The Matrix and Teen Killers

Few films have achieved cult status as quickly as “The Matrix.” The lead character—a passive, unassuming young man—discovers that a malevolent system controls him and almost everyone else. He learns martial arts, then attacks and destroys the system and its allies.
Not surprisingly, “The Matrix” has a particular grip on adolescent and young adult males. For most, the film’s themes and special effects are simply entertainment. Others are drawn—and their concerns perhaps affirmed—by questions the film raises about reality and control over destiny. For a few, the film speaks to overpowering psychic pain.
19-year-old Josh Cooke of Oakton, VA, who murdered his parents with a 12-gauge shot gun, wore out his first copy of ‘The Matrix’ and got a second one.
Like “The Matrix” protagonist, destroying the system—and themselves—begins to seem like their only option. Add access to weapons, and you have a recipe for disaster.
The full article is available at Current Psychiatry