"The Matrix" - a Philosophical Film in Religious Clothing

The wildly popular film, The Matrix, is often regarded as being very "deep" as it tackles subjects not normally seen in Hollywood productions. Parallels are commonly drawn between Christianity and Buddhism, leading to the assumption that The Matrix is a religious film. However, behind this veneer lie themes that are more closely related to significant philosophical forces in human thinking than religion. Themes relating to the metaphysical, fate and knowledge vs. ignorance permeate The Matrix, yet are masked by superficial religious parallels. Quite simply, The Matrix is a philosophical film in religious clothing.
One of the most important themes within The Matrix is metaphysical, questioning the very nature of reality around us . What is real rather than unreal? Where does "reality" come from, and how are we supposed to relate to it? These are central questions to many of the world's religions; however, those religions tend to answer such questions in terms of gods . …