3) Neo/Thomas Anderson
In 1999, the Wachowski siblings delivered the quintessential sci-fi blockbuster. Seamlessly combining action set-pieces with a high-concept storyline, The Matrix was an instant classic and remains, to this day, one of my all time favourites. But looking closer at the famous green-tinted binary code, you’ll uncover an inherent Messiah complex at the film’s core. Within the context of the plot, The Matrix is a simulation, a purgatory-like realm constructed by futuristic artificial intelligence in order to enslave humanity. After being freed from this hyper-reality, Thomas Anderson – who operates using his hacker alias Neo – must fight to save Zion which, in 2199 (roughly), is the last remaining human city in a world ruled by machines.
After meeting the formidably intelligent Morpheus, Neo’s gradual realisation of his own destiny is apparent. Like tumbling down the rabbit hole, he’s found himself at the crux of the rebellion and is, ultimately, mankind’s only ray of hope in the dark, post-apocalyptic world. His mission has been foretold in prophecies and Morpheus himself states that the resistance have been waiting for the arrival of ‘The One’ for hundreds of years. Enter Neo. Of course, it would be easy to over-intellectualise the film with grand spiritual claims, but there are undoubtedly messianic undertones in the Wachowskis’ creation. Mr. Anderson’s undertaking to save the world is a messianic task, and the fact that he is reborn after his liberation from the power plant further emphasises his Christ-like journey. Even the role of the Oracle as a psychic visionary lends the film a religious dynamic.
Of course, it all comes down to subjective opinion. Waking up from a monotonous existence into a new world echoes Muslim beliefs, so perhaps The Matrix is a broader amalgamation of worldly religions rather than drawing exclusively from Christianity. The computer-generated alternate reality, and the way in which it subdues an entire civilisation resembles the opium effect, so perhaps the film criticises religion as much as it champions it. Ultimately, to quote Morpheus, “You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
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