A Glitch in the Matrix
While watching A Glitch in the Matrix, it’s helpful to remember that its director Rodney Ascher’s breakthrough film was Room 237, a documentary about obsessive fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and their entertaining theories derived from obscure production details.
Otherwise, it’s tempting to become lost in the persuasive arguments of his latest film’s interviewees — who posit that life on Earth is a simulation — as well as Ascher’s own belief in the validity of these hypotheses. As with Room 237, he appears more interested in chronicling the intriguing stances of outsider communities and encouraging discourse than flat-out championing these claims as fact (or even probable), yet his generally compelling presentation is respectful of their viewpoints and laudably gives them a proper platform.
Though rooted in an influential 1977 lecture by author Philip K. Dick and the titular 1999 Wachowski sisters’ film that brought “simulation theory” to the masses, A Glitch in the Matrix is likewise at its best when letting its subjects spin their yarns. Talking via Skype, the handful of “eyewitnesses” who’ve latched on to purported cracks in existence are hidden behind elaborate digital avatars that conceal their faces — a wildly creative and fitting decision that renders their observations more palatable.
The credence of their stories, however, will of course vary depending on the viewer. It’s all thought-provoking and anyone who’s experienced coincidence or déjà vu can relate to most of what’s said, though some of the submitted “evidence” is highly individualized to the point of being esoteric. Multiple subjects’ revelations of growing up in strict religious homes also suggest that extreme belief systems are the norm for many people who embrace “simulation theory” — not the greatest sales pitch, even for open-minded viewers.
Beyond the conversations, Ascher illustrates the film’s central points with a wealth of movie and TV clips, plus somewhat ugly but nevertheless effective computer animation. He also doesn’t shy away from the darker consequences that arise from seeing these beliefs through, specifically via his digital recreation of the haunting story of a person who took the concepts to deadly ends.
The cautionary tale proves effective, but so do many of the non-harmful concepts that A Glitch in the Matrix extols. Rather than prescribing a clear “red pill, blue pill” choice, Ascher hints that there’s much to be gained from reveling in the beautiful mysteries of life, though without the efforts of those willing to seek concrete answers that traditional sources can’t provide, existence wouldn’t be quite as interesting.
Grade: B. Not rated, but with adult content and language and disturbing images. Available to rent starting Feb. 5 via fineartstheatre.com
(Photo: Magnolia Pictures)
