Reminiscing about the advanced visual style of the cyber science fiction revolution ``The matrix''

"The matrix" synopsis

Thomas Anderson, who works as a programmer at a major software company, has the secret side of Neo, a genius hacker. One day, when he is troubled by the feeling that he is dreaming even though he is awake, he is guided by an unknown beautiful woman, Trinity, and meets a man named Morpheus. There, Neo learns the shocking The Truth and takes on a fierce battle to liberate humanity.

More than 20 years have passed since ``The matrix'' (1999) was released. As children born at the time of its release have grown into adults, the film's innovation has now become the standard, and there are generations who are unaware of what was so amazing about it. Directors Larry and Andy Wachowski (currently sisters Lana and Lily Wachowski) create an original concept of cyberspace (virtual space) that overturns the concept of humans and social life on earth. Develop a story. A hero model is formed in which an awakened savior tries to lead humanity controlled by AI to liberation, and it takes the ``Star Wars'' (``Star Wars Episode 1/Phantom Menace''), which was revived in the same year, to the old era. The expression was so full of novelty that it gave the illusion that it was content.

"The matrix" trailer

Index

• Style influx from Hong Kong action movies
• Visual beauty backed by the sensibilities of a comic artist
• Bullet time inspired imitations

Style influx from Hong Kong action movies

What is impressive about ``The matrix'' is the many dynamic visual depictions that are not limited by time or space in the cyber realm.

Due to the nature of the setting mentioned above, this work required an action expression that was not bound by gravity. One of the ways the Wachowskis took this approach was to focus on the wire work that had been used in Hong Kong kung fu films, and to draw upon the work of leading expert Yuen Woo-ping (once upon a time in the works).・China Tenchi Tairan ” (1992)) was invited to the project as an action choreographer. As a result, he brought to American audiences the action style of Hong Kong movies, such as the shadowless leg, where the player repeatedly kicks while suspended in the air, and the action style of Hong Kong movies, where the player performs a cartwheel and runs along a wall.

"The matrix" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

In addition, the style in which the main character Neo played by Keanu Reeves and the female warrior Trinity played by Carrie-Anne Moss hold guns with double hands is also used in " A Better Tomorrow " (1986) and " A Better Tomorrow: Final Chapter ". The influence of John Woo, the master director of Hong Kong neo-noir films such as (1989), is evident. Above all, Wu's works are clearly influenced by slow motion, which creates dramatic visual effects by elongating instantaneous events through variable speeds, and clearly expresses the freedom from time that cyberspace brings. ing.

Visual beauty backed by the sensibilities of a comic artist