I just saw "The Matrix" again on the big screen and I loved it … again. That is, if you can get beyond the first 15 minutes. Not that they are that bad, but it's obvious that they are inferior to the rest of the film. What I'm referring to is the staging, the dialogue, and the acting in the beginning scenes.
With the physical appearance of Morpheus things change drastically. I want to make one thing clear, everything changes from that point - the acting, the dialogue, and the script becomes more intellectual. From this point the film takes us on a journey and doesn't let us down. The special effects, fighting scenes, and the philosophical message and meaning, keep the viewer constantly invested.
"The machines" literally have taken over the world which is reminiscent of present day. How many times have you left your phone or computer at home and you felt instantly lost and inefficient? Machines make us feel complete. If that doesn't scare you then look around. The government is tracking every single phone call, message and email that you send.
The company you work for is tracking the Internet pages that you see during work hours. If you have a company phone or car you can be 100% sure that you are tracked every second - Did you break the speed limit? Did you take a break that was not scheduled? Are you too slow (inefficient) at your work?
Technological companies are coming up with wrist bands and watches that can track your sleep, how much you eat and how many steps you're walking a day. They want to track not only our communications, but our physical functions and basic necessities of life - eating, sleeping, and physical activity (walking, running and sex). This is a form of tracking our brain waves. What's next? The full and complete submission to technology and with it the disappearance of human rights and freedoms.
I know what you are going to say - let them do it I have nothing to hide. Well, if you have nothing to hide then let them install a camera in your bedroom and in your bathroom. Would you do that? I don't think so. You know why? - because it's none of their business. Well, its none of their business to read your communications and daily activities too. Its not about having something to hide, it's about "Big Brother." Today, "Big Brother" has help from other brothers (Google, Facebook, AOL, Microsoft, Apple) and every application that asks to track your statistics and then log it on a website. Maybe we are not in an age where computers have taken over, but we are definitely living in times where a few people and government organizations have far greater control over our lives. Literally, over our lives.
Does it sound like a conspiracy theory or fairy tale? You can tell powerful stories with fairy tales. Take "Alice in Wonderland." "The Matrix" refers to the story of Alice several times. Moreover the film uses some of the symbols used by Lewis Carroll as well.
In the fairy tale, a girl named Alice sees White Rabbit and follows him, which causes her to fall down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar creatures. In "The Matrix" the main character is Mr. Anderson (later Neo). Alice and Anderson start with the letter A. This letter in our western culture symbolizes the beginning and the leader (the "A" student). The beginning of the adventure in the film is the beginning of the end for the machines. How does Mr. Anderson begin his journey? - by following the "White Rabbit." The white rabbit Neo follows is the tattoo on the shoulder of the attractive, goth and dangerous-fun looking Ada Nicodemou.
What is the "Rabbit-Hole?" In the fairy tale the rabbit hole symbolizes the stairs in the back of the main hall in the Christian Church. Thus by falling in the rabbit-hole and literally going to the other side, Neo becomes the symbol of the Christ figure. He leads the "human-batteries" into a new knowledge and gives them hope. First he gives hope to the "awakened" ones (apostles, if you will). Later, with the last phone call in the film, we are led to believe that the human race will follow - " I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin…"
"Down the Rabbit-Hole" Alice develops philosophies concerning what size she will end up as, or maybe die "going out altogether, like a candle." Thus her thoughts emulate the notion of her limits. There is a "limit" to everything, right? So when are we going to stand up and say "Enough" to the machines. Just like Neo does.
Another similarity between Neo and Alice is the language they use. Alice speaks French when she meets the mouse in chapter 2 and she says "Where is my cat?" During Neo's first visit to the matrix he sees a black cat twice and he says "Deja vu." A french phrase that happens to be a code in the matrix.
But for once, I don't think the French are our problem this time. The problem is our minds. The problem is that once you climb the political ladder you start to be consumed with controlling. How do you control? By monitoring what the peons say and do.
It's just another form of dictatorship. A dictatorship of the selected few by mechanical inventions that on the outside look cool and helpful, but ultimately are lethal to our basic right - to be free.
