FREE ESSAY ON COMBINATION OF NOIR STYLE AND EXISTENTIALIST MOTIF: THE MATRIX

COMBINATION OF NOIR STYLE AND EXISTENTIALIST MOTIF: THE MATRIX

The Matrix (1999) is an extension of the existentialist motifs of the mid 20th Century set
in the 23rd, for its obvious influences from the American Noir Style. This is apparent
when looking at the five points of this existentialism. 
First, Thomas A. Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a.k.a. "Neo," is portrayed from the beginning
of the film as a "normal Joe" who holds the potential of a world savior, yet without the
narcissism. He does not have X-ray vision or the ability to leap tall buildings in a
single bound, but rather, he is a lowly computer programmer for a respectable computer
company. He does not appear important to anyone else in the film at first, and it is
because of his lifestyle.
Mister Anderson is immersed in the world of computers. As a result, he is lonely and
alienated from the world or "reality." This feeling is also reflected in the high,
swooping camera angle found in the film, which is characteristically Noir.
But what is reality? The truth? "Neo" makes the conscious choice to "see how deep the
rabbit hole goes." One finds out later in the film that at the point of making such a
choice, he was nothing... or nothing more than an oversized Energizer; but upon choosing
the "truth" he is also trying to "free his mind" from the prison he cannot taste or touch
or see.
Neo is doomed to fail, as no one has come before him to succeed in the freeing of his own
mind. As a result, he is under a sentence of death; the system is set up against him; the
Matrix has him... he struggles with the choice between life and death, as he must let his
instructor, Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne), die or sacrifice himself to save him. There is
only one element holding his life in tact: Fate...
At first, Mister Anderson does not like the idea of fate, as he cannot stand the idea of
not being able to control his own destiny. Throughout the entire film, as Mister Anderson
further transpires to his alter ego Neo, he struggles to accept the reality of his
destiny. But something happens that makes Mister Anderson realize the authenticity of his
destiny; he learns that he is, in fact, "the One" who is to save the world from
Artificial Intelligence. No one can change their destiny if they do not realize that
their pseudo-reality is a part of them. 
There are also other characteristics of a Noir film in the Matrix. The chiaroscuro
lighting is very apparent in many scenes. Also, it invokes a great sense of alienation
with its Noir-like high angle shots. The entire film is very dark and rainy. There are
also many reflections, which are found in many Noir films, such as Orson Welles' Citizen
Kane (1941). Kane was an obvious motivation and influence on this film, as was Alfred
Hitchcock's Rope (1948), as mentioned by producer Joel Silver, editor Zach Staenberg and
Effects Supervisor John Gaeta. 
These people had the Noir template in consideration when writing and editing this film.
It is evident that Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving), the head Sentient Program hunting Neo, is
the hard-boiled detective, and Neo is the "Fugitive from a Chain Gang" that is always on
the run. Moreover, there is the classic "tilt shot" seen in the film that clues the
viewer to the film's Noir-like style. This modern-day, science fiction, Kung Fu fighting
Neo-Noir (no pun intended) thriller is clearly rooted in film classics from the past. 
"Wake up, Neo... The Matrix has you..." Thomas A. Anderson is a respectable software
programmer for a respectable computer company. He pays his taxes, has a social security
number, and even helps his landlady take out her garbage. He's just a normal guy in a
normal job, doing the normal thing, much like Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon. But one
thing the viewer does not count on is Mister Anderson's alter ego, Neo, to be one of the
world's most renowned computer hackers, guilty of virtually ever computer crime there is
a law for. It is not until this e-lifestyle starts to spill over into his "real" life
that he must start to make choices... choices that will forever change the way he sees
the world, and changes that will forever impact his effect on that world. 
Neo feels alone in his quest for the "Truth." He is trying desperately to find out what
is out there, and most importantly, "What is the Matrix?" He begins to be hunted like a
fugitive, and upon capture is thrown into an interrogation cell and grilled about his
life of virtual-crime. Neo does not yet realize the severity of his situation, but he
still thinks the world is somehow not right, and yet he does not know what is wrong. As
Morpheus put it, "It's driving you mad, like a splinter in your mind." It is through this
alienated, helpless feeling that makes it easier for Neo to "free his mind" from the
Matrix and join in fighting for the Resistance in the "real world."
