Biblical Mentions Of The Matrix Essay, Research Paper

In their movie, The Matrix, Andy and Larry Wachowski have included many literary allusions and symbols to heighten the entreaty of this groundbreaking scientific discipline fiction movie. Equally unbelievable as the particular effects and filming are in this movie, the Wachowski brothers have significantly bolstered the entreaty of The Matrix by an intricately constructed narrative crossing clip and world. These allusions and symbols include mentions from ill-famed authors such as Lewis Carol, Jung, John Bunyan and Descartes. However, the most meaningful and abundant mentions come from The Holy Bible.1 When the dawdler for this movie was foremost introduced to the populace, many expected The Matrix to be merely another science-fiction movie with phenomenal particular effects which lacked an challenging secret plan. The bulk of the reappraisals decidedly put an terminal to this misconception. Most of the reappraisals written on this movie articulately complement the Wachowski brothers on their first-class narrative line. The Biblical mentions of this movie incorporated with the phenomenal filming separate The Matrix from all other science-fiction movies in which the chief characters are on a race to salvage humanity. & # 8220 ; The book, written by the Wachowski brothers is intelligent but carefully non geeky. & # 8221 ; 2

The most obvious Biblical mentions of this movie are that of the five chief characters ; Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Cypher and Agent Smith. These characters are intended to stand for the functions of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate severally. All of these scriptural characters had major functions in the scriptural narrative of Jesus? forfeit for humanity. The Wachowski brothers have done first-class work in integrating dazing filming to heighten these scriptural mentions. Cinematographic elements such as lighting, redacting, camera lenses and angles, composing, costumes, sound and filters were all used to make a certain feeling or aura around these characters so that the Christian mentions would be more evident to the viewing audiences.

The chief secret plan of The Matrix is that Artificial Intelligence has taken over humanity. These human-created machines now harvest worlds in harvests in order to supply energy for them to last. It is known that the human organic structure can non last without the head, so the Artificial Intelligence has designed a computer-generated universe in which the human head can populate and last. This computer-generated universe is known as the Matrix. & # 8220 ; It is a computerized simulation of life as we know it, or we imagine we know it. What the films postulates is a version of practical world so huge and tentacular as to embrace the full globe. & # 8221 ; 3 The narrative line of this movie suggests that worlds are non truly populating a & # 8220 ; existent & # 8221 ; life. It suggests that no homo has every used their eyes, ears, musculuss, or any other sense. As Laurence Fishburne? s character, Morpheus, puts it ; & # 8220 ; the matrix is a computer-generated dream universe built to maintain us under control, in order to alter a human being into [ a battery ] . & # 8221 ; 4 Recognizing that the chief characters of this movie are a few of the lone worlds working in the existent universe as we know it now, there must be some signifier of unnaturally created authorization. These authorization figures are known as agents and the chief agent in The Matrix is Agent Smith. & # 8220 ; [ The agents ] resemble the Gnostic constructs of Archons or cosmic minions of a false Creator God, the agents are responsible for maintaining order and entry to that world. Morpheus says every bit much when he mentions how? they guard all the doors, they hold all the keys? . It is a? menagerie? , a? prison? to them and merely like the Gnostic Archons, they are the guards, the wardens. & # 8221 ; 5

Agent Smith? s character is a direct mention to The Holy Bible? s Pontius Pilate. 6 & # 8220 ; Whenever local swayers failed to maintain the settlements in line, Rome appointed its ain strongmen, called? proxies? or? governors? . Pontius Pilate served as the Roman proxy of Judea, a regional swayer for the most powerful imperium in the history of the planet up to that time. & # 8221 ; 7 When Pilate met Jesus, he chiefly saw one more sense of problem and he felt that Jesus? decease would make order in Rome.8

