Dystopian Trailer Critique - "The Matrix"

"The Matrix", Larry and Andy Wachowski, R, 1999

In this film, humans live in a simulated world known as the Matrix, but a group of revolutionaries, led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne).  Morpheus seeks to recruit Neo (Keanu Reeves); he believes that he is "The One" who can help them.

This trailer is exemplary of the dystopian genre because it successfully lays out the synopsis of the film in such a way that the components of a dystopia are easily identified.  It is also exemplary because it clearly establishes that the film has a theme of technological control.  For example, Morpheus says that, "The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."  One characteristic of a dystopia is that information is restricted.  In this case, "the truth", which is that the government is exploiting human beings for their bodys' energy, is the information being witheld.

Another example is that the style of the text suggests technology, there is a bit of electronic music, and several clips of technological devices.  These all contribute to a technological undertone, which in turn makes it obvious that the film involves technology.  From there, viewers can assume that this dystopia is an example of technological control.  I plan to use styles of text and video clips that suggest a theme of education for my dystopian trailer, since my plot involves the decimation of American education.  In addition, we will use dialogue to establish the plot's dystopian elements.