4 / 5
Director: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski
Staring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving.
With the physical appearance of Morpheus things change drastically. I want to make one thing clear, everything changes from that point - the acting, the dialogue, and the script becomes more intellectual. From this point the film takes us on a journey and doesn't let us down. The special effects, fighting scenes, and the philosophical message and meaning, keep the viewer constantly invested.
"The machines" literally have taken over the world which is reminiscent of present day. How many times have you left your phone or computer at home and you felt instantly lost and inefficient? Machines make us feel complete. If that doesn't scare you then look around. The government is tracking every single phone call, message and email that you send.
The company you work for is tracking the Internet pages that you see during work hours. If you have a company phone or car you can be 100% sure that you are tracked every second - Did you break the speed limit? Did you take a break that was not scheduled? Are you too slow (inefficient) at your work?
Technological companies are coming up with wrist bands and watches that can track your sleep, how much you eat and how many steps you're walking a day. They want to track not only our communications, but our physical functions and basic necessities of life - eating, sleeping, and physical activity (walking, running and sex). This is a form of tracking our brain waves. What's next? The full and complete submission to technology and with it the disappearance of human rights and freedoms.
I know what you are going to say - let them do it I have nothing to hide. Well, if you have nothing to hide then let them install a camera in your bedroom and in your bathroom. Would you do that? I don't think so. You know why? - because it's none of their business. Well, its none of their business to read your communications and daily activities too. Its not about having something to hide, it's about "Big Brother." Today, "Big Brother" has help from other brothers (Google, Facebook, AOL, Microsoft, Apple) and every application that asks to track your statistics and then log it on a website. Maybe we are not in an age where computers have taken over, but we are definitely living in times where a few people and government organizations have far greater control over our lives. Literally, over our lives.
Does it sound like a conspiracy theory or fairy tale? You can tell powerful stories with fairy tales. Take "Alice in Wonderland." "The Matrix" refers to the story of Alice several times. Moreover the film uses some of the symbols used by Lewis Carroll as well.
In the fairy tale, a girl named Alice sees White Rabbit and follows him, which causes her to fall down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar creatures. In "The Matrix" the main character is Mr. Anderson (later Neo). Alice and Anderson start with the letter A. This letter in our western culture symbolizes the beginning and the leader (the "A" student). The beginning of the adventure in the film is the beginning of the end for the machines. How does Mr. Anderson begin his journey? - by following the "White Rabbit." The white rabbit Neo follows is the tattoo on the shoulder of the attractive, goth and dangerous-fun looking Ada Nicodemou.
What is the "Rabbit-Hole?" In the fairy tale the rabbit hole symbolizes the stairs in the back of the main hall in the Christian Church. Thus by falling in the rabbit-hole and literally going to the other side, Neo becomes the symbol of the Christ figure. He leads the "human-batteries" into a new knowledge and gives them hope. First he gives hope to the "awakened" ones (apostles, if you will). Later, with the last phone call in the film, we are led to believe that the human race will follow - " I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin…"
"Down the Rabbit-Hole" Alice develops philosophies concerning what size she will end up as, or maybe die "going out altogether, like a candle." Thus her thoughts emulate the notion of her limits. There is a "limit" to everything, right? So when are we going to stand up and say "Enough" to the machines. Just like Neo does.
Another similarity between Neo and Alice is the language they use. Alice speaks French when she meets the mouse in chapter 2 and she says "Where is my cat?" During Neo's first visit to the matrix he sees a black cat twice and he says "Deja vu." A french phrase that happens to be a code in the matrix.
But for once, I don't think the French are our problem this time. The problem is our minds. The problem is that once you climb the political ladder you start to be consumed with controlling. How do you control? By monitoring what the peons say and do.
It's just another form of dictatorship. A dictatorship of the selected few by mechanical inventions that on the outside look cool and helpful, but ultimately are lethal to our basic right - to be free.
4 / 5
Director: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski
Staring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving.
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