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[- Is there no escape from the Matrix?
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By Aileen, Section question corner
Posted on Sun May 25th, 2003 at 06:00:04 PM EURODISCORDIA TIME
Obviously, there is no escape for me personally, because I live with two members of what is presumably a major segment of the target audience for Matrix I&II - two male adolescent action film and computer game enthusiasts. For that reason, I have been enjoying reading the comments about the new film on Nettime and Bagasch, especially Erik Davis' article. Yesterday evening, though, I had a conversation with a neighbor that made me wonder how much point there really is to critical theoretical discussions about pop culture phenomena.

 

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My neighbor called to ask my opinion about whether he should allow his son to go to see The Matrix Reloaded and whether he would have to go with him, since it is rated PG-16 (14 in some cinemas, but that still applies to our sons). My neighbor said he resents this feeling of compulsion to think about - and probably even watch - a film he is not interested in, because his son is passionately convinced he will be missing out on something vital, if he doesn't get to see the film. I offered to forward Erik Davis' article to him and suggested we could meet for a drink, once we have all seen the film, to talk about it.
Afterward, though, I began to wonder if all the critical, theoretical discussions of this film are not ultimately just more "fuel for the fire". Are we not just promoting what we purport to criticize? Or does this kind of critical reflection actually have any kind of impact outside the small circle of people already interested in it anyway?

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Is there no escape from the Matrix? | 1 comments
[new] matrix and mainstream critical discourse (Avg. Score: none / Raters: 0) (#1)
by amy on Fri Jun 20th, 2003 at 07:17:37 AM EURODISCORDIA TIME
(User Info) http://plagiarist.org

i didn't catch the nettime thread, so not sure about the content, but... seems to me that the matrix films are one of the few instances in which i see critical discourse actually making their way out into the mainstream... seems to be fairly well known and discussed in mainstream media that the films center on postmodern philosophy, and this brings critical discussion of their strengths and weaknesses in that area into discussion in more general forum than the usual academic and theoretical circles... i think if nothing else, that's good to see...

on the other hand: is the critical discussion being moved into mainstream circles actually influenced by the critical circles? or is it entirely generated by the film and its marketers? my guess is that the ball is set rolling by the film and it's marketers, but, with that in motion, the opinions expressed in "expert" circles then become influential to the discussion as well (even some mainstream journalists like to do research ;-) ).


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Is there no escape from the Matrix? | 1 comments
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