Science News Forum - SciScoop
Home ¦ Join SciScoop ¦ Sections ¦ Categories ¦ Contact ¦ FAQ ¦ Links ¦ Sci-Art ¦ Search...

Now online: 13 Anonymous(s) and       SciScoop membership: 3517. Total stories since November 2002: 2752

Search SciScoop
 

Section Stories
The stories that didn't quite make it to the Front Page...

GE shows a glimpse into the future of lighting [OLEDs]
by mertero
News::Environment

Lose Stomach Fat, Get Six Pack Abs
by sciencebase
Reviews::Medicine

Science Fair Projects E-Book Download
by sciencebase
Site News::Potpourri

Free Computer Information Resources
by sciencebase
News::Announcements

A simulator of catastrophe to improve the programming of autonomous robots of rescue
by engineering
Events::Robotics

Radioprotection by Plant Flavone
by cesarsed
News::Chemistry

G8+5: FEEL THE HEAT, ACT NOW! Quick! Quick! Quick!
by koantum
Events::Environment

Matrix Revolution Marks The End Of The Line
By rickyjames, Section News
Posted on Thu Nov 06, 2003 at 04:08:53 AM PST

Movies Well, I saw Matrix: Revolution yesterday and wanted to put an article here as a placeholder so anybody who's interested could take a crack at discussing the pop philosophy embedded therein. For the record, here's what was said on SciScoop about the second movie, Matrix Reloaded. To avoid spoilers, here's not so much a formal review of the current movie but more like various random thoughts; what are yours?

Relatively little time of the movie is spent actually in the Matrix, and what time is spent there seems almost secondary to the plot so we can have the obligatory guns and kung-fu and Trinity in black leather and shades. Not that I'm complaining about the former and especially not about the latter, particularly while watching her in action and the resulting gunmob ballet when she's a little short on time. The off-screen real-life death and replacement of the actress who played the Oracle is extremely well done and even integrated into the storyline. I could watch a whole movie of the Frenchman mouthing off. It was also a pleasure to watch the gyrocopter pilot from the last two Mad Max movies run a Train in this one.

Back in the Real World, Morpheus is relegated to the role of minor sidekick and that irritating kid who idolized Neo in Reloaded gets the traditional Morpheus role of True Believer. You'd have to be a true believer to get in a roboshell walking machine gun and go up against squiddies with no more armor than those things had - without a little luck, a guy could end up with some really bad facial lacerations from shrapnel. The guys ARE lucky that the women are around, that's for sure; while the guys are tough enough to get the ball to the five yard line against overwhelming odds, it repeatedly takes a woman to get the job done and take the ball the rest of the way over the goal line. In fact, the roboshell gunners and the Battle of the Dock and the intertwined storylines and the overall war to decide the fate of Zion is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, some of the most stunning and gripping special effects ever. But you know what? This (essential) emphasis really makes the movie Zion: Revolution, not Matrix: Revolution, and therein lies the core problem. This isn't a Matrix movie; it's the movie that Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines should have been. It's a GREAT movie. I liked it a lot more than the second one. But it's not got the magic of the first one, not by a long shot.

Which brings us to Neo and Smith. What can I say? You'd have to be totally blind at the end to miss the Christian symbolism that's laid on as thick as the layer of Earth protecting Zion. Trinity gets a glimpse of heaven that renders her immune to pain and remarkably clear-headed, I think. A requirement of Faith is a necessity to accept and understand the ending, which apparently takes place somewhere that is neither Matrix nor Reality but some sort of Psychic Beyond that cares not whether your mind is encased in meat or silicon. Both Neo and Smith have attained that Higher Level Of Consciousness, so naturally they get Down And Dirty there. And in the end, When It Looked Like The Sun Wouldn't Shine Any More, God Put A Rainbow In The Clouds.

