The Matrix Film Opening Scene Analysis

Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

Budget: $63,000,000
Opening Weekend Gross: $27,788,331

The first scene in the opening of the film shows an establishing shot of the area. The blurred and wavy scene showing something is not right which then foreshadows the following scenes later in the film. The green tinge filter also connotes aliens. Therefore there is a meaning of the unknown and not knowing what is going to happen. The waves and blur also suggest the director did not want us to clearly see where the central protagonist is, which gives us the idea of the protagonist is being secretive and on the run. This is then shown later in the film opening. Because the shot has a very dark, this helps to show another aspect of secrecy.

Sound is used very effectively in the scene, as the idents and the establishing shot progresses, there is non-diegetic sounds effects added on for dramatic effect. The sounds are wobbly and suggest mystery and the unknown.

The shot then leads onto and forms to an altered green indent to show the production company. This helps to give the indent mote relativity toward the film.
The clouds in the background also denote a gloomy day, they are inevitable. This then symbolizes that the clouds are trying to hide and block out something. They also have a green tinge which relates the whole idea of the green theme of the unknown.

The use of font and colour the titles in the first section of the opening tells all about the film. by using a pale lime green colour connotes: secret code, hacking, etc. Also the font of the text suggests this idea of hacking.

The title screen is faded into from a 'matrix'. This then helps to give the title more relativity towards the film.

The sounds in this clip have glitchy and computeristic identificaton to them. Because they are part of the scene they are diegetic. The combination of the visuals and the sound help to give the film extra meaning, as the sound helps to emphasise the meaning of what is onscreen.

The next shot shows another matrix, this then symbolizes that something has been hacked and leaves the viewer to wonder what is going on. At the same time this scene is being shown, a phone call is ongoing.
During the phone call the protagonist (we assume this) starts to believe that their phone call is hacked and they are being listened to. This then relates back to the visuals on screen, therefore the viewer can relate the to things together.

In this part of the clip there is a phone conversation, which is diegetic, but also the addition of the glitchy and computerised sounds help to show and foreshadow to the viewer that the call has been hacked. The viewer can assume that the glitchy sounds and the 'matrix' visuals makeup the hacking, as these glitchy sounds and the visuals have connotations of this.

This extreme closeup (ECU) helps to keep the viewer contained and gives the viewer minimal view of the surroundings which makes them feel on the edge of their seat. The shot also sows a lot of detail of the person. Their expressions and feelings can be read from the ECU. The director of photography (DOP) or the cinematographer has decided not to include the whole face but just the eyes. This helps to show some of their expression, bu the viewer cannot be sure what they are exactly feeling.
The shot has a very shallow depth of field (SDOF) as the character is sharp and in focus to help us concentrate on him which is what the director wants us to do. But also the background is very blurred which helps us to not concentrate on the other things in the background as they are not important at this time. Also the light held by the other officer (we see this as the film progresses) helps to keep the character we see back lit. This helps to highlight his eye lashes and parts of his nose so we can see some of his expression without it being too dark. The colour of the torch has a very cold blue colour to it. This connotes coldness, darkness and also keeps the viewer in suspense. This then relates back to the film and the plot, where the protagonist is on the run and it keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The sound in this extract is very minimal, because of the stealth and silence of the police. the helps to build tension in the film opening, therefore creating a build up before the first fight encounter. This helps to intensify the whole scene.

As the shot before cuts to this one, the character becomes focused gradually, to help us as a viewer to concentrate on his face. As the character starts to look away the camera pans and moves across his face to show the viewer more of the setting they are in and the other police officers (we can assume this now). The focus is then changes tho focus on the other police officers in the background, because of the SDOP, the first character we see is very blurred and the others in the background are sharp and in focus.
The lighting in the shot is very specific. Because their is not lighting on the face of the character and it being completely dark, it helps us to focus on the surroundings rather than the blurred dark face in the foreground. The lighting, due to it being blue, makes it look misty, therefore having connotations of darkness and blocking and disrupting vision. Because of the back lit environment, the blurred gun is highlighted. This helps to give the scene a gloomy feel as there is only a outline of the prop.

The gun has connotations of protection, therefore making the viewer think that the protagonist is uncontrollable, as they have to use life-threatening weapons. Also the torches in the scene give an aspect of darkness, therefore having connotations that anything can happen.

This closeup of the central protagonist makes them look vulnerable therefore making the viewer think they are in trouble. Because of the light from the torches shining down on her verifys this. Also the use of the hands rasing helps to suggest this as well.
The black dark background also connotes the unknown therefore questioning the reader what is going to happen. Beacause of the back lighting, the outline of the protagonist's face is litup, this helps to contrast the dark background.