The Matrix follows in the traditions if 1984, THX1138, Logan's Run and Ayn Rand's Anthem. It presents the individuals struggle against a collective oppression and does so in an environment based upon reason. The plot theme of the film is that humans are being bred to provide energy to a race
of intelligent machines that they had created. The were housed in vast towers
designed to siphon off their biomechanical energy, and their reality was a
virtual reality computer simulation called the Matrix. A group of rebels -
escapees from the Matrix - is searching for an individual the call The
One. A hero with the ability to enter the Matrix and alter the programming, and defeat the agents of the machines to free humanity from
bondage. The only serious flaw in the theme and plot of the film is
its
reliance on the powers of the Oracle: seer of the future and
dispenser
wisdom. It is unlikely that there will be any best actor nominations
for
the cast, the performances across the board are adequate but far from
exceptional. Lawrence Fishburn as Morpheous the leader of the rebel
cell
is at times wooden and his performance seems forced. Keanue (sp?)
Reeves
does a good job as Neo but his portrayal of Neo's confusion in his
early
encounters with the Matrix and in his growing understanding of the
reality
that he is The One is a little one dimensional.
Despite the addition of the mystical to the plot and run of the mill
acting I highly recommend The Matrix to anyone who enjoys seeing the
triumph of an individual over the oppression of a collective.
Primacy of consciousness film; malevolent universe sense of
life; anti-technology. If the theme of this film is the individual v.
the collective, then so was Woodstock.
But, hey, it has *great* special effects. Written-Word.com
After I read the last review of this film, I understand
where the reviewer is coming from. However, I think the reviewer has made
some errors. First and foremost the false premise of the primacy of
consciousness deals with metaphysical facts, not man-made (or in this case
Machine-made) facts. The Matrix is not reality. Rather it is an
artificially created mechanism that revolves around the minds of human beings.
If the matrix can influence human minds, then why can't human minds
influience the machine?
Also I would not say that this film has a malevolent sense of life.
Granted it can be very depressing at times. Never the less the
protagonists believe that hope and virtue is still possible. By the end of the
film, the protagonists are winning the war against the evil machines. If
the film did have a malovelent sense of life, then it would show
humanity always being defeated by the evil machines, not being victorious
against them. Finally, I would not say that the film is anti-technology.
Rather I would say the film is a warning against the misuse of
technology. Technology is a tool that can be used for either good or evil
purposes. This film shows the consquences of technology being used for evil
purposes. In addition, the film does show the positive applications of
technology. The best example of this would be when Neo recieves a whole
Kung Fu lesson in a matter of seconds. The ability to transmit knowledge
directly into the human brain would be a very good and useful appli!
cation of technology.
The Matrix is a profound comment on both existentialist and
Objectivist theory.
When the human are in the Matrix, their senses tell them about an
imaginary world
around them. That world is not real from our perspective, but it
couldn't be any more
real to them. They can touch it, taste it feel it, smell it. Calling
upon objectivism, if what
they create is only in their minds, then what are they. If the work of
their lives is only an
imagining, then are they alive? They exist on two levels, our physical
reality and the
Matrix reality, but which is more real, the one about which their
senses inform them, or
the one in which their bodies lie? The one from which they consume
resources (real air,
water, carbohydrates), or the one in which they live imaginary lives?
Of course it could
be argued that the collective accomplishments of humankind become the
generation of
heat, this becoming their objective.
From an objectivist point of view, this has interesting
consequences. In The
Fountainhead, architecture is used as the metaphor for human
achievement. Architecture
has a permanence about it. Edifices are meant to last, meant to stand
the test of time.
The buildings are the men who create them, living on for many years.
In The Matrix
however, the human creations are not physical form of reality but
merely energy
expressions that are ephemeral and fleeting. They die as soon as they
are born.
That is the philosophical part of the review, now for the
nitpicking gripes. That
whole oracle business, I don't know what that was about, but I just
tried to ignore it
because it was based upon magic. Magic has very little place in such a
plot. The people
have their emerald city near the earth's core where they can obtain
energy from the
earth's core, but why don't he machines do this. That would eliminate
the need for
humans. Why use humans in the first place? Why not cows, or monkeys,
or mice? Any
animal that doesn't have the intelligence to need the Matrix, and the
intelligence to rebel.
Most importantly, how do they feed the humans? They cannot survive
indefinitely on the
flesh of the dead, they get less energy with every time it passes
through the cycle.
Humans are essentially solar powered. We eat cows that eat grass that
eats the sun. Take
out the sun, and the whole system fails. The Matrix is in direct
violation of the laws of
thermodynamics.
Very cool visually though. Loved the views of the machines.
After I read the last review of this film, I understand
where the reviewer is coming from. However, I think the reviewer has made
some errors. First and foremost the false premise of the primacy of
consciousness deals with metaphysical facts, not man-made (or in this case
Machine-made) facts. The Matrix is not reality. Rather it is an
artificially created mechanism that revolves around the minds of human beings.
If the matrix can influence human minds, then why can't human minds
influience the machine?
Also I would not say that this film has a malevolent sense of life.
Granted it can be very depressing at times. Never the less the
protagonists believe that hope and virtue is still possible. By the end of the
film, the protagonists are winning the war against the evil machines. If
the film did have a malovelent sense of life, then it would show
humanity always being defeated by the evil machines, not being victorious
against them. Finally, I would not say that the film is anti-technology.
Rather I would say the film is a warning against the misuse of
technology. Technology is a tool that can be used for either good or evil
purposes. This film shows the consquences of technology being used for evil
purposes. In addition, the film does show the positive applications of
technology. The best example of this would be when Neo recieves a whole
Kung Fu lesson in a matter of seconds. The ability to transmit knowledge
directly into the human brain would be a very good and useful appli!
cation of technology.
I believe the Matrix reflects Objective values, with a little
mysticism mixed in. The people in the Matrix live in a fantasy world,
one not based on reality. This puts me in mind of people who believe in
God, or other imaginary views of the universe. People are brainwashed
with irrational beliefs and views of reality in order to gain the
"sanction of the victim" (the parasitic machines feeding off the humans).
Another interesting metaphor is the fact that the agents can "take over"
individuals in the Matrix society. Because of people's irrational
beliefs, even if they're not horrible people, they can become tools of evil.
Notice how Trinity, Morpheus or any of the individualist types can be
taken over by the Agents. The man (can't remember his name at the
moment) who sells out the revolutionaries to the Agents is the epitome of
evil. He realizes that the Matrix is a delusion, yet accepts it, much like
Toohey in The Fountainhead. The Agent's parasitism off human being!
s is much like today's tax system.
Our hero, Neo, is able to reject the delusion and hence defeat it.
Also, the Oracle isn't exactly a "mystical" figure if you speculate
about what she actually is. Perhaps she is a rogue artificial
intelligence, or has some special knowledge.
