Many science fiction films embody a profound ambivalence towards technology.

The Matrix 1999

Both Serenity and The Matrix give the viewer the idea that technology is frantic and disorganised but it is not completely rejected by the people. They both have a dystopian view on humanity with technology. They both see technology as something that people should keep under control and not allow become part of the people. So, to make sure that the technology doesn’t completely take over the human race, then they have a select number of people to use their own ideas and technology to take over the people or computers that are in power.

Technology has a big part within science fiction and so there is going to be both resistance and acceptance towards it. In all the films of The Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolution and the animated series The Animatrix is resistance towards fully automated technology that is able to think for itself. The Matrix tells the audience that having technology that can think for itself will not be beneficial to the humans and might develop into something that will eventually destroy humanity or use humans for either research or an energy source.


Steven Tomkins argues that the films, besides the obvious signs of sci-fi, have are strong hints of religion. He says “Neo's (Keanu Reeves) mission, foretold by prophets, is to reveal the truth that will set humankind free. And if that's not messianic enough for you, he gives his life for others and then rises from the dead more powerful than ever. He even ends the movie ascending to heaven.” (“Forget sci-fi and guns - The Matrix is really about religion,” 2003) This hint of religion gives the film a feeling that it is favoured towards humans and an all powerful (with the acceptance that the all powerful was someone who was able to control technology) rather than technology. Tomkins also argues against the idea of it being a religious movie by saying “...there is no idea of sin, repentance, or forgiveness in The Matrix. Instead people just need to be liberated from illusion...”.

Morpheus (Laurence Fishbourn) says early in the film, “The Matrix is a computer-generated dreamworld built to keep us under control.”. This says that the computers are controlling people and keeping them in a sleep-like state. Whilst Andy Clark mentions that “The (apparent) deception practiced by the machines, we can now see, comes in two potential varieties” (Clark, 2014), which is in support the idea that the humans may be taught to accept automation in machines. Even Neo was a computer hacker before he was brought to the 'real world'. The only reason that the machines lost against the humans was because of the 'chosen one' defeated the main computer that was controlling the people.

The Matrix is based on the philosophy of Jean Baudrillard that technology has become part of peoples lives, that we have become part of that technology and we are being controlled by it. The whole world that we live in is just a simulation created by technology (Baudrillard, 1994).

Firefly 2002

The Matrix isn't the only film that has an ambivalence towards technology. The film Serenity (Whedon, 2005), based on the TV series Firefly (Firefly, 2002), is more subtle on being against the technology. They are more willing to use the technology even though their spaceship is the really old and had lots of problems. The negative side to the technology was the government experiment, where they tried to create a chemical that would make people calm and non-aggressive. This went wrong when the whole test planet became too calm and stopped doing everything, including eating and going to work. The planet just went to sleep, but there was a group that become more aggressive which where called Reavers.

It has been suggested that River Tam (Summer Lyn Glau) is a cyborg, with calms like “...turned into a machine/killer (a la The Manchurian Candidate), and apparently also deprived of her ability to filter things (and so both a "reader" of others' minds, and someone unable to block out the thoughts/emotions of others, including the dead).” (Mentor) but you find out that she was “versed in spelling and grammar from the age of 3, understood Quantum mechanics, physics, biological functions and took dancing lessons...scientists there began to experiment with her brain (cutting into it), developed her in the areas of being a seerer or mind reader, plus she was also trained for combat and programmed to fight on command.” which mean that she isn't a cyborg. She never had anything taken out or any technology put inside her. She was only trained and experimented on.

Serenity's view on technology is positive and that it is just there to assist the user rather than to create destruction and havoc. The only reason that technology went wrong was because a biological weapon designed to calm people down went wrong. This is something that is similar with The Matrix in that both went wrong with technology because someone or something with power and influence wanted to control everyone. This ended up with people resisting the thing or person with the power. The difference that Serenity has, is that the one that is in power is government and human, which means that the things that goes wrong is due to human error.

However Serenity has undertones that depicts technology (especially with biological technology) as something that is violent and to be feared. The violence and fear are an underlying messages within both the film and associated TV series but the main message in Serenity was the resistance to the law enforcers. This was because of the enforcers' idea of control and order and become of the extremes that the Alliance (the law enforcers) would take to create this idea. This included the use of chemical weapons to create calm and peace that as I mentioned earlier didn't work as intended. But for all the problems with the technology, it's creators intended it for what the perceive as correct and good.


Even though The Matrix and Serenity have a dystopian view towards technology they both do not reject the idea that technology provides assistance or guidance. The Matrix has a strong negativity towards automation of technology and a subtle hint of automation of people. But with the fight against automation they demonstrate a compliance to the use of technology to be able succeed there mission with the assistance from technology defined specifically to transport, discover and destroy the automated machines. Serenity openly uses the technology they are often getting into difficulties, have the lower hand and get into trouble, especially with law enforcers and gang members. They do not resist or fight against technology in the same way that The Matrix does.

The Matrix may initially seem to reject technology and rely on human power the viewer will find that as the trilogy progresses the more they are reliant on technology that humans are able to control. But Serenity's open approach to technology and rebel against the people in authority, shows the problems that can created if people uses technology to change or alter peoples behaviour. Serenity gives the viewer a sense that technology equals power. Meaning that the people that create and owns the most advance pieces of technology, they become the law. Both films fight against the most advanced in technology so that they are able to live there lives as humans rather than being part of technology or being afraid of it.