In-depth Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in The Matrix Film

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of interpersonal communication concepts within the science fiction film 'The Matrix'. It examines relationship dynamics, highlighting the bond between Neo and Trinity, and Neo and Morpheus. The analysis extends to verbal and non-verbal communication, illustrating how characters convey feelings and build connections. The role of listening, particularly Neo's reliance on Morpheus's guidance, is explored. The essay also addresses the central conflict of free will, as depicted in the film's narrative. Ultimately, the essay argues that 'The Matrix' effectively uses various forms of interpersonal communication to convey complex messages about reality, illusion, and the dynamics between characters, reinforcing the theme of good prevailing over evil.

Running head: MOVIE ANALYSIS
MOVIE ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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The Matrix is a science fiction movie which was released in the year 1999. The
Wachowski Brothers wrote and directed the film. The cast of the film consists of Keanu
Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving. The
movie shows a dystopian or frightening future where the reality which is perceived my most
people is in actual a stimulated reality which is known as the Matrix. The Matrix was created
by the living machines who wanted to overpower the human race while they use their bodies’
electricity and heat as the source of energy. Bullet time is a visual effect which was made
popular in the movie (Akechi et al., 2014). The film has been awarded four Academy awards
along with many other awards. The movie has also appeared in the list of films which were
science fictions and was added for preservation to the National Film Registry in the year
2012.
The movie begins with the shot of a computer screen which indicates that a phone call
is being traced as voices can be overheard discussing on whether they were able to find The
One. A woman, Trinity, played by Carrie-Anne Moss is cornered by police in a motel where
she overpowers them with her superhuman skills. A group of superhuman Agents arrive at
the scene and lead the police in a rooftop chase to try and catch Trinity. Trinity reaches a
phone booth where she answers the phone and vanishes. Thomas Anderson who is a
computer programmer lives a double role of a hacker, Neo played by Keanu Reeves. He
becomes confused with a cryptic phrase, the Matrix, which he encounters online repeatedly.
Trinity contacts Neo and says that a man named Morpheus can provide him the meaning of
the phrase. The Agents capture Neo and threaten him to help them catch Morpheus. Despite
that Neo meets Morpheus, who in turn offers him two pills a red one which can show him the
truth and a blue one which can return him to his previous self. Neo takes the red bill and
disintegrates and wakes up weak, naked and hairless. He is rescued by Morpheus by his
hovercraft which was called the Nebuchadnezzar. As Neo recovers, Morpheus tells him the

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truth about how the living machines declared war against the human population. The Matrix
is a shared imitation of the world, where the harvested humans’ minds have been trapped.
The last refugee world, Zion, is inhabited by the free humans. Neo and Trinity along with
Morpheus and his crew enters the Matrix to pay a visit to the Oracle, who is a prophet who
had predicted the existence of the One. She says that Neo is not the one and warns him that
soon he will have to make a choice between Morpheus and his own life. While leaving the
Matrix the group is attacked by agents and the tactical police because of the betrayal of a
crew member named Cypher. Morpheus gets himself captured by the Agents so that Neo
could escape with the rest of his crew. Cyphers exists the Matrix and kills several defenceless
crew members. While attempting to disconnect the tanks of Neo and Trinity, he is killed by
Tank, another crew member whom Cypher had left to die. The Agents questions Morpheus in
the matrix to gain access to the codes to the mainframe computer in Zion. Tank proposes
killing Morpheus so that this could be prevented, however, Neo decided to return to the
Matrix and rescue Morpheus. Trinity accompanies him and while rescuing Morpheus, Neo
regains confidence over his abilities. Trinity and Morpheus exits the Matrix but Neo gets
killed by Smith before he can get a chance to leave. In the real world, Nebuchadnezzar is
attacked by machines known as Sentinels. Trinity’s loves awakes Neo and he defeats Smith
and leaves the Matrix just when the electromagnetic pulse weapons of the ship is disabled
and attacks the Sentinels.
There are various interpersonal communication concepts that have been used in this
movie. Firstly, relationship dynamics means the relationships that exists within different
people. It is the likings and disliking that people have towards each other and in different
relationships (Palmatier et al., 2013). There can be different kinds of dynamics between
different people. It can be about power and control. It can also be about liking and disliking.
It can be about respect towards one another. The main point of relationship dynamics is that

