When Movies Attack
[Written by: The Vern from The Vern's Videovanguard]
The latest edition of When Movies Attack. The Matrix Vs. eXistenZ
This week I decided to take a look at movies that deal with an alternate reality. To be more precise, ones that deal with computer generated realities. Both of these challengers were released in the same year, but most of you probably saw only one. In this week’s edition, The Matrix vs. eXistenZ
SPOILERS****** Be warned I will be discussing both movies and may give away certain plot elements.
The Matrix Vs. eXistenZ
THE CHALLENGERS
The Matrix
Neo (Keanu Reeves) finds out that the world he thought he knew has been nothing but a virtual reality that was made possible by the machines. He ends up leading a group of others (Carrie- Anne Moss, Lawrence Fishburne, and Joe Pantiliano) to fight the machines and wake people up from their dream like slumber.
eXistenZ
Game designer Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has created the most perfect virtual reality game ever. It’s so perfect that players are unable to decipher what is real and what is only the game. When enemies begin making attempts at her life, Allegra teams up with a marketing trainee (Jude Law) to help play the game and see if her enemies have tampered with it.
Similarities
- Both characters in each movie are trying to escape from their virtual reality.
- Both Movies have very original concepts and stories.
Differences
- To enter The Matrix, a connector jack gets put into the back of your neck. In order to play eXistenZ one must get a bio-port surgically installed and use an organic creature as the controls.
- It’s very obvious that you are in the world of The Matrix because of the way scenarios can be altered. In eXistenZ it’s much more difficult because the game world looks very much like the real one and cannot be changed.
- There are more action scenes in The Matrix then there are eXistenZ.
- The game controllers in eXistenZ are obvious metaphors for sexual organs. Especially when characters help insert them into their bio-port.
- The Matrix may be an action film but it does have a lot of philosophy discussions
- While eXistenZ was directed by famed filmmaker David Cronenberg it wasn’t that big of a hit. The Matrix on the other hand was only the second feature for Andy and Lana (Formally Larry) Warchowski and became a huge blockbuster.
- The Matrix has tons of top level special effects and has even helped change the way effects are used in movies today. The effects in eXistenZ are indeed original, they are not game changers
Summary
The Matrix is very much a Hollywood blockbuster, but it’s highly original concept made it stand out from the other ones during that year. Being regarded as a rip off, eXistenZ was pretty much forgotten. This is a shame because it has a much more intricate plot then the other one. Both movies are very stylish, but The Matrix does stand out more because of its cinematography and score. If I had to choose just one to watch again, it would be The Matrix, but I would be very upset to have missed out on eXistenZ.
