Book of eli religious themes in the matrix

It fantasizes a world in which everything has been. Reading suggestions for religious fiction the new york times. He doesnt sugar coat his words and eli refuses to hand of the book and walks away, claiming that he has god watching over him. Eli reads scripture daily and absorbs what he reads, so that he becomes a man of faith who attempts to lead a virtuous life and prays daily to his creator. The book of eli is rated r for adult content, profanity, images of rape, and excessive violence. Thank you lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in hard times like. But unlike the physical world, these rules can be broken. Redridge recovers the book, with a locked flap, and gives it to carnegie, who releases solara. Eli, who didnt hear god calling samuel, eventually realized the truth, and instructed samuel on how to respond. So i went out with my bf last friday to watch book of eli.

But carnegie gary oldman, the powerhungry dictator of a decrepit survivors colony, is also interested in elis book for very different reasons. The inherent equality among men in gods eyes means that christianity is a source of comfort and strength for the slaves, as well as a way to understand their circumstances. An overlay of spiritual themes doesnt always work, but eli is that rare hollywood film that posits a. Book of eli is fascinating, faithbased vision popmatters. The book of eli examing the religious undertones in the film book of eli. The matrixs purpose is to stimulate the minds of people so that they continue to live and produce energy. If you havent seen the film and wish to be able to do so without knowing in advance what will happen, please do so before reading this article. The gospel reloaded rushes headlong into the matrix, exploring the trilogys intricate details.

While the matrix draws on many religious influences, commentators have noted in particular its reliance on ancient gnosticism. Yet, the book also illustrates many of the other influences that can be found in the matrix movies comics, easternism, etc. Eli is protecting a bible so that postapocalyptic dictators cant use it to control their people. Religious and theological themes in the matrix mes vicissitudes. The book of eli is a great religious film for religious people. The few survivors have clumped together into ramshackle settlements that are beginning to crumble from within. The book of eli is very compelling and aweinspiring, with excellent production standards as well as absorbing character portrayals by denzel washington and gary oldman. The movie displays the resurrection of christ and the fall of satan. This seems to be literally true as even though he his shot at twice while walking away, none of them hit him in a literal deus ex machina that seems to prevent any. True spirit filled christians will leave the theater filling empty and disappointed. But there are so many themes in it that just excite me as a christianespecially the fact that the story seems impossible. Christianity and the book of eli believe it or not. The film opens with a really riveting scene, slowly panning across a wooded area covered in ash, and with more ash still falling from the sky. The film depicts a dystopian world in which reality is a computer simulation, the matrix, created by machines to control the human population.

The book of eli certainly brings to mind that other monstrosity among american postapocalyptic films, i am legend, which also weds the genres conventions with religious nonsense. But then he meets another girl and keeps her from getting raped mila kunis character. Religion and language in contemporary film wikiversity. Book of eli is fascinating, faithbased vision bill gibron. The book of eli is a 2010 american postapocalyptic action film starring denzel. Conceived by an anonymous group in the summer of 2004, it claimed to have attracted 300 members by may 2005, and the religions geocities website claimed over sixteen hundred members. In fact, every day for the last six years ive gone to church with my grandmother. Jan 24, 2010 what the hell was the theme of the movie book of eli.

The movie belongs to the cyberpunk genre, and incorporates many cinematographic, literary, philosophical, religious, and mythological references. Google image 473 growing up with my grandparents, i would often go to church on sundays. The villain wanted to harness the inherent power of the book for his own gain. The presence of christian ideas in the matrix films is simply undeniable, but does this allow us to conclude that the matrix.

This is the definitive exposition of the religious symbolism that flows through the matrix. Carnegie threatens to kill solara, to the dismay of redridge. I am sure that you know that the matrix trilogy is a really religious set of films with the wachowskis placing in many religious parallels intentionally, they are catholic. That question and the film illustrates the ambiguity of the concept of christian anything. The hughes brothers book of eli isnt all postapocalyptic samurai sword action and ipods.

