THE MATRIX - AN ANIT-CAPITALIST STATEMENT?

[Anonymous]

Don't you ever find yourself watching the T.V and realise when the adverts begin that you may as well be in the matrix. The world may as well have rules and restrictions like the matrix because people are so controlled and restricted. That film is an wasome statement of how we are all controlled.
Anyone have any opinion?

[Natalenko]

Yup. Except the guy that says he controls everything isnt the guy who acctually does. Whereas in the matrix, the agents do and say everything, they control it.

[Anonymous]

yeh there a far more powers in the real world who control, corrupt, and consume. the world and america is run by powerful multi-nationals......

[Menshevik]

The Matrix is based on Biblical ideas.

[sypher]

I thought the machines controled the matrix and the agents where only the "police" of the matrix

correct me if I'm wrong


how is the matrix based on biblical ideas?

[Anonymous]

The agents are the machines. they police the matrix. I dont think the matrix is based on biblical ideas. Its more about how the human race is a plague on te earth and how humanity is controlled in real life by the machine of capitalism

[PunkRawker677]

The Matrix definitly isnt based on Biblical Ideas. I just watched (about 2 days ago) the preview of Matrix Revisited. The Agents are not the machines. If it were so, they could kill the agents and destroy the matrix, and KILL everyone in the matrix at the same time. NOT a good idea. They are the "police" of the matrix, they are the programmed version of the machines.

[Anonymous]

yeh that makes sense! it can be such a confusing film. I cant wait for the sequal.

[Menshevik]

"Is what we experience really happening? What if our lives that we think of as so important, never happened? Where is the real-world--an escape from this life-long dream?"

These are all originally from the bible. Just look at the names, Trinity, Neo (the new man); Neo represents the messiah or a christ-figure. This is all in the Bible. Believe me, I know someone who teaches a college course on the topic.

[Field Marshal]

Don't forget the notion of Zion.

[peaccenicked]

The matrix can be used as a metaphor for alienation.
There is also the brainwashing side.
Everything you think is a product of capitalism, at some level.

[Fires of History]

We all see what we want to see I guess. I didn't see anything 'judeo-christian' in it.

[Menshevik]

yeh, its true the movie can be interpreted many different ways, but even the film makers admit its biblical relation.

[Fires of History]

Agreed. The Matrix is one of those rare movies that really lends itself to virtually any interpretation (no pun intended). I have heard anti-capitali$t, anti-government, Zen Buddhist, and even, lol, Quebec separatist interpretations.

I guess it's the argument of what is more valid: The artist's intent or the viewer's interpretation?

I was one of those annoying students in Literature classes who argued about why the author's intention was relevent at all to any valid reception and interpretation of the work. I guess what I am saying is that there is no such thing as a "correct" interpretation; there is only what the author thinks about the piece, and what the viewer thinks about the piece.

[suffianr]

The Matrix sequel has Morpheus running around witha sword, and a bad guy with dreadlocks. Kewl!

[ID2002]

I will say this:

The movie 100% anti-capitalist, and is very much based on world religions.

ie/

"Everyone has the key to unlock there power within"

"rely not on your instituions but the power of the people"

"a group of people with one in mind, and one in body can over throw any obsticle"

"think beyond the obvious"

"clear all illusions away...they cloud your mind"

[Anonymous]

yeh i do totally think that it is anti-capitialist and just generally very spirtual. The directors made keanu reaves read like 3 books on philsophy beore he even looked at the script!

[Vide]

Some people here need a clue. Anti-capitalist? That movie grossed $456.4 million dollars.

http://www.boxofficereport.com/wbon/profil...es/matrix.shtml (http://www.boxofficereport.com/wbon/profiles/matrix.shtml)

Yeesh.

[pce]

the matrix does have allusions to the bible but thematicaly it's exactly like plato's allegory of the cave.

[Lefty]

it is a confusing film, but i have always interpreted it as:
The matrix: the world as we know it today
the machines:the government
the agents:the police
neo: a person, that wakes up and realizes how much change for the better he can cause if he realises the enemies rules dont apply to him
isnt that what this site is all about?

oh and those special effects are reel purty and all spinny-like

[ID2002]

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.......totally

...maybe why the band decided to do a song for the soundtrack! ....ummmm

just a guess.

[Hattori Hanzo]

never saw that movie...

[Anonymous]

yeh, they recorded it 10 years prior to the film in the knowledge that it would be made! wow!!

[Vide]

Kill the Capitalists: Just curious, what did you pay to see that movie? Whatever it was, it's lining the pockets of the bourgeoisie.

[Anonymous]

Watched it at a mates!!! see whay you mean though, its hipocrytical just like Fight club, " none of us are gunna become movie stars or rock gods" brat pitt says. But wait, arn't you a movie star Mr. Pitt?

[Menshevik]

well, at least fight club is a book; the matrix was never a book.

[Anonymous]

yeh. so many good films are made from books man

[PunkRawker677]

NEO may represent "New Man", but for the Matrix it is "ONE" scrambled up, signifying "The One".. hehe

most movies can somehow be tied to religion. The directors and producers did not intend for this movie to have its roots in relgious philosophy..

[ComradeChe]

The Matrix Reloaded has been released

[RebelWithACause]

The Matrix is a fantastic film and I'd never thought of it having a point like that but now I do, I'm amazed. It's an outstanding statement against the lemmings of the world!

