The Matrix †Over-Zealous Fans and Hero Worship :: Movie Film Essays

The Matrix – Over-Zealous Fans and Hero Worship There are too many zealous fanzines on the web devoted to The Matrix and its sequels, and these are not fan sites that dissect CGI or allow you to download doctored photos of Keanu Reeves. Such obvious surface obsessions are no longer the norm. Instead, these new sites cater to a much more frightening fantasy. They foretell of the "depth" within The Matrix: the great religious teachings, the deep philosophies, the hidden Christ elements. And, it is true that The Matrix essentially scraped the loose and pliant first layer of skin from Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism to create the aura of mystic machinery in the film. However, let's face it, all resemblances to Christ figures---living or dead---is purely incidental. But, such easy-to-digest philosophy allows the average film viewer to feel that he "gets" what he considers a "deep" philosophy. Let's just avoid the whole joke about packaging "deep" philosophy in two-hour chunks of shiny latex-laden kung fu. It's been done. But, essentially, I don't believe that the "deep" religiosity of the flick is the true motivation of most devotees. Such vapidity is merely a convenient cover for something much more selfish: The idea that any typical American slacker will be plucked free from his lackluster, lazy existence and converted into the Messiah without any real effort----just a few kick-ass computer games shoved into the back of his head and he's all set to save the world. It's the ultimate fantasy for our couch potato hordes. Even I comprehend the adrenaline rush that half-ass Messiahness can create: All power, no effort. Additionally, maybe there are other factors that contribute to our American slacker relating to the major characters of The Matrix. Besides the nice no-step route to simple saviorness, there are other bonuses to this job. Maybe those who find The Matrix deep and philosophical are really just interested in the strange fact that the "enlightened" get to wear sexy, perfectly tailored black clothing and sunglasses that would cost more than my Ford Ranger if they weren't blipped from the nothingness of a "loading" program. That's really the only reason I can personally see for converting an entertaining, but plot-flawed, flick like The Matrix into a set of life philosophies: When you're enlightened, baby, you look good. Neither Buddha nor Christ ever had the duds to compete with Neo. So, we've got an easy route to Messiahness and a kick-ass wardrobe.