Elena. reviewed Begin Transmission by Tilly Bridges
Free your mind
5 stars
I read this book along with my recent full Matrix re-watch. I've loved the original Matrix and Resurrections ever since they came out, but I have to admit I didn't really understand Reloaded and don't even remember if I ever went to see Revolutions in the cinema. It's possible I only saw that one for the first time some years ago. That's telling, isn't it. The whole thing went completely over my head. But not this time. Begin Transmission deepened my love for the series as a whole, and my understanding of Reloaded and Revolutions in particular. All I saw before was the surface level sci-fi story (plus my own interpretations related to my own experiences - I mean, midlife crisis anyone for Resurrections?), which is great on its own. But now I see so much more and it only enhances the experience.
I read each chapter after watching …
I read this book along with my recent full Matrix re-watch. I've loved the original Matrix and Resurrections ever since they came out, but I have to admit I didn't really understand Reloaded and don't even remember if I ever went to see Revolutions in the cinema. It's possible I only saw that one for the first time some years ago. That's telling, isn't it. The whole thing went completely over my head. But not this time. Begin Transmission deepened my love for the series as a whole, and my understanding of Reloaded and Revolutions in particular. All I saw before was the surface level sci-fi story (plus my own interpretations related to my own experiences - I mean, midlife crisis anyone for Resurrections?), which is great on its own. But now I see so much more and it only enhances the experience.
I read each chapter after watching the respective film, as it was then still fresh in my mind, and I could enjoy the films' stories without knowing too much beforehand (besides what I remembered). It was fun to try and recognise meanings in the next film with the knowledge I gained from reading the chapters of the ones before. I got better from film to film. Watching Resurrections again now made my heart break for Neo even harder than it did when I originally saw it not knowing anything about the trans allegories at all. (It may be my favourite film of the series.)
This is a powerful book as it helps you see things you might have not seen before. I enjoyed reading it and learning from it. Thank you, @tillybridges@mastodon.social!
