Hear Me Out: There should have been a third pill in ‘The Matrix’
In 1999, the Wachowskis transcended Hollywood action fodder to bring us the first and greatest instalment of their magnum opus franchise, The Matrix. Upon its release, The Matrix dazzled moviegoers with its cutting-edge “bullet time” visual effect, but beyond such innovations and high-octane action, an uncomfortably pertinent concept was introduced.
The Matrix depicts a dystopian future where the human race lives blindly in a simulated reality. Unbeknownst to these humans, their bodies have been enslaved by artificially intelligent entities and harnessed as an efficient power source. In one of the movie’s most iconic moments, Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus presents Keanu Reeves’ character Neo with an ultimatum.
“You take the blue pill… the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe,” Morpheus explains. “You take the red pill… you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” As we know, Neo fearlessly grabs the red pill and joins the revolution.
Nearly 25 years lateer, the matrix has become an increasingly palpable concept as we grapple with the early exploits of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hence, beyond adrenaline-inducing action sequences, this dystopia raises important ethical questions about a future that is nearly upon us.
In similar spheres to James Cameron’s Terminator franchise, critics warmed to The Matrix for this inspiring concept; however, I believe the first instalment could have been enhanced. What if Morpheus offered three pills? One red, one blue and one black – this final option being a cyanide preparation that would kill Neo stone dead.
You’re thinking, ‘How ridiculously morbid’, or, ‘That would make for a sudden and dissatisfactory end to the movie’. Allow me to explain my thought process: I’m not postulating that Neo accepts the suicide option, nor am I condoning suicide in any scenario where fighting for survival is still an option. What I am suggesting is that the Wachowskis missed an opportunity for artistic posturing in the realm of existential allegory.
Fundamentally, the pill scene is a philosophical dilemma and one that, for me, harkens back to Albert Camus’ foundational studies in existentialism. In his 1947 absurdist novel, The Plague – or La Peste – Camus exercises his central philosophy across a fictional narrative set in the Algerian city of Oran.
As a plague throttles the settlement towards submission, its gates are shut and sentries positioned, incarcerating citizens in hopes that the virus can be contained. Throughout the novel, Camus documents the disease’s progression through the eyes of an anonymous character who eventually identifies himself at the beginning of the final chapter.
Through this character (I won’t name them in case you have yet to read the novel), Camus presents his theory of three possible reactions to absurdity. We can either commit suicide (“quit,” as Camus put it), enter a state of denial and forced ignorance, or revolt against the absurd.
Had the Wachowskis aligned The Matrix with Camus’ philosophy, there would have been three pills to represent these three options. Like myself and Neo, Camus wouldn’t humour suicide as a viable option since it’s a form of escapism, but an acknowledgement of the option could have offered an interesting philosophical edge and made a discerning reference to one of our most venerated existentialists.
Watch the trailer for The Matrix below.
