Analysis of The Matrix Movie - Essay Example

The Matrix was the result of the combination of the views that were held by many cultures. The movie borrowed heavily from eastern philosophy in general and philosophy from the Indian subcontinent in particular. The theory of the unreality of human life is something that the movie has in common with the theories of Hinduism. The illusory nature of life and its manifestations is something that the movie explores and this is true as far as the Hindu conception of life is concerned. The overarching controlling force in The Matrix is not, however, god, as it is in Hinduism.

There are other influences as well, as far as The Matrix is concerned. The movie has references to Christian figures and theology as well. Neo, in the movie, is often referred to as ‘the one’, in a reference to Jesus Christ. Morpheus prepares the way for the messianic Neo, like that of John the Baptist. The figure of the Trinity evokes associations with the Christian concept of the holy trinity. As a result of this, one may see the different characters as not themselves but as personifications of the different values that the creators of the movie feel civilization has lost as a result of technology and industrialization.

The different characters can also be seen to be representations of modern man. The movie critiques the condition of modern man whereby he is comfortable in the world of illusions that he finds himself in. The character of Cypher shows how man wishes and craves the comfort of illusions in an attempt to escape the responsibilities of real life. The lack of meaning is also something that haunts a modern man. Neo’s search for any kind of meaning to his life is something that is referred to throughout the movie and this is what prompts him to take the risks that he does.