This relationship between Jesus and Pontius Pilate is articulately represented in the scene when Agent Smith arrests Neo, and he interrogates him about his cognition of Morpheus and the other Rebel forces. ( This is the 6th chapter on the DVD. ) The Wachowski brothers used green filters in this scene to stand for the sickly, disintegrating universe of the matrix.9 They besides use normal lenses in this scene to make the feeling that the spectator is in the question room with the agents and Neo. It is chiefly a still composing for the first portion of this scene. Agent Smith and Neo are sitting across from one another. Later in the scene when Neo becomes threatened by the Agents, the composing begins to travel more because Neo is trying to contend off the agents. The composing is reasonably level for the full scene because the room is so little. High cardinal lighting is besides used in this scene. There is a batch of fill visible radiation to make a brighter scene. These bright visible radiations put the spectator in Neo? s point of position. The copiousness of fill visible radiations make the spectator feel pressured and hot, as Neo must experience at this point in the secret plan. This scene marks the beginning of the on-going conflict between Neo and Agent Smith.

Morpheus, the leader or father figure of the Rebel forces, represents The Holy Bible? s John the Baptist.10 John the Baptist is something new and he surely stood out from his milieus. This is comparable to Morpheus? cryptic costume and idiosyncrasy. The character of Morpheus is flooring to the audience at the first debut. In The Holy Bible John the Baptist spreads the message that the Messiah is coming and when he foremost meets Jesus he recognizes him as & # 8220 ; the Lamb of God, who takes off the wickedness of the universe & # 8221 ; .11 When Morpheus prophetizes that Neo is & # 8220 ; The One & # 8221 ; , it is a direct mention to this narrative of John the Baptist and Jesus. *

This mention is most evident in the scene when Morpheus tells Neo that he believes that Neo is the Jesus for all of humanity. ( This is the 13th chapter on the DVD. ) This scene has a typical sense of enigma. It is filmed wholly with normal to long lenses to supply the spectator with a sense of familiarity with these two characters. These lenses make the spectator feel as if they are portion of a really secret and meaningful conversation between Morpheus and Neo. The Wachowski brothers besides used low cardinal illuming for this scene to heighten the sense of enigma and closeness. The illuming seems to be coming from one chief beginning in the right underside corner of the screen. This light beginning seems to be stand foring a taper or a lamp by the bed. The colourss of this scene are besides really vivid, despite the low lighting, compared to the scenes within the matrix. The managers wanted to show a sense of wellness within the Nebuchadnezzar in comparing with the green, sallow filters of the scenes shot in the matrix. This scene besides has a really still composing. Neither of the characters moves in this scene. The Wachowski brothers besides used classical redaction in this peculiar scene, exchanging from Morpheus to Neo. Although it lacks the dazing particular effects and & # 8220 ; border of your place action & # 8221 ; , this scene is highly of import to the secret plan of The Matrix. It is during this scene that the audience is foremost introduced to the scriptural mention that Morpheus is intended to stand for John the Baptist.

The Matrix besides includes many mentions to the popular Christian heroic poem, The Pilgrim? s Progress. For illustration, Zion is the last human metropolis outside of the matrix. It is found deep inside the Earth? s nucleus. Tank describes it with mawkishness and great pride in his voice. Sion can be seen as the lone topographic point that the bing worlds have left that is non destroyed or disintegrating. In The Pilgrim? s Progress, Christian is on a journey to detect a manner to be relieved of his & # 8220 ; burden & # 8221 ; . He has been told that if he travels to Zion, the heavenly metropolis, he will be relieved of this burden.12 Zion is besides noted in The Holy Bible as Heaven, the land of God.13 Another mention to The Pilgrim? s Advancement in The Matrix is that of the Oracle stand foring the Interpreter. Christian is told that the Interpreter & # 8220 ; will demo [ him ] first-class things that will assist [ him ] on [ his ] journey.14 This is precisely what the Prophet does for Neo. She tells him precisely what he needs to hear and nil more. The Oracle tells Neo that he is non

