I finally sat down to watch The Matrix years after it came out. What really struck me wasn’t just the action or the leather coats, but the details that slipped past me as a kid. The color palette inside the Matrix is almost drained of life. It’s black and white with a faint green tint. It feels cold and sterile, like code running on an old screen. I also noticed the use of phones, including cell phones and payphones, which gave it a weird mix of retro and futuristic. The music brought me back too, with Rage Against the Machine and Marilyn Manson adding to that industrial, underground vibe. The fight between Neo and Morpheus stood out this time. It wasn’t just about two guys punching each other. Everyone watched, waiting to see if Neo could become the One. Morpheus explaining to Neo that even his breathe was artificial. Breathing is what keeps us alive. Even in a fake world, it grounds us in something human.
Humans, AI, and false realities
The movie got me thinking about how humans create tools like AI to make life easier. But there’s a danger in relying on them too much. Humans crave connection, and sometimes that includes fantasies. Take Mouse and his lady in the red dress. He built a false reality based on desire. If you give AI enough data about our desires, it can use them against us. Today, look at bot accounts spreading anger to stir up voters. The Matrix shows an extreme version, but even now, AI-generated replies are so natural that people with little media literacy can get fooled. It makes me wonder where the line is between tool and trap.
Faith and spirituality in a digital world
The story uses faith and spirituality to bring something deeply human into a world made of code. When life feels hopeless, belief keeps people moving forward. It’s scary to imagine living in a world where you have no control. But you still control your beliefs. Neo is brought in as a savior figure, almost like a digital messiah. His story mirrors religious myths where someone brings back balance. It isn’t logical, but it feels true to the people who choose to believe. It’s like how we talk about the difference between the brain and the heart. Logic can’t always explain hope.
Cypher’s choice
Cypher chooses to betray his friends and go back into the Matrix. His choice feels selfish, but I get why he does it. He regrets taking the red pill. Now he’s stuck in a cold, dying world and wants comfort again. In my work at a tribal college, I see people worry about AI taking away our voice as Indigenous peoples. At first, AI is just a tool. But if we lean on it too much, it can become something else. Cypher stops fighting and chooses the easy way. Sometimes, it feels like the same temptation exists today: letting AI do the thinking for us instead of keeping our humanity at the center.
Final thoughts
Watching The Matrix again reminded me why it’s still talked about. It’s stylish and cool, but it also asks what it means to be human in a world that feels fake. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth it for the action, the music, and the questions it raises. Four stars from me.
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