At the start of ‘The Matrix’ there is a black background with green digits on it. The background makes the digits stand out and seem more vibrant. The first shot after the digits show a beam of light being shone directly into the camera. The camera then rotates and a dark corridor is shown, with the only light in it coming from the torches of the police officers. The police officers are crowed around a door with their guns out, ready to shoot what is behind the door. All the light is shown on the centre of the door, and darkness can be seen both above and below this. This creates a tense atmosphere as the story of the film is still unclear, and because of the number of police officers around the door, the viewer begins to believe that whatever is behind the door will be evil and ready to kill.
Sound is used in the beginning of ‘The Matrix’, during the alternating digits scene, as a way of gripping the viewer. As the digits are quickly changing a keyboard can be heard typing, as thought somebody is typing the digits. This grips the viewers as it makes them wonder why somebody would be typing these digits, and what their purpose in the film is. The scene after this, the police scene, has no sound, apart from one loud bang as the door is kicked down. This has created a gripping atmosphere as the silence shows that the police do not want anyone else to know that they are there, and the kicking of the door makes the viewer jump, as they are not expecting such a loud noise after so much silence.
The pace of the opening scene of ‘The Matrix’ scene also creates a tense gripping atmosphere. It is a very fast paced sequence, quickly moving from a phone conversation with two people to the police breaking down a door and pointing a gun at the head of a woman on a computer. As the police aim at the woman, there is a stillness which creates a tense atmosphere, as the viewer is unsure who will make the first move, and they are waiting for something to happen.
In the open sequence of ‘The Matrix’ uses different camera shots to create tension and a griping atmosphere. It begins with a close-up of one of the police officer’s face. The camera then rotates with the officer’s head to show another police officer walking down the darkened corridor. The camera then follows this officer as he walks down the corridor. The camera then cuts to a shot over the shoulder of an officer looking at a closed door. This has the effect that you are actually walking down the corridor, as one of the police officers. The camera then cuts quickly to a shot from the view of the door, just as it is being kicked down. The close up on Trinity shows that she is not concerned with what is happening behind her. Although she raises her hands, her eyes are fixed on the computer screen, making the viewer aware that whatever is on the screen is very important.
In conclusion I believe that the opening scenes of ‘The Matrix’ are effective in creating a tense and gripping atmosphere as they are designed to keep the viewer watching the film, and I think that it is successful in doing this as it does not give away too much of the plot to the film early on but makes the viewer want to make sense of what has just happened.
Jamie Russell 11.4