There are many choices in this film. Only ten minutes into the script we see the first
choice handed to Thomas Anderson: "Follow the White Rabbit..." In this sequence of
scenes, it is apparent that the "responsible" thing to do is stay home to get rest for
the upcoming work day, but the alter ego, Neo, would not make such a choice. He chooses
to "Follow the White Rabbit" and make one more attempt to pry loose the splinter from his
mind by asking his boundless question, "What is the Matrix?" It is this question that
drives him. It drives him to such a point that it outweighs all reason at every
crossroads he comes to. Upon following what his conscious mind says is not real,
ironically more of the truth is revealed to him. This existentialist choice between right
and wrong, between ceasing and being is aptly foreshadowed in the interrogation scene.
Agent Smith informs Thomas Anderson of the fact that the government is aware of his
crimes and attempts to entrap him into aiding the government. Agent Smith tells Anderson,
"One of these lives has a future; the other does not." Ironically, the very "life" Agent
Smith is trying to destroy is the one that has the future, but only upon a series of
similar existentialist choices to "be." Not much further in the film Neo actually comes
to the Point of No Return in his life. Morpheus proposes to show him the Truth and gives
Neo his options. "You take the Blue Pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed believe
what you want to... You take the Red Pill and you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how
deep the rabbit hole goes." You must choose to change your destiny. "I can only show you
the door; you have to walk through it."
This film is deep in plot and character development. As mentioned in class (8 Jan, '00,
Jones) with color film, it is much more difficult to present such an ominous "darkness"
as a more evenly lit subject is required for a good quality film. So, character
development has to deepen to compensate for the different lighting, as it does in this
film. Everything that characters in this film say and do is on two or even three levels
of thought. Everything has a second or third meaning, and all going back to one common
theme: Fate. No one likes to believe that they are not in control of his or her own life,
which is understandable. However, in the film, when Morpheus reveals what is the true
history of the planet, he displays the "desert of the real." Solar power was the key to
the planet, and the only way to exterminate the machines of Artificial Intelligence was
to scorch the sky. It is this event that spawned the Matrix. Morpheus then shows that
"Fate is not without a sense of irony." There is a higher power at work here... Whether
it be an omnipotent being or just simple Fate. The entire film is about Fate and it's
effect on us simple, insignificant humans. Belief is a tremendous power. It cannot be put
any better than how Neo himself stated it when Morpheus had been captured and digitally
"interrogated." "This can't be just coincidence... It can't be!" The Oracle had told Neo
that he would [again] have to choose between sacrificing his own life or Morpheus'. This
is what initiated this final rescue mission for Morpheus. Because of what the Oracle had
told Neo, he knew he could not fail, if Fate indeed was real. Since Neo was alive, that
meant Morpheus must die, but if Neo charged in to rescue Morpheus, he would live, and Neo
would die, if in fact Fate were real. Because he believed something so blindly, he was
successful. No one or nothing has a farther reach than Fate, and this film, as other Noir
films, proves it.
Plot and character development aside, one can also see how the visual style of the film
is distinctly Noir, as well as other distinct Noir characteristics. There are so many
elements, some subtler than others, but nevertheless, they are present. First, Agent
Smith is the obvious "Hard-Boiled Detective" talked so much about in class (27 Dec., '99,
Jones). This Sentient Program, out to capture anyone involved in the Resistance,
possesses a hatred for his suspects unlike anything else that is machine. Other elements
of Noir in The Matrix are the hard lines and shadows of darkness, which are seen often,
especially in the Dojo scene. Low lighting, as well as projected shadows reflects Noir's
influence. Reflections are also clearly present in this film, as they are in such films
as Citizen Kane and The Lady From Shanghai (1948). They are an important part of any type
of filmmaking as they present a subtleness and mysteriousness, which contributes to the
"dark and ominous Noir Style" (5 Jan., '00, Jones). Also seen in this film is the Noir
classic "tilt shot" on many occasions. Also on many occasions appears the high angle,
sweeping shot, which is good for establishing a scene as well as portraying a feeling of
alienation in such a big world. Dark, ominous, yet exciting, this dramatic style has a
long way from extinction.
Existentialism of the 20th century is an avid part of this film, as in most other Noir
films of the mid 20th century. As the Movement portrayed to us, The Matrix shows that we
are responsible for our own choices and decisions. We as individuals are alienated from
any other being and given free will to move about this planet and cosmos as we choose. It
is at that point that we realize that our choices affect our own destinies, our own
future, and no one else's. It is at these defining moment that we realize one thing: the
Matrix has us...
Bibliography:
Jones, Michael. Class Notes. Virginia Commonwealth 
University, 27 December 1999 to 8 January 2000.
Oreck, Josh. Making The Matrix. Home Box Office, 1999.
Wachowski, Andy & Larry. The Matrix. Warner Brothers, 1999.
Wells, Orson. Citizen Kane. RKO, 1941.