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Matrix Revolutions
Director: Andy & Larry Wachowski (2003)
Distributor: Warner Bros Distributors (UK). Certificate: 15
Spoiler notice: If you read on will become aware of
how the film ends.
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Main Characters:
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Reloaded left us hanging in suspense with Neo comatose, Agent Smith having infiltrated his way from the Matrix into the real world, and a whole bunch of Sentinels heading for Zion where things look pretty grim for the remaining humans.
Of course any attempt to briefly summarise
the plot of Revolutions (or any of the Matrix trilogy) is doomed to
failure due to the complex way in which the Wachowski brothers have interwoven
mythology, philosophy, and strands of religion. There will always be someone
who sees it in a different way. But here's my stab at what's going on. Feel
free to disagree!
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Fortunately for humanity, Neo recovers from his coma having found his way out of an isolated place within the Matrix. Eventually, he is able to turn the tide in the war against the machines, though not without great cost -he loses both his sight, and also the love of his life (oops . . . but I guess you have seen Revolutions by now). The first of these disasters takes place when Neo and Trinity are en route to the machine world where Neo intuitively knows the last hope for humanity is to be found. Unknown to them, there is an unwelcome stowaway on board - Agent Smith outside of the Matrix and embodied in human form. Neo wins the fight and is left blinded but this leaves him with special vision that enables him to navigate the ship into the machine world. Trinity trusts him to go on, though she herself dies on the way when the ship is almost destroyed. |
Neo convinces the machines of the danger posed by the Agent Smith 'virus' that is running rampant in the Matrix. What feels like an uneasy deal is struck between Neo and the collective machine mind and Neo re-enters the Matrix to do battle with the rapidly multiplying Agent Smith. As you would expect, Neo does the business and finishes off Smith for good(?). His victory sees the end of the assault by the machines on Zion - where one mean battle has been taking place - and the film closes with Neo out of the Matrix but still in the world of the machines. What happens next is anyone's guess. A fourth film?
THROUGH THE LENS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
Some key themes: Sacrifice and hope
One of the hallmarks of human love is its willingness to make sacrifices - even of life itself - for the sake of others. History is littered with stories of men and women who courageously put themselves in the way of harm in order that those whom they love might be saved. Whether it is soldiers in a time of war, the heroics of a teacher bravely standing in the way of a madman threatening a classroom of children with a knife, or a mother giving her kidney to save her child, the common thread is the willingness to put the life of others first.
Often, along with such acts of courage, goes a sense of hope that against all odds there will be a good outcome and that those who are loved and cherished will survive. In Revolutions, quite apart from the messianic role that is placed upon Neo, at a human level he is faced with yet another choice. To be part of the last-stand of humanity at Zion or to risk everything by travel into an unknown future in the machine world, driven by the hope that he will find an answer there and save those he loves (Trinity most of all).
The gospel of John records Jesus as saying to his disciples: 'Greater love has no-one that this, that he/she lay down his life for his/her friends' (John 15.13). In his own life he demonstrated that fact through his own death and all that was accomplished on the cross for the sake of the world. Jesus knew in the very depths of his being that love would somehow triumph and his hope for the future was unshakeable. He glimpsed in his human life, the bigger picture, and understood that no matter how hopeless a situation might seem God will prevail.
The challenge for us is to follow the example of Jesus and
live as people of hope in our own uncertain world and, in our own small way,
to live lovingly and sometimes sacrificially for the sake of others. We will
probably not be required to give up our lives, but it will still be costly along
the way.
Have your say on the discussion forum....
· Now that the Matrix trilogy is complete, what do you think of it? Were you left feeling happy, sad, cheated? Can you answer the question: 'What is the Matrix?'
· Do you have any stories of sacrifice within your own family or circle of friends - if so, why not share them on the forum?
· Have you ever been on the giving or receiving end of an act of self-sacrifice - if so, what effect has that experience had on you?
To discuss this further why not leave a message of the discussion forum.
