Near the beginning of the film, many things hint to a sort of mix up between reality and a dream and as viewers, we experience real versus unreal. Even in the title sequence, where we are shown computer codes and everything made up of simple numbers running across the screen, the camera zooms into the single digit, ‘0’. As we get closer, we realise this one number is made up of yet more numbers, until we finally go inside the ‘0’, and literally enter the Matrix. Near the very beginning, when we first meet Trinity, we think her to be unreal – the way she dresses (in a tight black PVC outfit, while the guards dress in drab and boring uniforms) and the way she acts. As she jumps from one rooftop to another, one of the guards comments “That’s impossible!” which it is. Then there are the agents, who are all uniformed and identical, and act in a strange manner, which appears to be surreal and intimidating to the audience, as they are not individual, almost part of a system. Next, as Trinity disappears in the phone box, we are left baffled as to how she escaped, questioning the ‘reality’ of what we have seen.
Next we meet another main character, Neo, who is asleep, alone in front of his computer. He wakes up as his screen goes black. White text appears on his screen (“searching” – which is ironic, as Neo is ‘searching’ for a true reality), and his computer begins to start talking to him. This, like things before, is part of real versus unreal, and hints to the reality of the Matrix. The screen then says “Knock, knock, Neo” and there is a knock at his door. He answers the door and sells some disks to a group of criminals, who call him their “saviour”, giving him $2000 for the items. He then goes back into his room and places the money in a book entitled “Simulacra and Simulation”. With ‘simulacra’ being an image or vague semblance, and ‘simulation’ being an imitation or a representation, this adds to the irony and deception to the audience – it intensifies our suspicions about what is real and what is not.
Finally, his computer tells him to “follow the white rabbit”, and as his buyer asks him if he wants to come out clubbing with him, he spots the tattoo on the arm of one of the women with him, which is none other than a white rabbit. This links to Lewis Carroll’s story of ‘Alice In Wonderland’ where the young girl Alice follows a white rabbit, and she becomes trapped in a dream world – perhaps this is suggesting that what Neo accepts as reality is actually a dream world in which he is stuck?
Throughout the film, the filmmakers toy with the audience, presenting ideas or real vs. unreal, dream vs. reality, whilst dropping many inter-textual connections and opposing ideas.
In ‘The Matrix’ there are many connections and explorations in the idea of Christian beliefs. One of the main links is the character of Neo being portrayed as a Christ-like figure. Even his name suggests his Christ-like connections – his real name, Anderson, comes from the Greek word, Andros, meaning “man”, therefore his full surname declares Neo as the “son of man”. He’s real first name, Thomas, can be linked to Doubting Thomas, one of the apostles – in this case, Neo doubts himself and doubts the reality of the world around him. Lastly, his alias of Neo simply means new – put together with Anderson, Neo is the New Son of Man, or the Second Coming.
The first Christ was told to have been born from the virgin mother Mary, whereas Neo is literally ‘born’ into the real world from his pod. As the humans in the pods are “not so much born, but grown”, Neo can be described as also having a virgin birth. The pod is much like a womb, and he is even enclosed in a sac and has ‘umbilical cords’ (wires etc, plugged into him) when he finally awakes.
Another parallel is Neo’s birth and resurrection. Neo allows himself to be killed to save Morpheus from the evil of the Agents (who are symbolic of the Devil or demons), and remains dead for about three minutes (like Christ who was dead for three days). He is then resurrected by the force of love (from Trinity, like the Holy Trinity, which is God. God is viewed as love, and this is represented through Trinity’s kiss giving back life to Neo) and destroys the Agents.
Other than Neo, there are other parallels to the Christian stories. In ‘The Matrix’ the crew of the ship the Nebuchadnezzar act as Neo’s disciples, believing that he is their salvation. The Nebuchadnezzar is another parallel, this time to the former King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was well known for his magnificent kingdom, which may be a parallel of the city of Zion in ‘the Matrix’. It is told in the Bible that God defeated the corrupted kingdom of Judah through Nebuchadnezzar, because the people of Judah had turned against God, and refused to repent. The kingdom of Judah could be a parallel of the Agents and the Artificial Intelligence, and the people of Zion, the people of Babylon. Maybe this hints to the plot of future sequels to ‘the Matrix’ wherein the humans are finally liberated, and overpower the A.I?
Morpheus acts as a ‘John the Baptist’ as he has prepared the way for Neo, as well as “baptising” Neo himself, as well as many others – (baptising being to change his ways, where as Morpheus changed Neo’s perception of the real world). The name Morpheus is a Greek name, meaning “bringer of dreams” (yet another connection to the dream vs. reality theme) while ‘Morph’ means to change, and Morpheus seems to act his part by bringing about change. The Oracle told Morpheus that he would find ‘the One’ (much like Gabriel told Zacharius that his son (John the Baptist) would prepare the way and teach people about Jesus) and he proclaims Neo as this said ‘Messiah’. The characters of Tank and Dozer are brothers, much like Peter and Andrew in the disciples.
The parallel of Judas is played by Cypher, who betrays the crew for his own gains. He makes a deal with the Agents (or a pact with the Devil, as it were) and his payment was to be reinserted into the Matrix for a ‘better’ life.
Although there are many Christian parallels in ‘the Matrix’ (as was intended), there are also parallels to other religions. Although Neo and Morpheus seem to have clear Messianic connections, they also seem like Buddha or bodhisattva. Like Buddha, they show humanity its ignorance (the Matrix, as described by Morpheus is “a cage for your mind”, much like Buddha taught that greed and stupidity blinded you from goodness) and presumably, a way out. Even the very process of Neo’s ‘training’ is like a techno-cyber version of meditation. New ‘software’ would be input, which resulted in a complete transformation of his mind, much like meditation, which is intended to transform a person’s perception and experience of reality.
The Matrix is portrayed like the “problem of mind”, which, when this ignorant state of mind was overcome, a state of enlightenment is reached, much like both Buddha and Neo.
In the Dhammapada, (an early collection of sayings connected to the historical Buddha), it is told that “All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts”. The Matrix is meant to also be designed on thoughts, and changes who we are, and how we perceive reality. This is even further emphasized by “Yogacara”, a Buddhist school formed in the fourth century. The school taught that the objective world we see as real is ultimately a product of our minds. ‘The Matrix’ resonates with this, and the school’s founder, Vasubandhu, especially when Morpheus says “What is real? How do you define real?”
All in all, I feel that ‘The Matrix’ was incredibly successful – it is entertaining, with a gripping plot and sensational special effects and stunts, whilst still carrying a moral, sub-textual message. Although the underlying Christian (and even Buddhist) connections were not instantly recognisable, if they had been too obvious I felt the subtext would not have been as effective. Instead of an obvious connection, the viewer has to put in an effort to discover a subtext via many cleverly placed signs and hints. The hidden meaning and deeper plot, including the message of the power of hope, love, and a belief in oneself, seems to come to life upon deeper reflection.
The film raises many questions and presents new and original viewpoints on the definition of the reality of our existence, that involve the viewer and we find ourselves appreciating the film on many levels, both entertaining and moral.