Matrix Revolution Marks The End Of The Line | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 hidden)

The Power of Belief (may contain a spoiler) (none / 0) (#1)
by Anonymous on Thu Nov 06, 2003 at 05:58:16 AM PST
I like your review of The Matrix Revolutions. I have been a hardcore matrix fan since the beginning, so I personally thought the ending was marvelous. I do have to disagree with you on a few points though. You seem to say in your review that the machines won. Maybe I am miss interpreting you... I'm not sure, however, the machines and the humans won. But for our purposes, the human race is saved. I think the best thing about this ending is that if people still want to remain plugged into the Matrix, they can. I have thought since the beginning, if you freed everyone, there would be MANY people who rebel against that, and would want to be placed back in the matrix. This would in turn create chaos, which would again threaten mankind. So this ending solves that.

The next point I want to make is your comment about Christianity being "layed on thick". I believe there were quite a few allusions to Christianity, but they were there only to make you realize what Neo meant to people of Zion. He sacrificed his life to save the human race. The reason the picked Christianity for the allusion is because the fact that the majority of the people watching this movie would be Christian and would understand what it meant. I've heard people say "I felt like I was getting Christianity shoved down my throat." That was not there intention whatsoever. They wanted to show you how powerful belief is.

This leads into my last point. I truly think The Matrix Trilogy was one of the best trilogies ever. To some, it seemed just a bunch of fight scenes and special graphics, but you just look at it on the outside. The Matrix Trilogy had so much deeper meaning behind it, that could call it almost fable (of sorts). It discusses three major motifs:

Choice.
Purpose.
Belief.

These were so interwoven into the movie that it surprises me everytime someone says "there is no plot to the matrix" or "there is no meaning". This is coming from, supposedly, very smart individuals. I don't understand how you cannot see the deeper meaning behind it.

These were amazing movies, truly. I can understand why some say that the movie had a "sucky" ending. It doesn't have the typical "happy ending", however, it was the best ending. It shows you that humans and machines cannot live without the other, it just doesn't work. If they live symbiotically, then they will thrive. It also showed that even the most "perfect" programs start to become more human. They start getting emotion. Their emotion clouds their decisions. For example (SPOILER AHEAD!) when Smith gets so excited/angry at Neo, he doesn't realize that Neo is tricking him. He is completely clouded by his emotions. Something that a program shouldn't do. But inevitably, programs become more human like. I would really like to here others opinions on this topic or on my interpretation, so please feel free to email me at mjb37@buffalo.edu.I would love to hear from anyone who wants to talk about the Matrix.



Martix (none / 0) (#3)
by Anonymous on Thu Nov 06, 2003 at 06:26:26 AM PST
Loved it! One must remember that the movies came out of a project concieved in a Landmark Forum (www.landmarkeducation.com) class. This is extremely evident in the Neo-Smith fight: "Why do you keep fighting?" "Becasue I choose to!" and the discussion about the meaning of life. This is pure Landmark. Take The Forum and you will really get an insight as to what all the movies are about!



Moss Don't Grow On A Rolling Revolution (none / 0) (#5)
by SEWilco on Thu Nov 06, 2003 at 04:38:21 PM PST
Some clues in M2 show how Neo can reasonably be doing what he is doing in M3. No Spoiler, figure it out yourself.



Next.... (none / 0) (#6)
by Anonymous on Fri Nov 07, 2003 at 08:55:59 AM PST
If you think this was a great trilogy, wait till the next Matrix trilogy comes out.
Here are some clues...
Neo was able to destroy sentinels with his mind. He was able to see even without eyeballs. Agent Smith was able to take over someone's body. All things that happened OUTSIDE the matrix...in the physical world.
Warning! Spoiler ahead...

A mature and observant AI would probably speculate that it existed in somebody else's Matrix. And that the true nature of the universe can be glimpsed from paranormal/psychic incidents. First three movies had minor religious references...religions created by and existing within the Matrix.