“the one” . She says that possibly he will be in his following life. This causes Neo to be more willing to put on the line his life to salvage Morpheus? life. Neo is finally killed and so resurrected to go “the one” . Hence, the Oracle? s prognostication was right. This is really similar to what the Interpreter tells Christian. In this meeting Christian learns all that he needs to cognize to successfully go on on his journey.15

Another scriptural mention of The Matrix is that of the Rebel ship, the Nebuchadnezzar.16 In The Holy Bible, Nebuchadnezzar was a Babylonian male monarch that destroyed Jerusalem.17 This is non one of the strongest scriptural mentions of the movie because Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the holy metropolis, but it is closely related to the Rebel forces utilizing the ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, to destruct the matrix.

The character of Cypher is intended to stand for Judas Iscariot in The Holy Bible.18 Judas, besides known as & # 8220 ; Devil Man & # 8221 ; , is one of Jesus? adherents. Judas is the adherent that betrayed Jesus and gave his life to the Jews that murdered him. This is really similar to Cypher? s treachery towards Morpheus. The name Cypher even has a sadistic intension to it, being a shortened version of Lucifer.19 In The Matrix Cypher leads Agent Smith straight to Morpheus so that he can be reinserted into the matrix and live an & # 8220 ; easier & # 8221 ; life. Agent Smith and Cypher make these agreements over dinner. This dinner scene is really of import to the secret plan of The Matrix.

( This is the 19th chapter on the DVD. ) *

The Wachowski brothers have used many cinematographical elements to heighten the enigma and confederacy that this scene reveals. Low cardinal lighting is used throughout this scene to make high contrast. This lighting besides suggests the close nature of the meeting. The chief lighting beginning seems to be stand foring a taper or a little visible radiation on the tabular array. However, there is a little sum of fill illuming behind Cypher. Normal lenses are used when the characters are talking to one another. When the scene foremost opens, the spectator is listening to Cypher depict his feelings towards the matrix and his life as a Rebel. The scene so cuts to the harper where the camera switches to a short lens. This cut serves as a interruption from Cypher? s experiencing into his existent intended program of action. It is non until after this cut that the spectator discovers the intent of this meeting. The dark costumes and Agent Smiths sunglasses besides add a certain sense of enigma to the scene. This scene besides makes great usage of sound effects. The most obvious are Cypher cutting his steak and mastication. These sound effects besides add enigma to the scene because it emphasizes the silence of the conversation. *

As I mentioned earlier Keanu Reeves? character, Neo, is intended to stand for Jesus Christ. & # 8220 ; [ Neo ] had to confront a determination to decease for all. He was chosen to liberate us, who are slaves to the stuff, dream universe. This is similar to Christ deceasing for [ our wickednesss ] . & # 8221 ; 20 In his concluding conflict with Agent Smith, Neo is murdered. In this scene he has sacrificed his life for all of humanity. Since Neo does non believe that he is the 1 at this point in the movie, he has risked his life to salvage Morpheus. This can be seen as his put on the lining his life for humanity because Morpheus can now go on prosecuting his end of happening and developing & # 8220 ; the one & # 8221 ; . Neo? s representation of Jesus Christ becomes most evident during the scene when he is resurrected after he is murdered by Agent Smith.

Another meaningful scriptural representation is that of Carrie-Anne Moss? character of Trinity. Trinity is a member of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar who is intended to stand for the scriptural character of Mary Magdalene.21 In The Holy Bible Mary Magdalene dedicated her life to Jesus Christ because he one time drove seven devils from her. When Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem Mary Magdalene stayed near him. She carefully watched where he was buried and dependably went there at the earliest chance to care for his organic structure. As a consequence, she was the really first individual to see Jesus lift from the dead and the first to distribute the word.22 The first grounds that Trinity is intended to stand for Mary Magdalene comes when she is one of Neo? s biggest protagonists. However, this representation becomes highly evident when Neo is reborn after being murdered by Agent Smith. Trinity is right by Neo? s side during this cliff-hanging scene, and she delivers the buss which causes him to go resurrected.

