The Matrix (1999) and Genre Conventions

Sci Fi has traditionally been a genre of wonder and possibly. This film definitely delves into those components heavily especially with the way they chose to direct it and the cinematography. The biggest concept being man vs machine and what it could lead to in the future. This film isn’t just a Sci-Fi film though, it’s also a martial arts film. Just like in such martial arts classics as “The Karate Kid” and “Kill Bill”, there is a mentor and a student. Neo is the student learning everything he can from Morpheus. The Wachowskis’ definitely dive into the preexisting genre conventions, but like every other film they have made, they try to create new conventions. The conventions of genres can be constricting to one’s filmmaking process in terms of storytelling, but you don’t always have to follow them. That’s the nice thing about genres especially the Sci Fi genre, they don’t really have rules that are set in stone. When making sci fi films, you can tell it anyway you want to. Sci Fi as a genre is about creativity, possibility, and wonder. They do follow some of the genre conventions though to arouse those emotional responses from the audience. With the teacher and student storyline, they spend time developing who Neo is and what he can become. That gets the audience invested in the character, wanting the best for him in the end. The Wachowskis’ follow some of the conventions known to Sci Fi and Martial Arts films, mostly to arouse emotions for the audience. The sisters also create their own conventions while making “The Matrix”. Those conventions are still used to make Sci Fi Action epics to this day.