Movie Review: A Glitch In The Matrix
SARAH HIOTT | FEB. 4, 2021 | ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The new science-fiction documentary, “A Glitch in the Matrix,” premiering tomorrow at Jacksonville’s Sun-Ray Cinema, features a surprising glance into an outlandish theory. The movie was directed by filmmaker Rodney Ascher, who won Best Director at Austin Fantastic Fest for his 2012 film “Room 237.” His directing, with the assistance of cinematographer George Feucht and sound designer Jonathan Snipes, created a film full of exciting twists, eerie music, and a plethora of ideas centering around one question: “Are we living in a simulation?”
The simulation hypothesis is the idea that reality, in part or whole, could be an artificial simulation. Similar to how a computer sim runs, the theory suggests that we are controlled and life as we know it is artificial. The documentary compiles interviews with philosophers, authors, and believers of the simulation theory as well as scenes of various science fiction movies, lectures, and interviews. Ascher’s featured these clips because of the unique experiences featured in the movies and interviews. The combined fantastical events and academics who have dedicated portions of their life to studying this theory causes the audience to question if the simulation theory is true or not. Cameos from Elon Musk and short scenes from “The Matrix” series reveal the societal traction the theory has.
Ascher highlights interviews from everyday people including Paul Gude and Alex Levine, who are visually depicted with animal overlays such as a wolf or lion. Joshua Cooke provided a firsthand account of the effects of some simulation theory beliefs and discussions with Paul Gude, Alex Levine, and Laeo Mystwood gave everyday person anecdotes contributing to the simulation hypothesis.
In addition to these interviews, Nick Bostrom adds information as an expert, offering facts and speculations about false reality from his own essay on the simulation theory. Ascher also features author Phillip K. Dick, whose work inspired movies like “Blade Runner,” and whose personal metaphysical experience led him to integrate ideas of the simulation theory into his own writing. Dick’s 1977 science fiction lecture is also featured, which provides an account of evidence towards the simulation theory and gives both an expert opinion and a firsthand story.
In addition to the plot and cinematic shots, the music choices by scorer Jonathan Snipes compliments the mood of each scene and allows for the techno theme to be reflected through electronic beats. However, although the music selections complimented the movie, the pieces often overpowered the dialogue. In the interview with Nick Bostrom, the interviewer’s questions can hardly be heard, which creates some confusion when Bostrom answers.
As the movie progresses, it transitions from a mysterious and informative documentary to a rather scary account of tragic events. Some individuals shared in their interviews rather extreme views that rely solely on the fact that life could be a simulation. In an effort to reveal these shocking admissions, the last half an hour of the movie features a recollection of the double murder by Joshua Cooke, whose’s obsession with the 1999 movie “The Matrix” led him to shoot and kill both of his adoptive parents. The tone of the narrator, especially with the specifically tense music accompanying it, creates a frightening scene with a sense of unease.
“A Glitch in the Matrix” documents and expands on different facets of the simulation hypothesis, the idea that we are part of a simulation. The tense music and rapid changes between interviews, movie scenes, and the simulations created by the filmographers provided an interesting narrative that gave insight into the development of the simulation theory. This film provides surprising and engaging insight into a theory sometimes only labeled as fantastical, and is worth a watch just to see if the theory might be true.
A note of the content in this film: there are a few uses of profanity, and a scene from “The Matrix'' which shows women revealing themselves.