There is no spoon: Matrix Night at Flagey

“Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?” With these words, Morpheus paves the way to the shocking idea that what appears to be reality is actually just that: appearance. “Like anyone else you were born into bondage. Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison… for your mind.” Gradually, in the Matrix trilogy, the hacker Neo discovers that his world is nothing but the virtual creation of all-powerful machines (the matrix) that have turned humans into abused batteries. Directors and screenwriters Andy and Larry (now called Lana) Wachowski let their imaginations run wild with questions that have fascinated philosophers for centuries. Is the world we live in real or imagined? How do you know what reality is? Does the enlightened thinker-daredevil owe it to himself to take his fate into his own hands and confront the painful, true reality. Or is ignorance our only blissful destiny? In the film’s terms, should Neo take the red pill or the blue pill? From Plato’s allegory of the cave to J.G. Ballard’s challenging idea that we should treat the world around us as though it were pure fiction: the Wachowskis stuffed their cyber-thriller with philosophical ideas. Unfortunately, the first film is the only one to strike the right balance between exciting entertainment and interesting content.

The sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions did not meet audiences’ high expectations. Perhaps the story only really comes into its own when you watch all three films back to back on the big screen. Cinematek and Flagey are – really – offering you the chance to do so on 27 June.

The Matrix Night 27/6, 17.30, 1 film: €5,50/7, 3 films: €12/15, Flagey, Heilig Kruisplein/place Sainte-Croix, Elsene/Ixelles, 02-641.10.20, www.flagey.be