The Matrix

The plot of the Matrix deals with humanity being taken over by artificial intelligent machines. A group of humans have to wage war against the machines to reclaim earth and reality. The machines have taken over the real world and destroyed what resides on it with the exception of Zion. The last city located deep underground where those who are free from the Matrix (a simulated world created by the machines) reside.

The Movie is full of rhetoric, one in particular is the color and the contrast between clutter and neatness in the different locations. In the real world it exudes dark colors along the lines of brown and black, meanwhile in the Matrix it is almost the opposite , it has bright colors. This vast difference was important to distinguish the two worlds.

The Wachowskis also distinguish the two worlds through their characters. Neo versus Agent Smith, Neo is shown in two  ways, first is the grungy and tattered look, when in the real world. But as soon as he enters the matrix he is dressed in clean attire, all black with a cape and shades. Agent Smith is also dressed to perfection, with a suit and tie.

A step further into what the message could be is the real world is meant to be imperfect as shown by the clothes and its inhabitants. The real world is an apocalyptic world, the people are forced underground and what was living has been ravaged by the machines. In the Matrix, it can be seen as perfect and running like a well oiled machine. But I think the message the Wachowskis are trying to send is that despite how efficient the machines make the Matrix it too is also meant to be imperfect as humans are. As long as humans live in the Matrix it will cease to be anywhere close to ideal, and that is shown by the conflict between agent smith and Neo (the one).