MATRIX REVOLUTIONS
US, 2003/ 129 minutes
Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie- Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett- Smith, Harold Perrineau, Helmut Bakaitis, Mary Alice, Harry Lennix, Robyn Nevin, Anthony Wong, Ian Bliss, Essie Davis, Bruce Spence, Bernard White, Tanveer Atwal, Nona Gaye, Anthony Zerbe, Lambert Wilson, Monica Bellucci.
Directed by The Wachowski Brothers.
With Matrix Revolutions, the American screenwriters and directors, the Wachowski Brothers (Andy and Larry) have completed what has been one of the most popular and talked about film trilogies. While The Lord of the Rings showed us Tolkein's world and took its audiences into the mythical past and used religious symbols and motifs, The Matrix trilogy takes audiences into a future that is no less mythical and which also uses religious symbols and motifs.
With the release of The Matrix in 1999, audiences both young and old responded to its exploration of the relationship between humans and modern technology. Philosophers around the world hurried to write articles for academic journals on how it raised the problems of what is real, what exists only in the mind and the possibilities of co-existing dimensions. Noted Catholic Polish director, Kzrystoff Zannussi, a member of the Vatican's Council for Culture was of the opinion that the film was a contemporary masterpiece and that people should see it, not only because of its extraordinary special effects but also because of its intellectual stimulus.
Matrix Revolutions, released around the world on the same day and the exact same time, will be the talking point for religious educators and theologians. A world where human-created computers and machines now hold the humans to ransom and who burrow through the earth to destroy them and their refuge city, Sion, can only be saved by Neo, an anagram of the One.
The first film in The Matrix trilogy introduced Neo as a Saviour-figure, someone human (or programmed like one) to be the means of saving the human race. In death and resurrection imagery, he was killed and then loved back to life by the warrior, Trinity. In Matrix Reloaded, the saviour role of Neo is developed but left in abeyance until Revolutions. By Matrix Revolutions, Neo is still the Saviour-figure par excellence, referred to by his enemy, Bane, as 'the blind messiah'. In apocalyptic imagery, with overtones of biblical battle imagery, he saves the bereft humans in the city of Sion and confronts the Satan-figure Mr Smith, and is seen, arms outstretched as on a cross. His blinded eyes see an internal vision, glowing beauty, a kind of 'beatific vision' which culminates in his final apotheosis.
While the Wachowski Brothers drew on all kinds of popular sagas and mythology, their use of names with Christian-overtones for their characters as well as imagery that is familiar from biblical stories, mean that there can be fruitful dialogue between the movie and the scriptures.
The descent of Jesus into 'hell' or 'hades' or 'to the dead' is an article of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Speculation in the early decades of the Church are echoed in references in Matthew's Gospel, the letter to the Ephesians as well as the suggested readings from John and I Peter. The tradition suggests that, while Jesus died for all, his death led him first to be associated with those who had gone before and were waiting to rise to new life with him.
The Jewish scriptures are full of battle imagery where God conquers the enemies of Israel as they do battle with their foes. The tour-de-force battle scene in Matrix Revolution, where the machines finally bore down to the city of Sion to destroy the humans, is replete with spectacular war machines, desperate human weaponry to ward of the enemy and terrible destruction of the humans. It is useful to read chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel, the chapter of Armageddon, so beloved by fundamentalist and rapture Christians. Gog of Magog has a plan to destroy Israel but is no match for the power of God. God's warnings are given through the prophet. Perhaps the Wachowskis know Ezekiel. However, the machines are like Gog, overwhelming forces for destruction. The warriors of Sion are like the harassed people of Israel. Like Ezekiel, there is an Oracle who prophesies and guides, especially to lead the hero, Neo. These biblical battles provide a context for Jesus' descent to the Dead.
The overview is given in I Peter 3:18-20: Jesus' mission at his death is to go to those who have remained faithful, even if they have sinned, and rescue them. The letter uses a parallel with God's patience for those who remained faithful at the time of the deluge (and goes further to parallel the deadly deluge with the saving waters of Baptism). Now, the dead can be 'baptised' and saved through Jesus' presence.
Since Neo is the saviour, he is pictured in Matrix Revolutions going down into his own 'hell'. He is betrayed by Bane, blinded by him. But his inner vision leads him to guide Trinity above the machines to a safe vision of clear and beautiful skies before he descends to do battle with Mr Smith. Part of his 'hell' is the sacrificial death of his beloved Trinity. As the power of megalomaniac Smith (Satanic in its delusions of grandeur) seems to conquer him, he goes into a grave before he regains the strength (with the images of Neo, arms outstretched) to finally defeat Smith.
In this connection, the sayings of Jesus in John 5:24-30 are evocative: the special hour coming, the dead hearing the voice of Jesus, those good people in the tombs rising to new life because of Jesus doing the will of the Father who sent him on his mission. As Smith asks in bewilderment during their battle, 'Why'. Neo answers, 'Because I choose to'.
