This underrated comic book movie is a must-see for Matrix fans

In 1999, The Matrix was immediately released to great success and tells the story of Neo as he is revealed to exist in a false reality. The film quickly became a cultural milestone around the world, popularizing ideas such as the red and blue pill conundrum, the agents, and the idea of ​​humans existing in a simulation. Many dystopian films soon followed, including one that adapted a great Alan Moore comic for the big screen.

Since its publication in 1999 The Matrix has endured as a true modern Hollywood classic thanks to its use of metaphors to address feelings of monotony, rebellion against conformity, and self-discovery. The film is undoubtedly the Wachowskis’ best and most iconic film, and continues to influence and shape science fiction stories today thanks to the themes it tackles. The film is far from the only good film the Wachowskis have made, however, and their adaptation of an iconic comic book series is just as good as their 1999 cult film. For viewers who want to experience a great work of satire, political thriller, and dark science fiction all rolled into one, this 2005 hit is a must-see.

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The Matrix tells the story of Thomas “Neo” Anderson, a ’90s computer hacker who is recruited by a man named Morpheus, who believes him to be the Chosen One. He then reveals to Neo that reality as he knows it is a computer simulation called the Matrix, and is controlled by sentient machines in the real world. Within the program, the machines maintain control through Agents, pieces of security software in the form of government agents who can take control of people at will. When one of Morpheus’ allies, Cypher, betrays the group by making a deal with the Agents, Neo begins to research and develop his abilities. In an epic final act, he and Trinity save their mentor from Agent Smith, whom Neo must immediately face in a one-on-one fight.

The Matrix revolutionized cinema in several important ways, particularly its impressive use of CGI to enhance fight sequences, as well as its numerous concepts that became cultural milestones. In particular, the red pill versus blue pill choice, the choice between a difficult reality and false happiness, resonated with many audiences and persisted as an oft-quoted meme for over two decades. For many, this idea represents having to make difficult choices that, while painful, ultimately serve the greater good, while others see it as a simple dilemma between truth and lies. For many, it is a metaphor for self-discovery and letting go of social norms to move beyond the constraints of society.

“V for Vendetta” has the same themes as “The Matrix”

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V for Vendetta is set in a far-right dystopian future in Britain where ordinary people live under censorship, curfews, and a brutal secret police, the Fingermen. Under the totalitarian rule of High Chancellor Adam Sutler, everyone from LGBT citizens to immigrants and minorities face state persecution. The story follows a young woman, Evey Hammond, who is rescued from the Fingermen by a masked vigilante, V. When one of her friends is murdered by the state for humiliating Sutler, Evey is kidnapped by V, who poses as a secret police officer to test her resolve and loyalty. When he is convinced that she is ready to join his crusade, the two begin their campaign to expose the government using a fake pandemic to maintain control.

Similar to the machines in The Matrix to maintain an oppressed, complacent human population by immersing them in a false reality, the regime in V for Vendetta uses propaganda to the same effect. The film’s key enforcers, namely Peter Creedy (the head of the Finger), Lewis Prothero (the government’s leading propagandist), and Sutler himself, all take on agent-like roles and use their power to perpetuate the lie. One of the most interesting among them is Prothero, a character written as a satirical – and critical – examination of the British tabloid media and the way sensationalism and anger are often used to sway public opinion.

Alan Moore has created a great dystopian thriller

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Alan Moore wrote V for Vendetta as a satire of the British right under Margaret Thatcher, one of Britain’s most controversial prime ministers of modern times. The film is essentially an examination of how and why fascism could come to the United Kingdom, how it would be maintained, and what form it would take. True to Moore’s socialist and anarchist views, the film offers a critique of the New Right from the perspective of the left. With a dash of science fiction, the film offers a truly compelling portrayal of what a dystopian Britain would look like. The film covers everything from police brutality and corruption to the effect of the press on the public, and achieves its goal.

The character V is something of a superhero in the story himself, a man of extraordinary intelligence driven by a desire for vengeance. His unwavering commitment to overthrowing the regime gives a voice to the voiceless, and the scene where the British public wears his mask represents his ultimate victory. Perhaps the most brilliant moment for the character is when he faces the secret police and utters the famous line “Ideas are bulletproof” as they try in vain to shoot him before he can defeat them. Although the character dies, the rebellion of the public that carries on his legacy proves his words to be true. In fact, V is the voice of hope, change and revolution, something he arguably embodies even more successfully than Neo – considering he completely shatters the illusion of the state.

Both films owe something to John Carpenter

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Both V for Vendetta And The Matrix Themes such as false realities and the exploitation of humanity for the power of others can be traced back to John Carpenter’s sci-fi classic They Live. The film tells the story of a drifter who, after taking a job on a construction site, discovers a box full of sunglasses that, when worn, reveal aliens moving among humanity. He and another worker set out to find the aliens’ base of operations and destroy the signal they use to conceal their true form. Similar to what human collaborators in The Matrix and informants in V for Vendettathere are also traitors to humanity in you liveeveryone who wants a piece of the pie when the aliens take over.

The idea that Carpenter had in you live was perfected by The Matrix and applied in a more informed way by V for Vendetta. All three films explore the heroes’ journey of discovery to true reality, symbolized by Nada finding the sunglasses, Neo taking the red pill, or Evey Hammond’s experiences in V’s captivity. Both character arcs are defined by their resistance to the illusion of their world and their willingness to open their minds to a horrifying truth. Both films have also become symbols of modern counterculture movements and activist groups, with the Guy Fawkes mask being a popular symbol of government criticism and dissidents. This reflects how the symbolism of The Matrix has also taken on a life of its own.

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The success of The Matrix and later, V for Vendettapreceded a decade of brilliant dystopian stories, from balance To Children of men. The fifteen years following the film’s release were packed with some of the most popular and successful dystopian stories in the genre’s history. Adopting similar political themes such as oppression, class struggle, and characters awakening from a false reality or consciousness became the genre’s standard formula. Both the 1999 and 2005 films demonstrate the continued relevance and symbolism of Wachowski’s storytelling.

While the false reality Neo lives in isn’t a classic dystopia, the film still focuses on some themes associated with the genre. In particular, the focus on the hero’s life as an expendable employee in a boring, monotonous corporation is in line with many films of the era, which sought to convey a message about the loss of individualism that comes with working in a corporate setting. From his lifeless cubicle to his own dissatisfaction with life, the film’s opening uses corporate work culture as a critique of ’90s society—much like Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta sought to satirize the British right—as he saw it—of the 1980s.

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  V for Vendetta

  After World War II, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government, and a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors of the world he now lives in. When V saves a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from the secret police, he discovers an ally in his fight against England’s oppressors.