrix

Film Genre Development

The science fiction genre is an intellectual collection of exciting physical adventure. It usually overlaps with other genres and because of this can be rather difficult to give a precise definition. The great debate is where exactly the lines cross between science fiction and fantasy. Science fiction poses the" what if questions, It's always exploring social issues, investigating moral, philosophical and technological possibilities by creating new and exciting realities. The genre places man in past and future times, alternate realities, and outer space. In The Matrix the plot revolves around a futuristic world where machines rule. The machines have created a virtual world called the Matrix. The Matrix itself is a 22nd century computer generated virtual reality world where human kind lives out their daily lives. Because of a war between the machines and humans, intelligent machines have taken over the planet and uses programs as Agents to enforce glitches within the system. . These machines have depended on solar power but the planet is now sunless and has the landscape of a post nuclear war. The machines find a way to harvest the heat and electricity generated by the humans as an alternate energy source. The human existence is controlled in the Matrix and it controls their minds and serves as a control mechanism while the machines harvest their energy output. The hero's of the story are Morpheus, Neo, and Trinity. They lead a small group of humans who live outside of The Matrix in the real world underground in a city named Zion. The three all have a common skill that allowed them to become free of the Matrix. They all were very prolific computer hackers and this allowed them to hack the Matrix. They are able to liberate others by this hacking into the machine's Matrix just as a hacker can manipulate an infiltrated computer system.

Neo, the last to join the group had been prophesied as the "One". Back at his bleak cubicle Neo receives a delivery as "Thomas Anderson." Upon opening the package he finds a cell phone which immediately rings. On the other end is Morpheus, who informs Neo that they've both run out of time and that "they" are coming for him. Morpheus tells him to slowly look up, toward the elevator. Agents Smith, Jones, and Brown are there, obviously looking for him, as a woman points towards Neo's cube. Morpheus tries to guide Neo out of the building but when he is instructed to get