The Matrix Reloaded: Back Thorough the Looking Glass

Hmm: another night in …

And I swear those crisps will eaten, before the sell by date … !

You can tell we’ve little in the way of money, can’t you?   And that everyone else we know is out, busy or ill …

Anyway, Adrian and I near enough decided, last week, that we’d watch the complete set, and chew themes and sequels over.

And both agreed that middle movies always seem to suffer.

It’s always the way, though, isn’t it?   We felt so so: mostly on the basis that the story arc in a trilogy is, after all, only part way through.

Let’s face it, it has to tie off loose ends from part one, and set up part three.

But here’s the plot, in case you’d like a quick look.

And I’m thinking that’s largely the way movies are made, these days, means the middle film of a threesome is going to suffer.

As far as I’ve understood it, the two Matrix sequels were made back to back – much like the two Back to the Future sequels – and some time after the first entry in the respective franchises.

Which, if I’d understood the received wisdom – it certainly seems the case with Back to the Future: Part Two – that the middle child can be a mess.

Saying that, though, I should point out that – again, as far as I know – the Lord of the Rings trilogy was an exception, there.   If I’ve understood things correctly, Peter Jackson and the rest of the Wingnut Productions crew had all three planned from the start.   I can’t imagine it being any other way, frankly.   But that was influenced by the fact that, although Professor Tolkien would’ve preferred it to be published in one volume, the then currant, post-war, paper rationing meant  that The Lord Of The Rings was published in three parts.   That’s influenced how we see it.

It certainly influenced the films’ producers.

But The Matrix Reloaded does carry on with the whole feel of the first entry in the series.

Guns, babes – however you choose to define ‘babes’ – and buried pop-philosophy, if you want to go looking for it.

There’s whole arguments floating around cyberspace about it, too, ranging from whether it’s waving gnosticism at you, to having a messianic bent.   Even if there’s a Buddhist touch to it!   If I find Jewish, Jain or Rastafarian links, I’ll put them up.

I’m wondering where Errol and Mælcum* have got to, now I really need them.

But Matrix franchise as gnostic gospel is an idea worth chewing over.   The little I know of  gnosticism in it’s various forms, does seem to be on screen.

But I should stress that others know a lot more about it than me.   I can see the basic idea, of an ‘evil’  and materialistic demiurge – demon, god, Architect? – creating an ‘evil world’ thats got humanity trapped, and its logical counterpart, of a non material ‘good’ being trying to help us by teaching us how to overcome this – the Oracle and Neo, possibly — and free ourselves.

I was never sure if I could follow all of the details, completely, though.

Given my upbringing, though, I could spot, and instinctively sympathize with a more overtly Christian view of The Matrix Reloaded: although I’m more of an agnostic view of the world.

Certainly I’ve found myself praying, in times of trouble: but whatever higher power’s up there, I could never say for sure, nor do I believe I’ve a right to dictate to you about it.

Hmmm … I’m turning deep in my old age …

Or into an agnostic equivalent of Richards Dawkins …

Either way, I personally incline more to the messianic view of the film, given who I am today.

For one thing, if Neo is The One, then Agent Smith is definitely The Other One.   Which possibly puts Laurence Fishburne as a cyberpunk John the Baptist.   Where that puts Carrie-Anne Moss’ character, considering we were watching “The DaVinci Code”, a few weeks ago …

Either way, the next chance I get, The Matrix Revolutions is due for another spin.   And given I’ve seen speculation about various trips into the underworld, floating around, means I’m probably going to have to look up the relevant parts of  The Golden Bough, aren’t I?

Anyway, enjoy the music, folks.

Could never resist the video for “Close (To The Edit)”, it’s very symbolic.

Of people wondering round railway stations, with chainsaws.

*   Alright, I couldn’t resist a “Neuromancer” reference.   This is a cyberpunk we’re talking about, here.