The Matrix

The Matrix (1999)

Information at Internet Movie Database
"Buddhism, Christianity, and The Matrix: The Dialectic of Myth-Making in Contemporary Cinema," James L. Ford, Ph.D., Journal of Religion and Film.
"Wake Up! Gnosticism and Buddhism in The Matrix," Frances Flannery-Dailey and Rachel Wagner, Journal of Religion and Film.
"Matrix: Spirituality Fiction," Christianity Guide Charles Henderson, About.Com.
Cinema in Focus, a social and spiritual commentary by Hal Conklin and Denny Wayman.
Hollywood Jesus visual review.
Looking Closer, review by Jeffrey Overstreet, "searching for truth, beauty and meaning in the movies."
Movie Parables review.
Next Wave movie review.
"The Matrix: Setting the Questions of the Ages in Bold Relief," Steve Lansingh, TheFilmForum: Christian Conversation about the Movies.
"Preaching Peace in Hollywood," (Terminator 3, LOTR 3, and Matrix 3), Jeff Krantz and Michael Hardin, preachingpeace.org.
Themes
- Adam/Everyman
  - As well as being rather like John the Baptist , Morpheus is also representative of everyman. He is one who knows that the world needs a saviour, and that he cannot save the world himself . "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light". Morpheus in some way represents the whole human race , crying out for and believing in Neo. Eventually Neo has to make the choice to sacrifice himself in order to free Morpheus (the human race), as he cannot free himself . This raises the idea of looking at John the Baptist as an everyman figure also. (submitted by Anne Gordon)
- Alternate Reality
  - Neo goes to the other reality at the beginning of the movie through a mirror. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Apocalyptic
  - See "Armageddon at the Millenial Dawn," Conrad Ostwalt, Journal of Religion and Film, 2000.
- Ascension
  - Neo and Trinity on the roof after Neo's death and resurrection. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Baptism
  - Neo decides between "false reality" and "true reality" and then is
- Call
  - Neo receives a "call" literally, by cell phone no less. (submitted by Mike Clark, Hamilton Canada)
- Call/Fate
  - "Discovering your Destiny"/"Dealing with Fatalistic Thinking" - Matrix-
    