The bible, religion, and film in the twentyfirst century citeseerx. The book of enoch is quoted in the book of james and other epistles though. The movies blatant support of christianity and the notsosubtle references to the bible are greatly encouraging and very surprising for a major theatrical release. The visual effects are stunning, the story line is rich, and the plot is full of twists and turns that are ultimately redemptive. And while its not going to change your life, or make you reconsider the nature of the human condition, it is a solid action movie with some great sequences that doesn. To do this, the matrix has programmed rules that help simulate the physical world. A summary of faiths and religions in the wachowskiss the matrix trilogy. Worldview elements of film implications questions biblical parallels the priest eli solara as samuel catholic parallels modern day parallels westward movement american dream what is the place of religion in the life of the common person. Religious and theological themes in the matrix mes. In time, his faith is passed on to others, not by the words in the book or by his preaching, but by the example of his life. It also touches upon the possibility that the matrix movies are films that are antichristian in nature. The matrixs symbolism, in conclusion, cannot be attributed to any one religion, but instead all religious beliefs. This story of hannah, with which the books of samuel begin, involves eli. Dazzled by the stupendous effects, the scifi story, the kung fu and the guns, lots of guns, it is easy to miss the fact that the matrix is also a spiritual film, saturated with religious symbolism.

And its a foregone conclusion that religious trappings will continue to provide a colorful. Eli and solara stumble upon these two in their travels, and both actors play their characters with energy and humor. Ever noticed all the christian theology in the matrix. The book of eli on the surface looks like a prochristian deal but if you pay attention, its actually blaming the end of civilization on christianity, and is directly referred to as a population control mechanism. The matrix is based on a premise i remember being kicked around by high school lunch time philosophers. This includes ideas and concepts from christianity, gnostic theology. Hollywoods sporadic attempts to reach out to christian viewers with films like the blind side, the book of eli and soul surfer will continue. Unequivocally christian, writes the new york posts kyle smith. As john notle said over at big hollywood, eli in the end is a genre movie. Washington ranked by beliefnet as the second most powerful christian in hollywood behind mel gibson described the book of eli as both a story about faith and a story about good and evil with parallels to real life.

May 31, 2012 partly inspired by a recent interview with ross douthat, who argues in his new book, bad religion, that great art inspired by religion is vital to the culture, i asked times staffers and contributors to describe their favorite works of fiction that have prominent religious themes or settings. Marauding gangs haunt the ashen wastelands of america, preying on innocent passersby. Therefore, he has seen and knows the power of religion and wanted to use it to minipulate the people for his personal gain. Aslan the lion represents christ and jadis, the wicked witch, represents satan. Into this world steps machetewielding road warrior eli a man on a. It shows the theme of gods supernatural power and divine providence all the much more. Popular religious themes books goodreads share book. Lewis, the da vinci code by dan brown, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c. It also, rather startlingly, has an overt, fairly profound christian theme. The organization in the end would have treated it similar if it was there only copy of the lord of the rings.

Many have taken explicity prochristian themes from the film, but. I am thinking about creating pages that describe in deatail the matrix series parallels to many different religious faiths. Eli and solara are surrounded and dragged out of the house. Christianity, or any other religion, and will more broadly address the spiritual. Jul 16, 2015 the secret garden, by frances hodgson burnett plenty of kids, having read this classic book for the first time, will be happy to tell you the titular garden is supposed to be the garden of edenbut while there is a link, thats not the main religious theme hidden in the book. The book of eli continues hollywoods obsession with postapocalyptic tales, and in many ways feels like it belongs in the same world as the road with its ashladen wastelands and crazed cannibals.

Lewis work, it may come as no surprise that the chronicles of narnia. Matrixism or the path of the one is a purported religion inspired by the motion picture trilogy the matrix. Throughout 12 years a slave, solomon northup asserts that god loves all of his people, regardless of race. He describes the central meaning of his book as teaching that one should always do more for others than for oneself. Because christianity is the predominant religious tradition in the united states, it is only natural that christian themes and interpretations of the matrix will also be dominant in discussions about this film series. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 worldviews, worship. What i am going to do, is talk about one of the themes of the trilogy that stood out in my mind fist and foremost. Understanding the matrix and its relationship with. Dystopian analysis the book of eli is about a postapocalyptic dystopian reality that the protagonist eli is attempting to survive in.