[man in the red suit]

Matrix goes against the belief of materialism. It promotes the idea that objective reality is NOT the source of sense perception. therefore, wouldn't that make it an anti-communist statement?

(Edited by man in the red suit at 8:05 am on July 21, 2002)

[man in the red suit]

oh yeah, and that movie was pretty cool by the way

[marxistdisciple]

You could call it anti-existentialist too. I just like the movie, it makes you think about things in different terms and that can only be a good thing. Sure, it made a lot of money, but so did American Beauty and I loved that movie too. Sometimes directors aren't purely motivated by money though, and I see film making as valid an artform as music and painting etc. (if you are good at it.)

[Fires of History]

The sequels look promising as well. I saw the preview for Matrix: Reloaded (to then be followed by Matrix: Revolutions). It looks great.

And on top of all the action in the preview was Morpheus saying, the way only his character can:

"I believe it is our fate to be here. It is our destiny. I believe this night holds for each and every one of us the very meaning of our lives. This is a war and we are soldiers. What if tomorrow the war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?"

Well, I'm damn excited.

[Anonymous]

yeh the sequels are going to be like nothing else. its supposed to be costing about 300 million.......

[Lefty]

obviously the greatest movie ever made lol

[Socialmalfunction]

i loved it. but i dont see how you can bash a movie for making money. no one would have ever heard of morpheus if it wasnt first made into a movie. the writers cant help it if they made a damn good movie and people liked it enough to watch it again and again can they? unfortunately now the only way for people to see things is to pay for it, you get what you pay for. and i'd say that with the matrix people got more than what they bargaind for... they got a kick ass movie with a killer plot and great action.

"you think that's air you're breathing now?"

[maoist3]

http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/movies/

has our review of the Matrix at the top.

It's definitely a revolutionary movie. It's also
materialist, because ideas are placed in people's
brains through chemistry/electricity--not God.

People here should also think about how it's
anti-anarchist, and our review gets into it.

[A Global Threat]

sigh...a prophesized savior saves us from our self constructed hell and narcisitic notions of superiority. He dies, but is resurrected. Neo is Jesus. Morpheus is John the baptist, the man who comes right before Neo, and begins "converting" people to the real world. They all try to either escape to Zion, or create Zion on Earth. The agents aren't machines, or the police. They are sin, acting against us. we Made a choice, and made sins, and they enslaved us, trapping us on earth. sound familiar?

[A Global Threat]

alright, sheep! ARE YOU READY TO BE BLOWN AWAY?! you're just a buncha fuckin robots! YEAH! THIS GUY knows what he's TALKIN about!

www.geocities.com/freeyourbrain

[glamgirl610]

i hated that movie. lets not compare ne thing to it. it was gross, creepy, and just plain FREAKY! the matrix sucks!

[Marxman]

I saw that movie for like 20 times and every time I see one metaphore after another. I see it mainly as an anti-capitalist/globalist/imperialist movie. People are entraped in the matrix that is exactly like capitalism. The people are so plugged in to it that some are ready to fight for it, like Morpheus said. And that is exactly the issue today. Most of us are so plugged inside the machine called capitalism that it makes me sick. And the agents - typical sentinels of the system that exists in any kind of horrid form (capitalism, fascism, stalinism,..). The movie is excellent and I am surprised that this kind of movie is filmed today, when capitalism lurks everywhere. It's actually an anarchist movie, more lenaing on guerrilaism, at least in the first part. I hope that Neo educates people more and more and gets mass support to overthrow the regime of the capitalist robots that only want humans as batteries. Without mass support, Matrix will still be loaded with walking batteries. If the movie continues like this, it may have a communist tendency in it but I doubt the authors will move into the role of the proletariat and peasantry. I think that sequels will represent a fictional representation of anarachy leading people to true freedom.

[man in the red suit]

Quote: from glamgirl610 on 7:27 am on Aug. 16, 2002
i hated that movie. lets not compare ne thing to it. it was gross, creepy, and just plain FREAKY! the matrix sucks!


Oh shut the fuck up! Go back and talk about cheerleading with your barbie bubble gum teeny boppersoldiers.

The matrix was amazing. Finally a movie comes out that gets people to think and you do the complete opposite!

[Marxman]

That's right. Nowadays I see zero movies that let you think. Matrix is the top notch in philosophy.

[Communistus]

The Matrix is THE best movie ive ever seen! it really makes you wonder about EVERYTHING i also feel it as a anti-capitalist statement. and i think that everyone should see it because its movie worth the time !!!

[Anonymous]

I saw the movie on TV and i dint liked it, nor i like its philosophy, i am aware of the existence of the "Big Brother" I prefer to call it a satyre, since it shows what capitalism does to us, the machine (capitalism) has blind slaves, that even not knowing that, are working for it (so is with capitalism) and a bunch of them see whats realy apening and decide to take action, the ones we may call socialists, hippies, new democracy, etc... resuming, the ones that really see the truth, it isnt anti-capitalist, it is real life!

[Anonymous]

resuming: i dint like the movie (i reopect everyone taht licked it!) neither the philosophy of it, altghou it is a good way to show what capitalism does to us, the problem is, the message can only be read by us (leftist etc) the "cattle" or bether the people taht should get this message dont get it, and we get, and this means we know what we alredy know, and other people see only sci-fi! For them is just a blockbsuter full of special efects, and teh funny about it is taht by seyng it you are feeding th matrix, even if you are watching it on TV you are contributing for the machine! its like the "matrix making fun of us!