    Neo is struggling to come to terms with his destiny. Morpheus asking him if he believes in fate- he doesn't because he likes to be in control of his own life. His visit with the Oracle reinforces this- she comments that he seems to be waiting for something instead of moving forward and that he doesn't believe in "all that fate crap". He finally comes to terms with who he could be at the end of the movie- great action stuff. (Mike Simpson)
- Confrontation with Evil
  - Neo's final battle scene.
- Decision
  - Neo must choose between the red pill and the blue pill - the ability to see the world as it really is, and the illusion of the world as he knows it.
- Empowerment
  - One particular theme I noticed can be summed up in a passage of scripture which states in so many words "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper." Morpheus tells Neo that he should free his mind. And he tells him about the agents and the fact that noone has ever defeated any of them. Morpheus begins to tell Neo that where everyone else has failed, he(Neo) will succeed. Neo's questions Morpheus if he's trying to say that he will dodge bullets. Morpheus says"I'm saying when the time comes, you won't have to." At the final battle scene, Neo rises from the "dead" and bullets are fired at him. He stops them; all the bullets fall without ever harming him. In the end, Neo not only survives but he transcends the boundaries of the Matrix and life in general. For me, this is one of the things that God is trying to show His people. Our faith in Him, our dedication to reading and doing His word---this empowers us to be the sons of God and to therefore free our minds from the boundaries(tests, trials, tribulations, temptations) of this world. You don't have to dodge bullets. Be assured that they are coming, but because the power of God is in us, we can look at those bullets, stop them in their tracks, and make them of none effect. (submitted by Katrina Finley)
- Eucharist
  - Neo is taken to the Oracle who meets (and feeds) people in her kitchen. She gives Neo a cookie and commissions Neo, though he does not learn the truth about his identity.
- Exodus
  - A suggestion for a movie dealing with some underlying themes to Moses and the Hebrew slaves. I am speaking of the sci-fi hit the Matrix. I very quickly saw an implied theme through out the movie. It is the theme of slaves needing freedom. The people in the Matrix (or Duracell batteries for the machines) are enslaved by a tyrant force using them to power their world. The same can be said for the Hebrews in Egypt. The Pharaoh enslaves the Hebrews to build his world. The machines in the movie use the people literally as a power source. The only difference is that the Hebrews were aware that they were slaves, the people in the Matrix do not. If you have seen the movie you understand why they don't realize they are slaves. In both cases a prophecy is made that a man will be born and he will be the one to free the people. In the Bible it is Moses and he is the 'deliver'. In the Matrix it is Neo and he is 'the One'. And both 'delivers' are not mighty men from some far away land, but are born as slaves themselves. While the movie makes a more obvious reference to Alice in Wonderland, the underlying theme of freedom from slavery is far more interesting and enlightening. (Emily Harding)
- Female God types
  - Neo is taken to the Oracle who meets (and feeds) people in her kitchen. She gives Neo a cookie and commissions Neo, though he does not learn the truth about his identity.
- Illusion/Reality
  - There are two worlds - we only think we live in the "real" one.
- John the Baptist
  - Morpheus recognizes (and wonders about) Neo as "the one who is to come." (See reivew by John D. Banks at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Judas
  - one of their own betrays them toward the middle of the movie. (See review by John D. Banks at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Mary Magdalene
  - relationship between Trinity and Neo. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Mirrors
  - Neo goes to other reality through a mirror. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Protection
  - One particular theme I noticed can be summed up in a passage of scripture which states in so many words "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper." Morpheus tells Neo that he should free his mind. And he tells him about the agents and the fact that noone has ever defeated any of them. Morpheus begins to tell Neo that where everyone else has failed, he(Neo) will succeed. Neo's questions Morpheus if he's trying to say that he will dodge bullets. Morpheus says "I'm saying when the time comes, you won't have to." At the final battle scene, Neo rises from the "dead" and bullets are fired at him. He stops them; all the bullets fall without ever harming him. In the end, Neo not only survives but he transcends the boundaries of the Matrix and life in general. For me, this is one of the things that God is trying to show His people. Our faith in Him, our dedication to reading and doing His word---this empowers us to be the sons of God and to therefore free our minds from the boundaries(tests, trials, tribulations, temptations) of this world. You don't have to dodge bullets. Be assured that they are coming, but because the power of God is in us, we can look at those bullets, stop them in their tracks, and make them of none effect. (submitted by Katrina Finley)
- Rebirth
  - Neo is "born again" toward the beginning of the movie. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
  - Neo is asked to meet the Rebel group under the "Adam" Street Bridge. This meeting happens just before they take the electronic bug out of him. Slightly later, Neo's "baptism/rebirth" (if you will) occurs. Consider the following scripture and its relationship between "Adam" (all human beings) and "The Christ" (Neo in the movie) 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (Tim Robertson)
- Resurrection
  - Neo is shot dead and comes back to life toward the end of the movie. (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)
- Sacrifice
  - "Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) discovers the truth about giving his life over for the sake of the community. The principalities and powers, in this case Artificial Intelligence, wish to kill Neo (literally the New Man). They believe that once they take Neo's life, the problem will be solved - the new man will be destroyed. What Neo discovers is this: that the new person comes directly out of the act of self-giving. Neo is killed but rises again." (Robert Widdowson)
- Savior
  - Neo as savior.
- Suffering Servant
  - Neo is beaten up and killed. He comes back to life to save the world. (Luke Gibbs)
- Transformation
  - A rather literal transformation: "Neo (New) is literally reborn, sprung from his womb in the Power Plant, sent down a channel and plunged into the water. He is then plucked up by the rebels, rising towards a light of the hovercraft's interior. He is awakened from a dream. Of course the name of the hovercraft is Nebuchadnezzar who, in Daniel, asked for his dreams to be analyzed." (submitted by Mike Clark, Hamilton, Canada)
- Trinity
  - Morpheus as "Father," Neo as "Son," Trinity as "Spirit". (See review at Hollywood Jesus.)

Index of Movie Titles

Index of Movie Themes