More than twenty years have passed since the release of the first part of The Matrix, but viewers are still arguing, what did the creators of the cult science fiction film really want to say? Keanu Reeves, who played the main role of Neo, gave his answer to this difficult question in a recent interview.
According to him, the essence of The Matrix is not limited to one idea. The story is centered on several strong themes. The first of them is love, and it is this, according to the actor, that runs like a red thread through all the films. The second is control systems: what controls people and how can you break free from invisible boundaries.
Keanu noted that The Matrix is a story not only about people, but also about machines, programs, and their desire for freedom. It is about the struggle for the right to be yourself, for choice and awareness. Reeves' colleague, actress Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity), confirmed that for director Lana Wachowski, the theme of control and love was key from the very beginning. Especially in the fourth film, which turned out to be the most personal and emotional.
The actors also touched on the philosophical roots of The Matrix. Reeves drew a parallel with Buddhism, where awareness, compassion, and the desire to escape the cycle of suffering are important. But unlike Buddhist philosophy, where the idea of death and departure is important, The Matrix is a story about life, about how important it is to appreciate and feel it.
It is interesting that in Resurrection, Keanu trained again with martial arts master Tiger Chen. The actor said that they spent a lot of time on kicks, but they did not make it into the final version of the film. But the spirit of those very trainings and wushu philosophy remained, and the fight scenes still look impressive.
So, if you thought that The Matrix was just a fantasy about bullets and cyberspace, watch it again. Perhaps now you will see a completely different meaning — about love, choice, and the desire for freedom.
