The Matrix Makes a Bold Statement

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2014)

The Matrix can be interpreted as a political statement about people being products of society, illustrating how easily people can fall victim to the demands of societal expectations. I use the term 'society' in this review to define the unwritten laws of human culture that systematically critique individuality, and not to define the establishment of a people.
The Matrix represents society. Agent Smith represents the effort of society to assimilate and convert. Morpheus and the gang defy these societal expectations within a pocket of opposition, much like human rights groups in real life; but with a central hero that stands alone, which promotes the fact that anyone - in a group or not - can stand against conformity and fight to be unique.
A machine with a mind of its own, society attempts to enslave and assimilate us through breaking us down so that we can be built back up under its control. We are told what to believe. How to think. How to feel, what to feel and when. We are given opinions, given identical options to choose from; given instructions for how to choose. Everything else, every choice, every action, every word, is taboo or unacceptable.
A fear begins to creep in of anything that differs from society's opinion, completing the assimilation as society's message is accepted by and transferred through its slaves. They complain about and insult those who act out of the ordinary, with popular comments including, "Why do you hold doors open for people? You must be attention-starved," "You can't dance, why do you try? You're just embarrassing yourself," "Stop working so hard, you're a tool," etc., etc.
These insulting critiques promote societal standards through their complaints, digging at the minds of others (potential slaves) to corrode their willpower and prepare them for assimilation. Most people concede and comply without putting up much of a fight; it's an endurance race with no finish line, so all it takes for enslavement is time... unless they refuse to run, and instead fight back.
The slaves aren't always aware of the societal forces at work here, but if only subconsciously they want to break us down and force our hand. They claim superiority and perfection with no credibility, and too many people listen and give in. This is their hope, their intent, their bliss; this is what the beast of society strives for, and thus also what its slaves desire. There is great power in numbers, and people are taught not to bite the hand that feeds; these slaves will gladly serve without question, as long as they can feel accepted, being fed validation.
Neo represents anybody that is willing to stand up and fight back no matter what the cost, with a will that sets him apart from the other characters - in the movie, as a "Chosen" bad-ass; in the real world, as a beacon for acceptance of social diversity and individualism. The message here is that even if you're not a Neo, it is better to be a Trinity or a Morpheus and support the Neos of the world, than to be an Agent Smith and drag the world down to monotonous ruin.
The Matrix is a well-disguised call to action, one that both excites lovers of entertainment and inspires those who realize that the world needs more prominent Neos to rise up against conformity; to withstand the machine that is societal assimilation. It puts a culture of social obedience on display in a visually stunning and imaginatively thrilling way.
I write this just shy of 15 years since its release, and this movie still presents a dead-on interpretation of society's drive to convert individuality into what it expects of people - and the unbreakable will of those that fight for the freedom to be unique.
9/10 - A sign of the times, and a movie for the ages.