Friday, August 31, 2007

Neo vs. Ted Theodore Logan

I was having a discussion at lunch with a couple of coworkers about Keanu Reeves in Speed and The Lake House with Sandra Bullock, which sparked a conversation about probably the most famous Reeves character currently - that of Neo in the Matrix films.

My coworker (a boy by the way) feels that Neo is by far the most awesome of all Keanu’s characters due to his godlike qualities.
But what about Ted Theodore Logan, I inquired?
How is he godlike, you might ask?

Well, Neo of course overcame a simulated computer world, there’s no disputing that. But assuming that Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure took place in the real world, and not a simulated computer world, I feel that Ted Theodore Logan exhibited far more godlike qualities than Neo.

For instance: Ted (with Bill) was able to go back in time and round up a fair-sized group of historical people, carting them around in a phone booth. Neo didn’t seem to know how to time travel.

And, an entire race of futuristic people, including MF’in George Carlin considered Ted a god. Most people that knew Neo doubted that he was the one (much like Jesus; the Wachowskis pretty much threw a pie in our faces to get that point across). I didn’t see George Carlin even in the movie, let alone bowing his head to Mr. Anderson.

"Whoa!" Ted is undoubtedly saying.
(Still from Bill & Ted's Excellent adventure, © 1989 Orion Pictures)

A bit more subtly, Neo seems to be going for the same expression, showing Keanu's awesome range.
(Still from The Matrix, © 1999 Warner Bros.)

It's an interesting side note that Larry Wachowski is now living as a woman (per several internet reports) named Lara, Laurenca, or Linda (depending on what you read).