The Matrix

Almost immediately upon the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to something otherworldly. Trinity is someone who can do more than what normal humans can, and she is obviously a part of something more—something we are unaware of. 

When we are introduced to Neo, we are thrown into his call to adventure. Words appear on his screen, prompting him to follow the directions given to him. When he hears a knock at the door, he also sees the white rabbit, a sign he was directed to follow. 

After accepting the call, although not necessarily willingly, Neo is led to listen to the voice on the phone, Morpheus. Upon actually meeting Morpheus, it is clear that he is going to serve as a mentor of sorts. He guides Neo, alerting him that the “real” world is an illusion, wool that has been pulled over his eyes. In order to understand the world around him, he must make a decision: take the red pill or the blue pill. 

At this point, Neo is given the real opportunity to choose his fate. He may continue his normal life, or he may go into The Matrix to seek what he has unknowingly been seeking anyway. Within this scene, there are even comparisons to Alice in Wonderland, another tale of the hero’s journey. When Neo takes the blue pill, the new world opens up to him, and his quest begins. 

This is where the real action begins. Reality and dreams converge, and Neo takes on his new form. He is unbound by reality and set free into The Matrix—the real world—where he crosses the threshold. He must put all of his faith into this new world and his new mentor. 

The Matrix was an interesting twist on the classic hero’s journey. In this case, the hero, Neo, is attempting to escape the projected world, the “unreal” world. He is seeking reality, which he is supposed to find in The Matrix. Instead of seeking answers in the world outside of himself, he is seeking answers for the world within. 

Although I’m not a huge science fiction fan, I found this film to be interesting and honestly eerie in our technology-centered world. Artificial intelligence and augmented reality aren’t some movie anymore—it’s real. Now, we don’t see things as dramatic as they are in The Matrix, but it’s important to consider that things aren’t always as they seem. If anything, the film reminded us to question our surroundings and always strive to understand the world around us.