After all, symbolism and allegory in works of art is never 100% straight forward statement of intention. The book of eli is screenwriter, gary whittas, take on a western samurai film. Many have taken explicity prochristian themes from the film, but is it that. The power of the bible to uplift or destroy general theme 3. In the book of eli why did denzel washingtons character let a woman get raped and her father or husband get murdered. Psalms and bible verses are quoted throughout the movie, and christian imagery and symbolism are present in many scenes. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Mar 06, 2018 religious and theological themes in the matrix march 6, 2018, 2. The bible that eli carries is hardbound, with a locking brass clasp. The girl sees elis book, and when carnegie finds out he beats her mother until she reveals what she saw. In most hollywood movies it would be ridiculous to pick out hidden meanings in such throwaway lines. And denzel washington isnt exactly kirk cameron, either. The matrix s purpose is to stimulate the minds of people so that they continue to live and produce energy. The matrix helps us see some of the ways this selfprojection contributes to alienation and the exploitation of our fellow human beings while at the same time masking these negative consequences.

The book of eli is a 2010 american postapocalyptic neowestern action film directed by the hughes brothers, written by gary whitta, and starring denzel washington, gary oldman, mila kunis, ray stevenson, and jennifer beals. The book of eli is not only a welldone action picture but an overtly, unabashedly christian one. Living for the word instead of acting in its name who is eli. What the book of eli tells us about religion youtube. Mar 30, 2010 book of eli is a wake up call for originality in both secular and christian movies. This is my final video montage that i made for my religion and film class. Eli has a book which is discovered as the bible and he is trying to deliver it to a location he doesnt specify.

Carnegie sends his gang into the wasteland to take the book from eli, but the man proves to be a formidable foe as he makes it more than clear that if. It was one of a spat of post apocalyptic dramas with washed out color and characters who care more about surviving to the end of the day than dental hygiene. However, the religious theme is the overriding message, which places the film in the literature apocalyptic genre. Jan 11, 2010 the hughes brothers are happy to tell you that the book in the book of eli is the bible. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 remember the book of eli.

Forget scifi and guns the matrix is really about religion uk. The contemporary film, the book of eli directed by albert and allen hughes. Now that weve seen the matrix trilogy, most of the secrets have been revealed, and some we have to figure out for ourselves. Simulacra and simulation 2, the book in which neo conceals a floppy disk, and on. Eli was the high priest kohen gadol of shiloh, the secondtolast israelite judge succeeded only by samuel before the rule of the kings of israel and judah. Why does hollywood consistently take god out of apocalypse. Jan 11, 2010 though in the vein of recent films like 2012, a blockbuster about the end of the world as predicted by the mayan calendar, evangelical movie buffs are touting the book of eli as a rare major studio release where the protagonist is unabashedly a christian. He is a religious man, regularly reading and praying from the book.

Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz the brothers about in our exclusive interview. The contemporary film, the book of eli directed by albert and allen hughes, the internet movie database focuses on the protagonist and a violent thirty year quest through desert like wastelands of a cataclysmic war ravaged earth. Popular christian themes books goodreads share book. The book of eli is a dystopian symbol for how organized religion is abused in modern society. Love and selfsacrifice in the matrix trilogy matrix fans. Aug 11, 2015 buddhism and the matrix theme of emptiness in scene with child and spoon time is cyclical, relative and illusionary in the matrix people who know the matrix is illusion have special powers neos training similar to meditation practices ignorance as a theme in both buddhism and the matrix neo and gautama around same age. Other religious themes in the matrix is neo a christlike. The main themes of the long list of secular apocalypse movies 273 are listed on pg. Likewise, the religious themes in avatar come across as rather goofy feelgood new ageism compared to the themes of faith, sacrifice, and suffering in eli. When eli finally gets the book where it is going they just file it away with other similar books. The book of eli is a postapocalyptic vision of ametica somewhere late in the.

A good example of this is the postapocalyptic movie the matrix. However, the rising from illusion is more buddhist than christian in meaning, as is the concept of fate. Others are blatantly in your face book of eli, anyone. As recounted by carnegie and eli, bibles are scarce due to a largescale book burning after the falloutmany irrationally blamed christianity as a cause of the war.

The book of eli is kind of like watching the book of mormon filmed and rewritten as a futuristic action movie, except with fewer hot bitches. The book of eli stars denzel washington as a lone wanderer, making his away across a postnuclear holocaust america, scavenging and scraping to survive and well adept at it. He says his book is the last remaining copy of the bible on earth. Lewis, redeeming love by francine rivers, the lion, the. Enoch was a real man in the early chapters of genisis and described as being taken into heaven by god. Instead, ive decided to include a short list of other religious and philosophical themes and references in the matrix.

