A Heros’ Journey film review

7/27/2019 A Heros Journey film review

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A Heros Journey film review

The Matrix is a heros journey film, the film contains two worlds the real worldand the Matrix. The Matrix is an illusion created by the sentinels, robots that

have taken over the real world. Using humans as a source of power to keep them

alive. The matrix is a device to keep humans under control; Tvtropes explains thematrix is used to, keep humanity complacent (TVTropes, 2013). Keepinghuman civilization complacent allows the machine to run the real world without

any trouble.

Figure 1, The red or blue pill( 1999)

The real world is suppose to be kept from those who are plugged in, but Thomas

Anderson also known as Neo as his online persona, a computer hacker discovers

it. He takes the call to adventure when he meets the herald, Morpheus who offers

him the opportunity to discover the meaning of the matrix. Figure 1 shows the

point when Neo is asked whether he wants to know what the matrix is, and is

asked whether he wants to take the red or blue pill, taking the pill means that he

cant go back to the reality that he knows. Neo accepts the call to adventure andcomes out of the matrix going over the threshold and into the real world.

Neo although the protagonist is unaware of the destiny that is on his life, he is

the reluctant hero. His existence is to be the one to free the people from the

control of the machines. His role is almost Christ like, the people of Zion are

waiting on the chosen one who will free them from the altered real world. Neo is

a reluctant hero because he doesnt want to fight initially he doesnt understand

the power that he holds. Media filter explains the reluctant hero to be, typically

portrayed either as an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances

which require him to rise to heroism,( Media filter,2013). This descriptiondescribes Neo as a character, a person who had his reality changed due to

discovering something extraordinary; this has then led to him stepping into the

role of the chosen one.

The wise old man in this film is Morpheus, he mentors Neo and trains him so that

he will be ready to fight against the agents in the matrix that take the role of the

shadow internally in the matrix in the form of agent smith and their externalform of the sentinels in the real world. Morpheus also introduces Neo to his crew


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and within the crew we meet some of the other archetypes that make up a herosjourney. Cypher although pretending to be a contented member of the rebellion

is in fact a shape shifter, he doesnt physically change himself buthe betrays his

friends hoping for the opportunity to return to the illusion of a real world that

the sentinels had created. At this point of his betrayal is when the main

characters are on their way to see the Oracle in the matrix. This is where thehero is tested and sorts out his allegiances. He discovers his destiny and the

calling on his life.

Figure 2,Agent Smith (1999)

Agent smith is the threshold guardian; he tries to keep things in the matrix

running smoothly. And is able to determine whether an outlier is trying tocorrupt the world in which he is trying to preserve. Figure 2 is agent smith he

has duplicated himself to get ready to fight against Neo. In many ways agent

smith is the anti virus in the matrix and he has to search out and destroy the

virus that is Neo.

When the film reaches the stage of the reward Neo has the ability to manipulate

the matrix just like agent smith. His confidence is at an all time high through out

the movie and this confidence, which is his reward, allows him to enter the

matrix in a search and rescue for Morpheus. The search and rescue enters the

viewer into the stage of the road back. The writers Journey explains that the

audience can indentify when they are in the Road back when the viewer is,About three-fourths of the way through the story, the hero is driven to completethe adventure, leaving the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought

home(The writers journey, 2013). With this description it explains the pointwhen Morpheus is trapped in the matrix and has been taken captive by Agent

smith. Morpheus in the explanation is the treasure and he is the thing that needs

to be brought home safely. He is also the reason why Neo is so driven to return

to the Matrix and to complete his mission to save his mentor.


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Figure 3, Trinity kisses Neo (1999)

Neo in his attempt to save Morpheus ends up being killed by Agent Smith, we are

now at the stage of resurrection. Figure 3 shows Trinity kissing Neo after he has

died in the Matrix. She whispers to him that the Oracle told her, that she would

fall in love with the one. This revives Neo in the Matrix and sets him on a higher

level, he has been able to move pass the stage of death and over come it.

This then leads him unto the final stage of the Heros journey the return withElixir. When he returns to the real world Neo has the ability to overcome death,

the writers journal explains this stage to incorporate the hero to be , bearing

some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the

hero has been transformed.(The writers journey, 2013). Neos ability nowopens up the chances for the rebellion to win their fight against Agent smith, the

sentinels and the machines. His ability now changes the rules and tips the favors

of a victorious defeat on their side.


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Bibliography

Media filter(2013). Archetype Reluctant hero . At:

http://mediafilter.wikispaces.com/archetype,+reluctant+hero(Accessed

05.10.13)

The writers Journey.(2013). Heros journey. At:http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm(06.10.13)

TVTropes (2013) . The Chosen One. At :

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheChosenOne(Accessed

05.10.13)

TVTropes(2013). Franchise: The Matrix

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Franchise/TheMatrix

Figure 1, The Red pill or blue pill. (1999). From: The Matrix, Village Roadshow.

Directed by: The Wachowski Brothers. [Film Still] United states & Australia :Village Roadshow. At:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

3cmmpjXJoDU/TqgUazdXVXI/AAAAAAAAE3w/ZbAjafP6aBA/s1600/the-matrix-

red-pill-or-blue-pill.jpg(Accessed 05.10.13)

Figure 2,Agent Smith (1999) From: The Matrix, Village Roadshow. Directed by:

The Wachowski Brothers. [Film Still] United states & Australia : Village

Roadshow. At:http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm

(06.10.13)

Figure 3, Trinity kisses Neo .(1999). ). From: The Matrix, Village Roadshow.

Directed by: The Wachowski Brothers. [Film Still] United states & Australia :Village Roadshow. At:http://media.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/titles/the-

matrix/1028/screenshot-lrg-33.png(06.10.13)
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A Heros’ Journey film review