Is the movie going public open minded enough to have an imaginary machine explain that the convergance of various religions is the general theme of a higher level of reality? People (but not machines) can transcend into that reality.



Some questions....... (maybe spoilers........) (none / 0) (#7)
by Anonymous on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 12:55:40 AM PST
Just a couple of questions....

Within the movie, is there a logical (non - "mystical" cop out) explaination for Neo's ability to see, feel and control machines in the real world?

In M2 the Architect says that if Neo chooses the 'left' door (which he does) everyone connected to the Matrix will perish.  They didn't (save only by Smith's hand) so what was he ranting on about then? Was it just idle threat used to create a wanted out come or did some weird unexplained thing happen to make this times choise of "the one" screw up...

How was Smith a direct threat to the Machine God?
He hated the Matrix but where else could he go after choosing exile? If he chose to destroy the Matrix then he himself would also perish. Yes he is bad, yes he is angry, but what exactly could he do apart from becoming the ruler of the  place here he can stant to be...?

lastly, why do the machines even need the humans? Yes I know that they are using the humans as a living power plant but there are way too many better ways to obtain power that setting up their labour intensive human farms? For smart machines they are not very clued on. They have machines that can drill down into the core of the planet with out any troubles at all, here lies an almost unlimited power supply. they could use "Geothermal power-generation systems" (already in real life use) to make as much power as they need. thus get rid of the annoying humans and there for no problems...and no movie. lol. but a much closer scenario to even semi-realism.



Most Reviewers Lost The Point (none / 0) (#8)
by Niall on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 11:38:40 PM PST
Your review is interesting, but I'd have to disagree with the references to Christianity. Then again, I'm not Christian, so I wouldn't be looking for it anyway. My review of Revolutions and the trilogy can be found here.



About the title of the movie (none / 0) (#11)
by Anonymous on Fri Nov 14, 2003 at 02:53:38 AM PST
Don't now if anyone noticed but the movie was called Revolution as in... The Matrix has made a full revolution. Something wich has a Beginning and an End... Not a Revolution as in when ppl Rebel against the machines, just wanted to clear that up..



The glowing at the end (none / 0) (#13)
by Anonymous on Sat Nov 15, 2003 at 12:06:55 PM PST
I was wondering how the machines could give up so easily the "power" they have been using all this time, the Humans. But when I saw the ending when they were taking Neo, you can see him glowing, I wonder what that meant? Is he alive, and what did the glowing mean? Energy?!?! If that's so would Neo substitute all the humans as the alternative power plant? Just some questions I throw at you, maybe it's all bablings of my stupid mind, but hey had to say it :P



Interpretation with a machine/Alife perspective (none / 0) (#15)
by Anonymous on Sun Nov 16, 2003 at 04:19:53 PM PST
This interpretation comes with my friend who is a video game specialist. We
combined our analysis with our limited knowledge of computer
programming.

