I Watch Films: The Matrix Reloaded
How does this film look through the lens of the Oracle’s comment to Neo that he’s not too bright? It doesn’t hold up quite as well as The Matrix, but then again time has passed. Neo has figured a few things out.
Neo is haunted by dreams of Trinity’s death. (This film, from 2003 is probably not influenced by Anakin’s* prophetic dreams of his mother’s death in 2002’s Attack of the Clones, and so definitely not 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. Still dreams of a loved one dying is a powerful image, not particularly well used by any of these films). Is he held back by the fear of what he might lose? Not a lot.
He correctly identifies that agents are coming at the start of the film, but after that doesn’t really figure anything out. Smith has overtaken a human (not obvious to be fair and he only has a moment. Also this is before he upgrades again in the Source and might have magic vision in the real world.) He tells the Oracle she’s a program and she says “hard to get more obvious than that”. He fights Smith for a while before realising that he can’t win and there’s no reason, so then he leaves.
Pretty smart I guess.
Neo continues to be fairly dumb throughout the encounter with the Merovingian in Le Vrai and later at his chateau failing to get through the doors before they reset and missing out on one of the most spectacular car chases in cinematic history.
“Still using all the muscles except the one that matters.” That’s what Smith says when he ambushes them in the corridor behind the world. Rude but... still true.
Then finally he confronts the Architect. “Ergo some of my answers you will understand and some of them you will not.” Then Neo surprises him, “You haven’t answered my question.”
Following which Neo makes the dumb choice following his heart not his head. And he saves her. For now.
Then he uses his powers in the real world and falls into a coma. THE END BIG CLIFFHANGER.
Watch This: Neo’s not that dumb!
Don’t Watch This: Neo’s pretty dumb.
* Another chosen one who, in the text, is declared not too bright:
Obi-Wan:
Wait a minute, how'd this happen? We're smarter than this.
Anakin Skywalker:
Apparently not, master. This is the oldest trap in the book - Well... I was distracted.
Comments