I Watch Films: The Matrix
20 years on I had a watch of the film. I think a key moment that is generally discounted is when Neo meets the Oracle.
Oracle: You’re cuter than I thought. I can see why she likes you.Morpheus is smart, even if he’s too wrapped up in his mystical philosophical system to use it effectively. Cypher is smart (and on the posters and cover of the DVD case, I guess that makes him a main character), he figures out how to betray everyone. Smith is smart, though limited by his programming he’s figured out some things.
Neo: Who?
Oracle: Not too bright though.
The Oracle is transcendently smart. But she’s an intuitive artificial super intelligence so that doesn’t count.
Neo though isn’t especially clever. He’s powerful and fated. When he steps up and has to make a plan he breaks into the military controlled building in the most direct and violent way possible*. When he initially fights Smith he attacks him directly After he’s resurrected it takes him a moment or two to realise that fighting is not the answer, but that’s fair, dying and coming back to life takes a lot out of you, processing a new and weird way of seeing the world won’t be instantaneous.
Anyway, it stands up pretty well, has a few questions going on (“Do we have free will, or is there fate?” “What is the nature of reality?” “What should you do if you discover you are being used for your work and fed lies to keep you in check?” “Can you fight a robot using Kung Fu?”), has a good grasp of what it wants to achieve with the special effects.
Watch This: An action film classic that has something to say
Don’t Watch This: If the whole wire-work, bullet-time, uber-special effects action film style is not for you
* What was the plan? Did they intend to go up to the roof, then rappel down? Because Trinity isn’t expecting to fly the helicopter. Did he not explain the plan? Anyway.
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