The Horrifying Reality of THE MATRIX

Could the human body really be used as a battery to power something like The Matrix?

Released in 1999, The Matrix has become a timeless sci-fi classic. Whether it’s the groundbreaking visual effects, the positively bonkers action sequences, or the disturbing looks at a world that has been consumed by AI and virtual experiences, there’s something that will resonate with just about any member of the audience, even a quarter century after its initial box office success.

But there’s one moment in particular that perfectly illustrates the true horror at the heart of The Matrix. Since the titular concept of the film can only exist because humans have all been placed in a form of stasis, with their very bodies used to power the machines that now rule the world and create their shared reality, the big reveal of how that works needs to be suitably disturbing. And boy, does it deliver. When Neo (Keanu Reeves) chooses to wake up to actual reality, he’s revealed as a hairless body, covered in goo, with feeding and breathing tubes stuffed down his throat. While not quite the iconic moment that the bullet time fights and martial arts sequences are, it might very well be the most powerful moment in the film or its sequels.

It’s a moment that has stayed with us for over 25 years, which is why today we’re asking the question: does the human body really generate enough electrical power to essentially serve as a battery?

Take the red pill in the latest episode of Does it Fly? for the answers…

SUGGESTED VIEWING

We based the majority of today’s discussion just on the first film in the franchise, which is, of course, 1999’s The Matrix. If you need a viewing order, it’s followed by The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. But we’ve gotta say, you’re missing out if you don’t check out the bizarre and cool The Animatrix, which fills in a lot of backstory. And count us among the folks who think 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections is a much sharper movie than it gets credit for.

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

For a more recent take on a sci-fi dystopia, allow us to recommend our Squid Game episode!

The disturbing practical effects of the Neo awakening scene does recall some of the more unsettling cyberpunk aspects of RoboCop, which we covered here.