Audiences have trouble with 'big ideas'. They're hard to put on screen, and besides, if people really wanted that, they'd be reading a book, not watching an ac

Audiences have trouble with 'big ideas'. They're hard to put on screen, and besides, if people really wanted that, they'd be reading a book, not watching an action movie. Art these days has to have something fun to hook people and get them to try to accept something new. Sometimes, the fun part is so good that it overwhelms the interesting part. That's why I'm frustrated by The Matrix. Stripped of the action, the first movie is basically mid-age wish fulfillment. You have a respected, well-paid, safe yet boring job you hate, and then somebody comes and offers you a way out. For the low cost of nothing, you can abandon your zero-attachment life, become a martial arts master in a day, and then superman, simply by deciding to be. You no longer need money. You can solve all your problems by punching, shooting, and running away. The sequels start to delve into the idea that maybe being superman isn't all it's cracked up to be. As with the later "Dune" novels, the hero discovers his powers make him the object of worship, even though this is bad for everyone. He can pull strings, but ultimately has to sacrifice himself for humanity to be saved. (In Neo's case, of course, there's lots more punching first.) We see an inner circle who understand where their superman's power comes from, know that he's not a god, and get that this doesn't excuse you from needing to fight.