You ever get the feeling where you do not know if you are awake or still dreaming?

Rating: 10/10 (29 April 2020)

The matrix... This movie is metaphorically and realistically attempting to, at all moments, inspire you to reach to new limits of your perception. It is inundated with symbolism of awakening, devotion, belief, convictions, spirituality, and perseverance. The movie starts with a mysterious and audacious character that should be feared by even brigades of policemen: Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). She immediately shows us why she is so special defying gravity and moving faster than any human ever could. The tension rises and we realize that this movie is gradually enticing us into a rabbit hole especially made for ourselves.
In comes NEO (Keanu Reeves) the hacker/software programmer that seems to be lost in its own alienation, an alienation that is a catalyst for Trinity and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) to allure him with spiritual, existential phrases of enlightenment. NEO is a metaphorical version of the viewer, and our dormant state where we are dictated and shaped by outside forces out of our control. The continuous message for NEO is believe, believe and you will have the ability to change anything within the matrix, within the viewer's world, know that you can do it.
Morpheus and Trinity are preparing NEO to contend against entities that have subjugated him for his entire life, powerful entities of conditioning, destruction, and alienation. These entities are the "agents" (Hugo Weaving). Programs especially designed to search and exterminate any anomaly within the system. The movie sends a powerful revolutionary message for viewers to believe that they can change events despite the overwhelming circumstances. The program of the "jump" is an interesting metaphor of taking a "leap of faith". The more they believe the less shackled humans are within the matrix.
You ever get the feeling where you do not know if you are awake or still dreaming? The movie also alludes repeatedly about altered states of consciousness. His intuition was the main tool for NEO to believe in Morpheus and Trinity. "You are looking for an answer, but the answer will find you" "You know that here is something wrong with the world. You do not know exactly what it is, like a splinter in your mind, and it is driving you mad": the movie targets the viewer's intuitions repeatedly with ambiguous statements that have existential answers and connotations.
The agents are a highlight in the movie. You do believe that they are robots, programmed to destroy. It is really interesting the calculated, reserved, amoral nature of their existence. Their expressions of dedication and feelings of disgust towards the world of humans makes them easy targets of hate for the viewer. The movie is full of characters with blind faith and convictions. They exist for change and construction instead of being blinded by fantasy and consumerism.
Cyper (Joe Pantoliano) is the inverted version of NEO. He is the antagonist within the real world; a self-serving, postmodernist, consumerist villain that will do anything to get another taste of bliss. He wants a new life where he can live happily in his ignorance of the matrix. He wants his knowledge about the reality erased and become someone important, where he can enjoy the pleasures of life in a way that is especially to his benefit. He is an interesting version of the alienated human that is so impacted by his loneliness that becomes addicted to the consumerist culture and belonging.
The oracle is one of the most complex and brilliant characters that I have seen in any movie. The fact that this character can predict, cause, track, manipulate chains of causality is a really massive mind-fame in the minds of people that believe in free will. The oracle perceives everything that exists in the present and the future. Every permutation of elements that can be arranged to change reality she perceives it, but not only that she also uses the idea of believing that one can make a change as a catalyst to modify the reality into something different: Absolutely brilliant.
The oracle directs NEO into the liberation of humans by placing him in circumstances where he has to risk his life for others. He believes that he can do it by placing him in a position where he pushes himself to the limit. Trinity's love in his dying moments is the eruption of all that energy of belief and sacrifice for others. He finally became the "one" and was able to defeat the agents.