A Glitch in the Matrix (2021) Review

A Glitch in the Matrix (2021) Review

It’s a question that has been around since the dawn of philosophy. What if our world and everything in it isn’t real? The digital age has seen the idea of simulation theory enter the mainstream, not least on the back of The Wachowskis’ seminal blockbuster THE MATRIX.

Now a mind-blowing brand-new film A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX from acclaimed documentary filmmaker Rodney Ascher has turned his attention from film obsessives (Kubrick and THE SHINING doc ROOM 237) and spooky sleep paralysis stories (THE NIGHTMARE, described as the scariest film of the decade) to simulation theory in another ground-breaking documentary.

Ascher and producer Ross Dinerstein ponder the questions it throws up – what does it mean if our whole existence is on the whim of some strange creature or gamer somewhere? We meet a fascinating line-up of people including those who believe we are living in some kind of game simulation, as well as scientists, experts and amateur sleuths who have been looking at this remarkable theory.

Beginning with Plato and using sci-fi master Philip K Dick as a major starting point, the film blends digital tech and animation to create a vibrant viewing experience. Bright, exciting talking avatars are used to represent true believers who believe in Simulation Theory rather than talking heads. And 3D animation is used to add more visual style to the film, which also bristles with scores of film clips, not least of THE MATRIX itself. The shadow of the 1999 film looms large over A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX, including interviews with a Neo obsessive whose lawyers advised using The Matrix Defence in court after being accused of brutal crimes.

To date I have found that the documentaries of film-maker Rodney Ascher have managed to tackle hugely interesting subject matter only for their delivery ends up as rather one-note and therefore repetitive. That’s not to say that there are not interesting nuggets of information along the way or that his documentaries aren’t meticulously researched, because they evidently are, it’s more that it just becomes much of a sameness after a short while.

Chances are that if you’re tuning in to watch A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX it’ll be because you know something already about Simulation Theory or are simply a fan of the film THE MATRIX, so it’s therefore possible that you’ll be onboard with the notions presented in this film that we are all in fact living within a synthetic world. If not then there’s little here that you will convince you otherwise.

It’s exhaustive and exhausting in equal measure (highlights include archive footage of acclaimed late author Philip K Dick from 1977 as well as the horrific recounting recounting of a young man, who so killed his parents thinking that he was living in the Matrix) but not nearly as interesting as it sounds on paper.

Fresh from its world premiere at Sundance, the film is released by Dogwoof: 5 February 2021 on VOD platforms and Dogwoof On Demand https://watch.dogwoof.com followed by its DVD released on 4 May 2021.