Delayed Reaction: A Glitch in the Matrix

Premise: A documentary examining the idea of Simulation Theory (the belief the we live in the Matrix, basically).

 

I don't find Simulation Theory compelling. I think it requires a god complex to believe it. More importantly, it's pointless. You have consciousness. Does it really matter if it's real or a simulation? Is there even a difference. As someone in this documentary rightly points out toward the end, thinking that you are the one person who sees the truth "is such a school shooter fantasy."

 

Now, that doesn't mean I came into this movie ready to hate it. I've never spent much time thinking about Simulation Theory. I just thought it was something a stoned person said that they think is insightful. I was hoping A Glitch in the Matrix could explain the appeal of the idea and make some compelling points about why some people believe it. Look. I'm not far from the demo of people likely to buy into this. I'm a 30-something single white male with libertarian tendencies and a healthy amount of skepticism. I'm used to looking for the sane people who can explain something commonly ridiculed. However, this movie does nothing to convince me that simulation theory is worth my or anyone's time. Right away the movie turned me off. It makes the decision to keep any of the simulation theory people anonymous by turning them into CGI creatures sitting at their webcam. Between that and all the Rick & Morty clips, the movie feels like they just interviewed the top handful on contributors on the reddit page then took them way too seriously.

 

There simply aren't enough credentialed people in the movie to back up the simulation theory believers. All the academics backtrack significantly from any suggestion that they believe it. There's no compelling evidence anywhere. I think it's dangerous to even entertain the idea, which thankfully the movie does finally get to with the story of the guy who ended up killing his parents. It's deflating to spend 100 minutes watching something, only for someone to explain it all by suggesting these people are probably just lonely or having trouble interacting with the world.

 

Basically, A Glitch in the Matrix fails to convince anyone who doubts simulation theory and undermines the people who do believe it. Perhaps I'm just not enough of an edgelord to appreciate this.

 

Verdict: Strongly Don't Recommend