from Film Forum, 11/01/01Some messiahs have reached the mainstream. The Matrix's Neo (Keanu Reeves) is trained to enter a world of manufactured lies and deliver a persecuted people. He exhibits miraculous powers (even resurrection) and points the way to Zion's refuge. Neo means well, but some viewers question the saintliness of gunning down innocents in the name of the cause. Isn't this holy-war terrorism?
from Film Forum, 04/22/04Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) presents a summation of the Matrix trilogy this week—just after the video release of the third film, Matrix Revolutions. Greydanus argues, "The Matrix isn't really a Christian allegory, any more than it is a gnostic fable. However interesting the film's Christian references may be from a critical perspective, The Matrix offers little in the way of genuinely edifying or uplifting moral or spiritual significance, at least as regards the Christian parallels."
And he concludes, "Viewed as a trilogy, the Matrix story-arc ironically lacks something common to both gnosticism and Christianity: transcendence, connection to ultimate reality or absolute truth above and beyond the finitude of the created order."
Related Elsewhere:
A ready-to-download Movie Discussion Guide related to this movie is available at ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com. Use this guide after the movie to help you and your small group better connect your faith to pop culture.