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people form different kinds of bond in various kinds of relationships and it can be of different
values. In the movie the Matrix there are different kinds of relationship dynamics. However,
the most two important relationships is that of Neo and Trinity which is a relationship of
liking and love. Both of them like each other and at the end of the movie we can clearly
understand their love when Trinity is able to awake Neo from his death by kissing him and
telling him that she loves him. The second relationship is that of Neo and Morpheus which is
a relation of respect and that of a teacher and student. Neo treats Morpheus as his teacher and
listens to every advice he has to offer. This relation is understood more prominently when
Neo risks his life to rescue Morpheus from the Matrix without thinking about his own safety.
Secondly, verbal communication means the kind of communication which is done through
words. This is the most common type of communication which is done by people all over the
world (Huczynski, Buchanan & Huczynski, 2013). The whole movie is mostly based on
verbal communication. The characters speak to each other to convey their feelings whether
positive or negative. The communication between Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Smith and all the
other characters are all examples of verbal communication in the movie. For example when
Morpheus tells about the reality and the Matrix to Neo he was verbally communicating with
Neo regarding the truth that existed and prevailed. Thirdly, non-verbal communication meant
communicating without the use of words. This kind of communication could mean that
people are communicating with each other with the use of body language, facial expressions,
eye contact, touch, posture, use of space and so on (Mehrabian, 2017). This type of
communication is very hard to portray and even harder to understand but it is done when
words are no longer needed to express one’s feelings. In the movie the Matrix, there were
many non-verbal communication used between different characters. For instance, the respect
and loyalty that Neo had towards Morpheus need not be explained or expressed through
words. It could be clearly understood from the actions and the unquestioning ways that Neo

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supported Morpheus. It could even be understood when Neo did not think once about the risk
that he was taking on his life when he went into the Matrix to rescue Morpheus from the
clutches of the Agents. There is also Trinity whose actions have always made it clear that she
was in love with neo and would do anything to protect him from any harm. This was
maintained till the end when she used words to describe her feelings towards Neo. Fourthly,
listening meant to understand pay attention to everything that others told them but only to
listen and keep in mind the important ones which would be helpful in the long run. Listening
not just meant to simply hear each word that the speaker said, it also meant that the listener
will apply the words into actions so that something comes out of it (Hayes, 2013). Listening
is a step towards learning and a good listener will be able to learn new things if he listens to
the worlds of the right person. In the same way the listener will embark on a bad path if he or
she listens to the wrong person. In the movie the matrix, Neo listens to every advice that
Morpheus gave him and followed it without questioning him about anything. For example, in
the first training sessions Neo is given the task to jump from one huge skyscraper to another.
His mentor Morpheus completes the task with ease and advices Neo to clear his mind. Even
though Neo is not able to compete his task but he keeps his mentor’s advice in his mind and
uses it later on in the movie. Lastly conflict means a disagreement or a kind of argument that
is present between different parties which can lead to be very serious or harmful with the
change in time (Van der Vliert, 2013). The main conflict that is present in the movie the
Matrix is the idea of free will which is not given to certain beings. The machines have
enslaved the human race with the vision to eradicate them from the face of the earth. The
humans were not given free will to exist in their own world. In the whole movie, the concept
of free will is what creates grave problems as this was not a reality in the world.
Hence, it can be said that the movie used interpersonal communications to a great deal
and to convey different messages to different people. Not just verbal communication, all

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other types of communication such as non-verbal, listening, and conflicts were used to prove
that not just one kind of communication is needed to explain the different feelings of the
people. The whole film has depended on the birder of reality and illusion and have showed
the different dynamics that the different characters had with each other. The movie, like every
other, also showed in the end that good always prevailed over the evil and no amount of evil
can eradicate the good deeds from the face of the world.

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References:
Akechi, N., Kitahara, I., Sakamoto, R., & Ohta, Y. (2014, November). Multi-resolution
bullet-time effect. In SIGGRAPH Asia 2014 Posters (p. 30). ACM.
Hayes, J. (2013). Interpersonal Skills: Goal directed behaviour at work. Routledge.
Huczynski, A., Buchanan, D. A., & Huczynski, A. A. (2013). Organizational behaviour (p.
82). London: Pearson.
Mehrabian, A. (2017). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Palmatier, R. W., Houston, M. B., Dant, R. P., & Grewal, D. (2013). Relationship velocity:
toward a theory of relationship dynamics. Journal of Marketing, 77(1), 13-30.
Van der Vliert, E. (2013). Complex interpersonal conflict behaviour: Theoretical frontiers.
Psychology Press.