The Matrix was a horrible film and anyone who believes in red or blue pills should take cyanide instead to take themselves out of the gene pool.
It’s a figure of speech, a metaphor.
I haven’t seen the movie either— and believe me, I tried— but looking back I’m glad it made people aware of the possibility that we might face such a dilemma: the imperative to consciously choose either serenity or knowledge.
The concept of the Matrix goes back at least to the days of Plato’s Cave.
This scene was the best imho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqiciLo6LF0