Thanks for the nice job on the web site. I liked the film, although the ending had me puzzling for a while until I started reading your site.
In any case, I feel that the movie DOES have a lot in common with the Matrix in the sense of “minds” being “trapped” within a computer matrix. However, I believe the “minds” in this movie are all AI computer programs who do not realize that they operate as part of a software-created universe.
There are several mentions throughout the movie about the “stability” of the game, how important Ash is to maintaining such stability, and the importance of keeping the rest of the players content and satisfied within the confines of their universe (the game and the virtual world outside of the game). There are also mentions of how long the game has been going on, the balance between having a game you cannot win versus one that seems impossible but has an ending, etc. In effect, this concern appears to the concern of the programmers in making sure the programs strive to exercise their functions, instead of “giving up” after realizing that they “live” within a never-ending artificial world. In effect, it may all be one grand experiment in artificial intelligence and the struggle for free will.
When Ash asks the Game Master if he is real, he responds “Does it matter?” He is perhaps the programmer, or merely another program within the AI universe performing its function.
Class Real I believe is as close a replica of the “real world” where the programmers live as they could create. Their desire to eliminate Murphy comes from the fact that Murphy, by remaining in Class Real, has refused to play the game any longer. Murphy has perhaps realized that he is merely a program, and has chosen to remain in a virtual reality universe that most closely resembles a place he can never reach (Avalon).
Ash, by killing Murphy, has chosen to perform her function. She has “debugged” the program (“Murphy”) which realized it was a program, and in effect, given the programmers what they wanted. She arrives at Avalon, the end of the game. What happens at that point is anyone’s guess. Perhaps she is told the truth? Perhaps she returns to the AI universe to function a guardian type of program (a la Bishop)? Perhaps she is given “life”?
Sorry to ramble a bit. I know there are a lot of holes in my analysis, but I gotta run!