Of course, many viewers will look at The Matrix trilogy as exciting science fiction or futuristic fantasy. Some will respond, according to producer, Joel Silver, just on the visceral level. Others will respond to the mythic layers. A Catholic response will explore those mythic levels and discover the links between the scriptures, Jesus of the Gospels and the religious symbols. For audiences who are not sure of their faith or their biblical knowledge, the films provide aspects of a new apologetics, a contemporary invitation to examine the credibility of the Catholic tradition.
1. The impact of this third part of the trilogy? Cinematic? Narrative? Themes, philosophical and religious?
2. The film as the third part, bringing everything to completion? The mythology of humans, the Matrix itself, the control of machines, the need for revolution? The mythologies of suffering, redemption and resurrection?
3. The visuals of the film: the city of Scion, the underground city, the life of the city, ordinary, the club and its decadence, the ordinary life, the Oracle and her house, kitchen? The railway station? The dock?
4. The action sequences, the ships, the dock, the battle with the machines, the flying, the battles, Neo, the confrontation with Smith and the multiple versions of Smith? The fights, flying?
5. The aural impact, the sound engineering, the musical themes?
6. The focus on Neo, his being called Mr Anderson by Smith, his relationship with Mr Smith, two aspects of good and evil? Human, computer programs? Their struggle, temptation and test, triumph? Mr Smith and the multiplying of evil, his confidence, his being overcome? Neo and the Oracle, Morpheus and his call of Neo? Trinity, their work together, saving each other's lives, their love, the final mission, Trinity and her death? Neo and his return, his decision to go on his mission, giving himself, being blinded, seeing in his inner light, his descent into Hell, his flight to confront Smith and save the people of Scion? The grief at Trinity's death? Mr Smith, the fight, the overtones of the biblical battle, his being visualised as being arms outstretched and crucified, his apotheosis and resurrection? His declaration, "I choose"? The people's response to their saviour?
7. Trinity, saving and being saved, love for Neo, his being in a coma, her concern? Her knowing that she had to give everything to be with him, go on his mission? Going to see the Merovingian, the confrontation, her willingness to sacrifice everything? Going to the council, their rebuke, the ship, flying with Neo, the attack, flying into the sky and seeing its beauty, her death and the final scene with Neo?
8. Morpheus, his role as leader, his seeming to lose hope, yet his trust, with Niobe? With the council? His belief in Neo, going in the ship, the flight, helping Niobe, his skills and his final vindication?
9. The pilot, driving, his girlfriend, the farewell, going on the mission? The girl and her friend, shooting with the attack of the machines, opening the door, saving the people? Jason and his overview? The captain leading the machines and the attack on the invaders, wanting to give them hell, the young boy, his inexperience, programmed, his opening the doors, present at the final triumph?
10. The role of the council, their human decisions, their bewilderment, their having to trust, their having to flee before they were destroyed?
11. The Indian family, at the railway station, saving the little girl, the mother and her suspicions, the father and his explanations, his working for the Merovingian, the Architect? The little girl and her being with the Oracle, the domestic scenes in the kitchen, her final appearance and her being the sign of salvation, the sunrise?
12. The Merovingian, his power, the club, the people dancing, the hedonism, Persephone at his side? The Merovingian being given the philosophical lines, overtly philosophical, his own scepticism, discussions of cause and effect and consequences? The train man, his being an instrument of the Merovingian, his appearance, believing himself God, at the railway station, on the train, the confrontation with Neo? Trinity and the deal with the Merovingian?
13. The Oracle (and Gloria Foster dying after the second film and the explanation of a new transformation in appearance of the Oracle)? Giving advice to Trinity, the domestic scenes, Neo consulting, her being a program, believing but not knowing, the cookies, Mr Smith and his connection with her - the relationship of the programs, her mothering? The end and the vindication?
14. The appearance of the Architect, acting as God-like, not human, his attitude towards the battle with the machines and what had happened, his conversation with the Oracle?
15. Mr Smith, his growing importance in the series, the embodiment of evil, arrogance, believing himself to be greater than the Matrix and the machines, the build-up to the confrontation, going to the Oracle, his appearance, his being a tempter and a Satan to Neo, the multiplication of his presence, controller, the fight, his assumption that he would win, Neo's power over him, his disappointment and defeat?
16. The Matrix itself, the creation by humans, its taking over power against the humans, the rise of the machines, the human surrender, the decision to fight back, the apocalyptic battle and its visual presence, its length in the film? The symbolic name of Scion, doing as much as it could do, yet needing a greater saviour?
17. the finale, the restoration of evil, Neo and his achievement as saviour, risen? The film's drawing on a range of mythologies and sagas, epics, battles, biblical names and themes? A satisfying combination?
