»Why is Matrix a great success?«

All of us are aware of the fact that the Matrix movies are a great success. Success not only based on the box office level but also at the level of our "head-box-office". The tremendous thinking it has stirred is evident from the discussion forums. Even after six years of its first release why do we still discuss the Matrix?. Do we derive any happiness?. Let us analyze what type of happiness did the Matrix movie offer us.

If Matrix movie just gave only a physical treat to the eyes, then that happiness would have last not more than the show time. Look at any type of happiness we get at the physical level, like eating an ice cream or chocolate, it last only as long it touches the tongue.

If matrix offered emotional happiness it would be in our mind for few days like we get emotional happiness in our lives. When we eat a chocolate the physical happiness last only few minutes, but if we gave that chocolate to our friend or a kid, our emotional happiness would last for a few days.

Since Matrix has given us intellectual happiness, the happiness last for a long time. Any intellectual happiness last more than the physical and emotional happiness. We analyze and interpret the meanings and symbolism of the matrix movies and derive great happiness in decoding the Matrix. This is key success of matrix movies in giving the movie goers, the long lasting intellectual happiness.

But there is a happiness which offers longer than the intellectual happiness. That is spiritual happiness. Spiritual does not mean about God but about our own Self, enquiring about the Reality of the world, am I slave, do we have free will etc. The directors wanted to give this spiritual happiness to the fans and that is the real success of the Matrix.

If we think and discuss matrix as a computer fiction then it offers intellectual happiness only and last till we get some interpretation. But thinking beyond that like the enquiry of NEO would offer happiness that would change our life. The enquiry about our world would give happiness that is for life long. Through matrix you would start to think whether this world is real? Are you controlled by some power?. why is there evil in this world? Is your suffering just a mental projection of your digital Self?. These questions and enquiry would help you to go beyond the the common thought of life merely as a process of merely birth, growth, ageing and death.

Like NEO you have a choice, do you want Blue pill - intellectual happiness (Illusion) or the happiness in knowing the reality (Red pill). Choice is yours.

source: matrixjourney.com...

I enjoyed the matrix because i felt it was one of the most creative movies I have ever seen.

Matrix is great becouse i can myself as Neo ( not The One ) hiding behinde computer not socialising with people

I would like to add that the matrix trilogy het me on several levels. While it promoted alot of conversation/debates on the meaning of the films, I believe the search for the meaning has driven most of the audience away from what I found most rewarding. To me it is essentially the story of the ascension of man, and his perception of the outside world. I found myself less interested in the the technical issues that seem to plague the posts/discussions, and more interested in the representational value held in the characters.
The Masculine god figure, and his more intuitive and nurturing counterpart. Power, represented in the Merovingian. Love -- Trinity and so on. One of the coolest things about the trilogy was the fact that for Neo, almost every significant event in the movies happened within the confines of his own mind. The Matrix isnt a physical space, or a program. It is a web of perception. A shared illusion that can be interpreted differently as per the individual. It could be just as real or un real for anyone. Finally it ends up being a sobering look at ourselves and the condition of society today. Maybe it will help to show that we can make our reality whatever we want it to be. That our only limitations are the ones that we impose with our own minds. Neo does not die at the end of the trilogy, he becomes the "holy grail" for all others to follow. He didnt need to go all the way to machine city to jack in and fight with smith. He had to go to the machine city to bridge the gap between what was feared and what could be achieved. Thus, bringing a new age, and the ascension of mankind.

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I found myself less interested in the the technical issues that seem to plague the posts/discussions, and more interested in the representational value held in the characters.

The Technical
I have found that those who bring up the technical issues, often do so because they believe that value/significance may yet be uncovered in the examination of these. So do I, which is why I participate in these kind of discussions...to a point and with caution because it is easy to get sidetracked and read too much into the the words and actions of some of the characters.

The Spiritual
I have found that some, like you, prefer the spiritual significance of the films because there is a reason the Wachowski's used the names they chose, so there is definitely significance to be found in the examination of these. So I enjoy these conversations, too. But I realise that is it also easy to read more than may be intended into the names and character representations, too.

The message about our world
This brings me to another approach I most recently learned which addresses the reason behind the films and what the W's were (are!) trying to accomplish. And I believe significance is to be found in reconciling the three approaches.

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it ends up being a sobering look at ourselves and the condition of society today.

Yeah, that sunrise should show us that it is time we wake up!

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The Masculine god figure, and his more intuitive and nurturing counterpart. Power, represented in the Merovingian.

Now you're definitely hitting on something here. This probably will be revisited in a future thread.

Good post, DesE

The Wachowski Bros, had a definite purpose to the level of “mystery” surrounding the films. While this was a compelling and stimulating story, I think that we are on the verge of a new era in the way we can tell stories cinematically. I think it is something that comes from the WB’s background in comics and the nature of ongoing anime series. I read an article about John Gaeta and his new venture with interactive story telling. Where the audience could would determine the outcome of the story. This holds a lot of significance and similarity to the matrix trilogy, especially to the main character, Neo.

It could be said that entire saga of Neo was all a part of his direct manipulation. Meaning that he made the story as he went. The entire movie pivoted on his actions and his alone. It was his will and his wants that shaped the world of the matrix. At first this does not seem that out of the ordinary, but usually other stories have an instigator outside of the the main character that forces him into action. Here we have Neo, who goes and looks for what is wrong. The spark comes from him. He wants to know what is out there and he finds it.
(That could be a different thread for a better time)

Back to the cool thing about the trilogy….

There are some things that people overlook to put their own individual spin on the trilogy to make the story different in some way. For example….

It would be hard to find someone who has not made a connection between the Architect and the Agents. I think almost everyone believes them to be working together on some level.

When in fact there is none. There is absolutely no connection between the Agents and the Architect other than the multi-display from the first movie. Which really only indicates that the Architect is aware of both the Agents and Neo.

The conversation between the Architect and Neo was obviously meant to mislead Neo. If there were several Zions before that were destroyed in this “cycle” that is being alluded to, then why would there be Agents looking for Zion, or sentinels patrolling the sewers. If they always know where and when they will strike to destroy Zion, seems like they waste a good amount of energy acting like they don’t know.

The legend of the one is introduced to the people of Zion by Morpheus. He was apparently given this information via the Oracle. The legend of the “one” seems to be more of a motivational tool than an actual person who preceded Neo.

Just to name a few.

Despite these “gaps”, there are thousands of strands and skews on the trilogy that people have taken as their own and made into new stories. Recreating the matrix as they see fit. This is the essence of the story as I see it. It is a carefully crafted suggestion of a story that allows the audience to make the story there own. Comic books work in a similar fashion. Storylines will change on the strength of their story paths. If one starts to fall off in sales for a particular strand, it is quickly dropped and a new one is picked up. This way, the creators can interact with their readers. With movies, it is harder to get the feedback, but if you leave “forks in the road”, you allow the audience to take the story home from the theatre. Allowing them to breath life into it, and to make it grow without the limitation of conclusion.

That’s what is so cool about the Matrix.

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