Film Lore

Computer hacker Thomas Anderson has lived a relatively ordinary life--in what he thinks is the year 1999--until he is contacted by the enigmatic Morpheus who leads him into the real world. In reality, it is 200 years later, and the world has been laid waste and taken over by advanced artificial intelligence machines. The computers have created a false version of 20th-century life--the "Matrix"--to keep the human slaves satisfied, while the AI machines draw power from the humans. Anderson, pursued constantly by "Agents" (computers who take on human form and infiltrate the Matrix), is hailed as "The One" who will lead the humans to overthrow the machines and reclaim the Earth.

Agent Smith -Hugo Weaving
In reality Agent Smith is actually nothing more than a search and destroy proramme integrated into the fantasy world that makes up the Matrix. Like his fellow agents, Smith can forceably take control of any individual that is connected directly to the Matrix. As such even if they were to be killed they could simply shunt there programme into another hoast. It is this ability that has made it extremely difficult for the free human resistance fighters lead by Morpheus to actually battle the Agents successfully. Until the arrival of Neo the only hope that the resistance had was to simply evade the Agents entirely, never really being able to stand and fight back. However with the arrival of Neo this all changes as the agents soon find that they can be beaten and that there is now an individual who can stand against them and defeat them with almost child like ease. This is the case at the end of the film as the Agents are forced to flee before Neo in an efort of self preservation, an act that proves unsecssesful and fatle for Agent Smith and two of his fellows.

Morpheus- Laurence Fishburne
The mysterious Morpheus is the person whom Neo has searched all his adult life for in the belief that he is some kind of computer hacker genius. In reality Morpheus is actually the leader of a resistance movement who knows the true secrects of mankind and their enslavement by the machines who control the artificial world of the Matrix. As time progresses's and Neo is brought out of the fantasy world that has been created for mankind and into the real world Morpheus explains that it is not Neo who has been in search of him but rather it is Morpheus who has been in search of Neo. Soon Morpheus begins to show Neo the real world and its horrors and that the world he believed to be real is nothing more than a computer generated fantasy world. As such in this world if you know that it is nothing more than illusion then it is possible to manipulate your surroundings and achieve the almost miraculaouls. With this knowlege Morpheus begins Neo's training. However Neo is at first reluctant to believe that he may be humanity's last best hope but as soon as Morpheus is captured by Agent Smith Neo is forced to rescue him. Upon achieveing this Neo finally begins to believe and Humanitys last best hope for survival finally arrives.

Neo- Keanu Reeves
At the start of the film Neo is nothing more than one of the planets supposed best hackers of computers. Almost a genius. It is these talents that finally attract the attentions of Morpheus. Neo suddenly finds himself thrust out of what he believes is normal life and into the horror that is the true reality of mankind and not the fantasy of the Matrix world. Upon being released from the Matrix Neo soon learns of the prophecy of 'the One'. A being who would come to the Matrix and finally lead humanity from the oppression of the machines. Neo is that being. At first he refuses to believe that he is this being but as time passes his powers and abilities within the Matrix increase until finally he challenges the supposedly unstopable Agents. In the penultimate battle Neo finally reaches his full potential, saving his new found friends and defeating the Agents thus sending a warning to the machines that they are now vulnerable and can be defeated.

Trinity- Carrie-Anne Moss
She is the first person to show Neo the truth about human existance. She takes Neo to meet morpheus who offers Neo the chance to see reality for what it is. Soon Trinity and Neo discover deep feelings for each other. However Neo must first discover and fufil his true destiny and become 'the One' an individual pre-ordained to lead humanity from the darkness that is the Matrix.

Cypher-Joe Pantoliano
Unknown to the group Cypher secretly yerns to be re-integrated back into the matrix. To this end he contacts the mysterious "Agents" and plots the downfall of not only Neo and his band of resistance fighters but also the last bastion of free humanity. Unfortunately before Cypher can finish off all of the resistance group he his killed but not before causing a great deal of harm including the capture and torture of morpheus at the hands of Agent Smith