"Matrix" movie

[Peter Kilander]

Rakesh,

You make many points I agree with; I was only making one possible reading of
the movie. In my post, I was planning to go on and make some remarks in line
with what you said, but ran out of energy.


>A select few can see through it all, and only The One
>really has the power to defy the hold of virtual reality (of course the
>power is only developed after a deep kiss by leather chick). I would
>imagine this all appeals to you because you have spent some time in a
>Leninist or Trotyskist vanguard.

I wouldn't say it appeals to me, I was just trying to provide the logic of
the story's universe. You're right, it lends itself to a reading where the
vanguard saves the day.

>Moreover, does The One  really want to
>be out of the matrix? Or just have fewer illusions about its reality so he
>will be able to manipulate the world in which everyone else is falsely
>ensconsed more easily towards his own advantage?   The masses are
>considered too stupid for us to believe that they would want out; indeed
>they are considered to be dupes who are really enemies. Well there's a
>good reason to manipulate and fuck with them towards your own cyber
>warrior goals.  It really seems to have the same attitude towards others
>that is encouraged by the video games that countless anti social teenage
>boys play.


I could see a sequel made where Neo's absolute power corrupts him absolutely
and other humans must try to take him down. But remember, in the 22nd or
23rd century real world, he's just a normal guy. All of them are normal, if
somewhat "alternative." I suppose they could have started giving everyone
pills which wake them up in their pods, but the AIs would probably just kill
them off. Or maybe the rebels have limited resources. Remember they have
mush for food. (There are a lot of holes in the movie. Why didn't the AI
machine just snap Neo's neck when it fould him awake in its pod? They use
the bodies as food for the other pod people? Why didn't the AIs just build
solar panels above the clouds and wipe out humanity? Because they need us
like Capitalism needs us? Maybe I'm reading too much into this movie.)

>And please don't try to tell me a movie the suspence of which is centered
>on whether some supernatural Oracle's predictions will come true is
>subversive.


I wouldn't dare. It's like Neo is Luke Skywalker and Morpheus is Obe-Won
Kenobi and the Oracle is Yoda. Or Morpheus is Merlin and and Neo is King
Arthur, who's pulled Excalibur out of the stone. So, paired with the
old-fashioned, simplistic view of ideology is the idea of teleology. I could
have done without all the talk of destiny, too.

I'd be surprised if Hollywood made a big, action movie where there isn't
some white-knight-on-a-horse leader who saves everybody. Like Siegfried in
the German saga. It's often portrayed that MLK *was* the civil rights
movement.