In the first film, the "Matrix", there were numerous examples where subliminals were used to add emphasis to the story. i.e. The window washing scene and the perspective of rain falling to mimic the Matrix code. Additionally, there was great significance placed on numerology in the first movie.

As I go tommorrow for my second viewing of the "Matrix Reloaded", I'll be looking for similar subliminals and hidden meanings.

Can we discuss these elements of the movie here? They may shed some light on the other larger thematic aspects of the film.

BTW - I haven't seen anyone mention/discuss the man being escorted away in the resteraunt as Neo and the others are entering to visit the Merovignian. Could that man be the assassin from Zion? It happend much too quickly for me to be sure.

101 = floor that frenchie is on, freeway chase goes onto


The jesus looking fella was discussed here:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=293226

Neo Destroys the Matrix and save Zion. Finishes up his life as a Cardiac Dr

I'm just taking a stab at things here.

-The hallway with the back doors Seraph takes Neo into looks like it leads to infinity in the back ground.

-The crows are eating peacfully at the feet of the Oracle, but fly in front of agent Smith like they are a menace with their growling cackle.

-Dessert girl does look like the woman in red from M1... different actress though, I checked the credits.

-Back to M1... what about Thomas Anderson's boss. His words of reprimand seem somewhat prophetic. "You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. "(ideal characteristic for one who has to fight 'agents') "You believe that you are special"(duh... he's the One, notice the word 'believe' is used not 'think') "That somehow the rules do not apply to you"(The Matrix rules can be bent and broken) "The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson..." (The choice theme is introduced right at the get go)

One nice touch was the presentation of Archways and Arches in the film representing divinity. Neo's painted 'halo' when he stops the bullets.

Also the jump cut to the street scene when Neo is going to see The Oracle. The shot is on a street vendor's table with pictures of Jesus, then there's a cut to the street and you can see (I think) Krishna on a storefront sign.

The importance of names is continued (oft discussed Merovignian/Gnostic reference, Persephone, Seraph, etc.)

The Second Coming of The Spoon. A reference to MiM perhaps, or something else?

I've only seen it once, but am planning on seeing it tomorrow again (as my wife didn't get to go to last week's Wednesday showing).

I'll be coming back here for more.

I think you mean subtextual instead of subliminal...subliminal is something that is not supossed to be seen consciously, like a single frame of a coca cola bottle inserted on a regualr film, it flashes by and you don't notice it but later you feel compelled to buy one. The imagery you are referring to is part of the art design of the film made to be noticed and eventually lead to the subtext of the narrative. thanks

Can't remember exactly, but I remember the doors do seem to go on for eternity, but the door to the Architect and the Source seems to end that line of infinite doors.... kinda interesting.

"And when it does, a program can either choose to hide here, or return to the source... Where the path of The One ends." -The Oracle

Our first view of Agent Smith is preceded by his driving up in his car to the big meeting of the Captains inside The Matrix. There's a shot of his license plate:

IS 5416

These aren't very "subtle" and probably aren't worth discussing on a "but what does it mean?" level, but I liked the way this movie recalled certain scenes from the original:

• Morpheus jumping on the top of the truck during his fight with the Agent looked an awful lot like the way he jumped when training Neo in the sparring program (when he landed and broke the floor with his knee).
• Trinity asked the operator for instructions on how to hotwire a motorcycle, like how she requested in the original to be taught to fly the helicopter - except this time, she didn't really need the new knowledge because of the Keymaker.
• Trinity did a jump / mid-air freeze before delivering a kick to an Agent (but this time they didn't use the rotating camera trick).

Agents (other than Smith) also referred to Neo as "The Anomaly" and the Keymaker as "The Exile."

Finally, the second time I saw the movie I was embarrassed that the first time I saw it I didn't pick up on the significance of Merovingian talking about Neo's "predecessors." I guess I needed to hear the Architect's speech to get myself into a "Neo is #6" mindset. Or maybe I was distracted by my dismal failure to translate anything Mero said (I studied French for many years).

101

References to Room 101 (in the Ministry of Love) from Orwell's 1984, perhaps?

Another example from the original Matrix film:

When Neo met the Oracle, she told him he looked like he was waiting for something, and I believe she tossed out the suggestion that he was waiting for "his next life"? Perhaps the Oracle is aware of how The One is an "issue" that has popped up several times before. So maybe she didn't tell Morpheus the whole truth when she predicted that Neo was kinda the second coming? [Or maybe she explained it to Morpheus using even more unnecessarily augmented verbiage than the Architect did when explaining it to Neo, and Morpheus got confused. ]

She does say he's waiting for something, a next life perhaps. I don't know why I'm going to spoiler tag this, but, meh.

agreed.

Although another interpretation is that she knew that there have been many "Ones" and assumes there will be more. She might just think this "One" isn't going to fulfill his destiny.

Nice take on the "next life" line.

Here's another tidbit I'm not sure is appropriate for this thread. Dunno why I'm picking now of all times to start tagging, but whatever.

Play Enter The Matrix to find out.

the package was the message from the Oracle to Neo... At least that's how I saw it.

does anyone have a shot of that IS 5416 license plate? cause that whole thing sounds pretty damn cool.

"blowing coals in the fire" sounds like an instigator...

Yep, that makes perfect sense. Even though What's His Name? certainly wasn't Ballard, we know that Ballard and Bane know each other quite well ("Shut your hole Bane, before I put you in one!"), so it's fairly logical that Ballard would be the one to hand to Trinity the item that Bane and WHN? had obtained.

In the first matrix when Smith is interrogating Morpheus he really takes the situation personally. The other agent asks him "What are you doing?" and another answers with "He doesn't know."

That could be a hint of his future as a renegade program.

Yep. Another of my favorite lines from the first movie. It has such wonderful double meaning.

"He doesn't know what's happening on the roof"
"He doesn't know what he's doing"

Damn...you have a good eye.

Specifically, Ballard is the captain of the ship Bane and the other guy work on. He gets to bring the prize, not his subordinates.

the other guy is malachi FYI