In my first reading of Matrix III, the ending was so obvious and simple
that the Bad can never win the Good, Smith was finally defeated by the
machine easily. The logic is not that simple. The clue is
"purpose" and "choice". Neo lives with choice, he chooses to go back to
the machine city and fight for Zion. He is not programmed to do this,
even Oracle is not sure about his choices. Smith survives with purpose.
His purpose is to encounter and defeat Neo. However Smith's purpose was
programmed by Oracle/the Matrix. Smith thought that he had overcome it
because he has become an independent program - a virus. He has
controlled Oracle and after all he has infected all programs in Matrix.
Therefore, you  have seen all his copies in Matrix in the final fight
scene. The trick is the little girl if you remember the first scene
Mobil Ave. Do you remember what's the name of the little girl's parents?
What are their program functions? Her father is a recycle program while
her mother is an interactive program. Remember also that they have to
stay in the Mobil Ave - the nowhere place between reality and Matrix in
order to exchange for their little girl's survival? Also, the important
message is that no program can survive without a purpose according to
the recycle program - her father. Therefore they must save their
daughter by making a deal with the Frenchman so that the little girl
will not be deleted. This is the core meaning of Matrix III - all
program must be deleted if it doesn't have a purpose. A program remains
a program if it only lives with a purpose. This is the logic of Matrix
as well as its structure - the architect's work. Smith was borne with
Neo, they are the polarity of the balancing equations in Matrix. The
Architect (the white hair gentlemen, father of Matrix) constructed
Matrix through calculating balance equations while Oracle manages Matrix
by disordering it. This is the sixth experiment she made with Matrix.
You have to refer this to Matrix II. Neo was a part of Oracle's
construction, he is a program, a perfect program. But this is also a
fatal one. In order to balance  Matrix's environment, Smith was borne
because of balancing an equation that  disordered, which is Neo. Smith
must come with Neo, they are the other side of a same
body/program/existence. The stronger Neo becomes, the same with Smith.
Smith cannot be defeated without losing Neo. Oracle cannot control Neo
by deleting him to save Zion or the machine city because this is what
she believes - freedom and choice - the only way to maintain Matrix and
the human race. Neo did make a choice of his own. He knows that he must
save Zion and Matrix by scarifying himself. This is also the purpose of
his survival in Matrix. He cannot be deleted because he has a purpose to
stay in the system. Smith has a strong purpose to stay in Matrix as
well, he has to and be able to survive as long as there is an opponent
in the system. On one hand he can infect all programs in the system
because of his purposive existence, on the other hand he cannot be
deleted by the system itself because of that logic. Finally Smith can
have  power to even get control of the system. This is just like when
our computer is infected by a very strong virus and finally our system
hanged and can only be loaded with a infected/out-of-control program.
Oracle plays a very dangerous game which is "allow" Smith to get control
of her and soon the whole Matrix was infected by Smith. This is the only
way to end Smith. Once Smith has cleared everything of his way including
his own system, his purpose will be finished. "Everything has a
beginning and everything has an end." Smith will have no purpose to stay
once he has cleared up everything including Neo. The machine is able to
strike Smith through Neo's body with the tricky function of the little
girl's stay. There are only two programs which was never infected by
Smith or will not be wholly destroyed with the defeat of Smith which is
- the Recycle program and the Interactive program that left in the Mobil
Ave. They are enough to reboot the system and recycle what is remain to
make the system running in a "normal" way. This clue is so vague but it
is the most important point of Matrix III. Without understanding this
clue, the ending is simply any hollywood cliche.

County Tam



re: Revolutions (none / 0) (#18)
by Anonymous on Sun Apr 11, 2004 at 02:07:23 PM PST
As someone who's only recently just seen Matrix : Revolutions, I must say I don't really agree with this conclusion. I suppose it has to do with your point of view but the closest I think anyone has gotten is the reviwer (don't remember where) that pointed out that the movie seemed to be more a socialist comment than anything else: Agent Smith is in a businss suit (i.e. business, corporate, capitalism), you can give people the neccesary tools to free themselves but unless they actually DO IT THEMSELVES, they will not truly be free. I think, mind blowing effects, music and filming aside, I was impressed with the fact that this finally managed to stay true to itself. cheers



Matrix Revolution Marks The End Of The Line | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 hidden)

Bookmark this story with del.icio.us Digg this story Furl this item Have you Reddit?

Login
Username:
Password:


Register Now Why join?

Add SciScoop to:

Subscribe to our partner Science Newsfeed for FREE Subscribe to our partner Science Newsfeed for FREE

Related Science Links
· Scoop
· Matrix: Revolution
· here's what was said on SciScoop about the second movie, Matrix Reloaded
· When It Looked Like The Sun Wouldn't Shine Any More, God Put A Rainbow In The Clouds
· More on Movies
· Also by rickyjames

All trademarks etc are owned by their respective companies
Comments are copyright individual "Poster" and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of individual members of the SciScoop Community. Site ©2002-2008 SciScoop.