Abp the bible plays a starring role in the book of eli, a postapocalyptic action film starring denzel washington that opens in theaters jan. Neo is a christ figure in the matrix, and theres even a trinity. Eli, the main character, believes that his purpose on earth is to bring the bible out west and to protect it. It was either that or legion ironically both have something to do with religion lol.

When samuel heard god speaking to him, he at first mistook god for eli. Matrix is a mixture of complex science fiction story incorporating mythology, computer science, philosophy and several religious themes from hinduism, gnosticism, buddhism and christianity. Elkanah also had another wife who bore him children. A creeping religious symbolism in modern film jonathan ms. Jun 15, 2003 the gospel reloaded does illustrate some of the christian allusions that are prevalant throughout the matrix films. Based in seoul, colin marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. The bible plays a starring role in the book of eli, a postapocalyptic action film starring denzel washington that opens in theaters jan.

At the conclusion to the first matrix film, neo sacrifices himself before rising again an obvious parallel to christ. Christian themes abound in book of eli the tufts daily. What the hell was the theme of the movie book of eli. Now look, i get that the book of eli is a work of fiction.

Perhaps that plot is fuel for controversy, but the hughes brothers dont mind letting that one slip. The story raises certain moral and philosophical questions, such as the nature of reality. May 16, 2003 the spiritual message of the matrix the film the matrix reloaded has excited philosophers, clerics and theologians who find rich in spiritual meaning in the film trilogys underlying themes. Exploring spirituality and faith in the matrix chris seay, greg garrett on. Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz the. The book of eli casts bible as a major theme baptist standard. Eli, on the other hand, saw the book as the key to the restoration of society. Read it and weep denzel washington thumps his bible and slices through bad guys in. Were all a work in progress, he said in the trailer. Hughes brothers talk religious controversy in the book of eli. Dick theorizes the matrix in 1977, declares that we live in a computerprogrammed reality daniel dennett and cornel west decode the philosophy of the matrix. This article refers to important plot points in the matrix necessary to this overview of the moral and spiritual significance of the film.

In the movie the book of eli why was the bible so important. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the matrix trilogy and what it means. He is taking the book to a place where it will be safe where its message can be finally be shared with the world. In this final project, we look at the exploitation of people that takes place in the truman show, the matrix, the story. His dangerous and often selfsacrificial mission, inspired by god and rooted in a deepseated personal faith, is certainly inspiring. Yes, there were a half of a dozen redeemable kernels in the bag, but that did not make us feel any better about being mislead and rippedoff because wed like our money back. Religious themes in the matrix and the truman show youtube. Something more than a message between the lines 27 jul i dont think its risky to say, if we confine ourselves to the most recent events, that the catholic church, the principle institution within the christian doctrine, is now living through one of the greatest crises it has experienced since its beginnings. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe is filled with christian themes.

Eli may be short for elijah who was also taken up in a tornado or whirlwind. Dec 18, 2011 god spoke to eli to find the book,bible, and transport it to a safe haven. Click here for the pdf version of the matrix a cyberpunk parable. Religious and theological themes in the matrix medium. In the construct, morpheus sums up the matrix in one word. I saw the book of eli the other night, and ever since, ive been telling all my friends to drop what theyre doing and go see it before it leaves theaters. Washington, a twotime academy award winner widely known in hollywood for his christian beliefs, portrays a lone warrior making his way across a desolate american landscape defending the worlds last. Read about agent smith, cypher, nebuchadnezzar, morpheus, and the oracle theology in the matrix. The book of eli provokes thoughtful debate about the religious themes in the film, but the oldminus. References to christianity proliferate in the films, and the matrix films are an allegory for the christian faith and that neo is a modernday jesus. Why are you reject one persons opportunity to be saved only to choose another.

Redridge entreats eli to surrender the book and eli tells redridge where he hid it. In the postapocalyptic biblical thriller the book of eli, denzel washington plays a blind man who feels hes been called by god to carry. As the matrix flushes this idea out, it has both positives and negatives from a christian perspective. To find such themes in a coen film is itself a gift, almost a grace. For that matter, eli is something of a modernday elijah. Apparently theres more detail about that occurance and others in his book.