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The Resurrection scene is non merely one of the most cliff-hanging scenes of The Matrix, but it is besides one of the most meaningful scenes to the secret plan of this movie. ( This scene is the 35th chapter of the DVD. ) The Wachowski brothers have done astonishing work integrating music and particular effects into this scene. Both articulately complement the tense action of this minute in the movie. This scene alternates back and Forth between action on the Nebuchadnezzar and action in the matrix. Once once more green filters are used in the matrix to stress the sick, disintegrating facets of this computer-generated universe. Merely as the audience becomes convinced that Neo is go throughing through the door into safety, the spectator sees a close position of Agent Smith, barricading the room access. Using all long lenses, the camera cuts from Agent Smith? s face to Neo? s face as the audience hears a gun fire. The camera so cuts to Neo? s venters, where the spectator is now looking through Neo? s eyes. This is done through the usage of a birds-eye-view camera angle. From this point of position, the audience sees that Neo has been shot. From this point of position, the Wachowski brothers cut straight to the gun as Agent Smith fires another shooting into Neo. After the first twosome of shootings, the camera cuts to a short lens, so that the spectator can see Agent Smith killing Neo from the point of position of a distant bystander. The camera so cuts back to Neo so the audience can see that Neo has been defeated. Agent Smith has emptied a unit of ammunition into Neo from about three pess off.

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This scene so cuts to the Nebuchadnezzar, where the spectator sees Trinity keeping Neo. A long lens is besides used in this shooting to make a sense of familiarity. The camera all of a sudden cuts back to the matrix where the audience sees Neo? s licking from both Neo? s and Agent Smith? s point of position. Since Agent Smith is standing over Neo, the camera is angled up when the spectator is in Neo? s point of position and frailty versa. When Agent Smith is finished firing at Neo, the camera focuses in on Neo with an highly long lens. From here the camera follows Neo to the floor. The managers cut straight back to the Nebuchadnezzar where the audience sees Trinity keeping Neo as his wellness proctor reveals that his bosom has stopped. The camera so cuts from Trinity to Morpheus, uncovering their amazement. At this point the audience is convinced that Agent Smith has defeated Neo and he can no longer be & # 8220 ; the one & # 8221 ; .

At this point the audience is taken back to the Nebuchadnezzar where the sentials are destructing the ship. The particular effects and the sound are phenomenal at this point in the scene. The managers so use a long lens to demo Trinity uncovering her secrets that the Oracle has shared with her. At this point we realize that Neo has to be & # 8220 ; the one & # 8221 ; , and the spectator is being prepared for a turn in the secret plan. Three kisses Neo, conveying him back to life. The lighting is really low at this point, doing high contrast and heavy shadows which hide Neo? s face. Neo? s wellness proctor begins to demo marks of a bosom round one time once more, uncovering Neo? s Resurrection to the audience. The camera so cuts back to the matrix one time more, to demo the spectator that Neo has risen back to life. The music becomes really loud and exultant. The following shooting uses slow gesture, demoing that Neo is decidedly & # 8220 ; the one & # 8221 ; . He now possesses the ability to halt slugs. This scene uses phenomenal particular effects, along with impressive filming to uncover to the audience that Neo represents Jesus Christ.

The Wachowski brothers have made a figure of mentions to The Holy Bible in their movie, The Matrix. These mentions have articulately enhanced the secret plan of this groundbreaking scientific discipline fiction movie. This movie fundamentally retells the narrative of Jesus Christ? s rise in The Holy Bible, including his protagonists and the 1 who leads to his ruin, utilizing modern scientific discipline fiction entreaty and particular effects. Sing The Matrix is the first movie of a trilogy, it will surely be entertaining to see what the Wachowski brothers do next with Keanu Reeve? s scientific discipline fiction, action-packed Christ figure.