The Matrix Resurrections
The Matrix Resurrections
Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick
Directed by Lana Wachowski
Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick
Directed by Lana Wachowski
There are times where a perfect trilogy is made, and there's absolutely no need for another film after that. "Toy Story," "The Dark Knight Trilogy," and the original "Star Wars" trilogy are three examples, and "The Matrix" trilogy...isn't. The first film was a revolutionary marvelous wonder utilizing never-before-seen technology to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime movie experience, but the subsequent sequels weren't as acclaimed as the original, dragging down the original with a subpar story, lazier effects, and a nonsensical plot that turned many people off to "The Matrix" concept. Everyone thought the film series was dead after 2003's "Revolutions," but much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, "The Matrix Resurrections" was announced years ago. Due to the pandemic, it received a later release date, but after finally hitting theaters, "Resurrections" landed with a thud, debuting in third place, and while it was better than the other two sequels, it was a wholly unnecessary film.
Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is one of the most prolific video game developers out there, having created a game called "The Matrix" that revolutionized gaming. Still, he's haunted by visions of his past that in part inspired him to make the game, and he has frequent visits with his psychiatrist (Neil Patrick Harris), and when he runs into a woman named Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss) in a coffee shop, more memories start to bubble to the surface.
Meanwhile, outside of the Matrix, Bugs (Jessica Henwick) discovers the modal Thomas used to create "The Matrix" game and finds that it's running on an old loop, and she enters it and frees a newer version of Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) before they're attacked by an army of Agent Smiths (Jonathan Groff). Together, they convince Thomas that he's actually Neo, and that the world he's living in is a simulation brought on by the machines that have enslaved humanity, and he's the only one who can free them. Outside of the Matrix simulation, Neo decides to return in order to free Tiffany - who's actually Trinity - so they can be reunited. Yet ultimately it's Trinity's decision, and her choice holds dire consequences for everyone involved.
To try and summarize the previous "Matrix" movies would require a PhD in psychics, but fortunately "Resurrections" is a much easier plot to follow: reunite lost love by rescuing someone from a simulated world they're trapped in, but don't remember it. That's basically the whole premise here, and makes for an easier viewing when you don't need a lexicon of definitions next to you in order to grasp what's happening on screen (or maybe I'm just a moron, which is a strong possibility). It allowed me to get more involved in the story when I actually understood what's happening, and while it seemed like a pointless endeavor (especially after the third film ended), it was enjoyable enough to forget about the other two sequels.
This is due to the strong connection between Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who return to their iconic roles twenty-one years after the original, and it seems like no time has passed at all. You feel the connection immediately between the two characters, and even though this is an epic action movie, there's a deeper romantic film hidden inside that serves as the heart of the film. This is due to director Lana Wachowski, who returned to the franchise due to the sudden death of both her parents only weeks apart, and found her therapy in reuniting Neo and Trinity as a way to process her own issue with death. You can tell the story is deeply personal, and while the film wasn't necessary, it was useful at least to comfort someone going through a very rough time.
"The Matrix" has always, to me anyway, seemed muddy in the idea of Neo being "The One" who would rescue mankind from the machines - something Neo never seemed to believe himself. It's hard to root for someone who constantly puts himself down and limits his own abilities due to his preconceived notions of his lack of importance, and "Resurrections" really doesn't tread new ground here either. Neo is hesitant at first to even come out of the Matrix, but once he does, he recklessly puts others in danger in order to get Trinity out as well, dismissing claims once again that he's "The One" who will...again...save mankind from the machines. It's much easier to think of it as a rescue story than anything grander, because again, it just retreats old ground without adding much to the story. "Resurrections" serves almost as a greatest hits package of "The Matrix" franchise, with continual flashbacks to the previous three films in order to tell their story, and it's hard to move forward when you're constantly looking to the past.
Reeves and Moss easily return to their memorable roles, despite their early reluctance to admit who they really are in the film. Thomas is more neurotic and depressed, thinking there has to be more to life than what he's been given, while Tiffany seems content with being a married woman and mother to three children, yet both have a deeper longing for the life they once knew - a life that was erased by the Matrix, but hints of it still remains locked in their inner subconscious. It's only a matter of time before they realize who they really are, and the story follows that journey.
While there's other characters that returned to the franchise, "Resurrections" focuses on a new group of people who help Neo in his quest, led by gunslinger Bugs, played by Jessica Henwick, who plays the character with an intensity that's palpable and serves - in her own words - as the audience's eyes and ears. While Laurence Fishburne didn't return to the franchise, his character Morpheus remains in the film, this time played by "Candyman" star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. This Morpheus is younger and needs to learn his own identity after being rescued by Bugs, and when he discovers his true purpose, helps Neo once again to grasp his own sense of his own purpose. Jonathan Groff takes on the role of Agent Smith, made famous by Hugo Weaving, and while he tries to channel his inner Weaving, doesn't come across at all as menacing as the original.
Still, the action and visuals are the film's saving grace, as it's as exciting as ever when the fighting occurs, and while the effects are somewhat dated than they were before, they still serve as thrilling moments that keeps you entertained throughout the longer expositional dialogue that's peppered in the story. There's some really intense moments, and thankfully the film is more self-aware of the times than its predecessors. "Resurrections" has less to do with machines controlling our lives (which, in all reality, is already happening) and more about the deep introspective mind that drives us to do what we do, and trying to understand the deep ramifications of our own mortality and decisions. Much like the use of the psychiatrist in the film, the entire movie itself is a sort of therapeutic look at the inner psyche - with lots of gunfights and slow-mo action.
While returning to a long-dead franchise is often a big mistake, "The Matrix Resurrections" manages to pay homage to the past while focusing on a more introspective look into the lives of the characters we've come to know and love, while introducing new characters that are fully developed - even if the entire exercise seemed a bit unnecessary.
The Score: A-
Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is one of the most prolific video game developers out there, having created a game called "The Matrix" that revolutionized gaming. Still, he's haunted by visions of his past that in part inspired him to make the game, and he has frequent visits with his psychiatrist (Neil Patrick Harris), and when he runs into a woman named Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss) in a coffee shop, more memories start to bubble to the surface.
Meanwhile, outside of the Matrix, Bugs (Jessica Henwick) discovers the modal Thomas used to create "The Matrix" game and finds that it's running on an old loop, and she enters it and frees a newer version of Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) before they're attacked by an army of Agent Smiths (Jonathan Groff). Together, they convince Thomas that he's actually Neo, and that the world he's living in is a simulation brought on by the machines that have enslaved humanity, and he's the only one who can free them. Outside of the Matrix simulation, Neo decides to return in order to free Tiffany - who's actually Trinity - so they can be reunited. Yet ultimately it's Trinity's decision, and her choice holds dire consequences for everyone involved.
To try and summarize the previous "Matrix" movies would require a PhD in psychics, but fortunately "Resurrections" is a much easier plot to follow: reunite lost love by rescuing someone from a simulated world they're trapped in, but don't remember it. That's basically the whole premise here, and makes for an easier viewing when you don't need a lexicon of definitions next to you in order to grasp what's happening on screen (or maybe I'm just a moron, which is a strong possibility). It allowed me to get more involved in the story when I actually understood what's happening, and while it seemed like a pointless endeavor (especially after the third film ended), it was enjoyable enough to forget about the other two sequels.
This is due to the strong connection between Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who return to their iconic roles twenty-one years after the original, and it seems like no time has passed at all. You feel the connection immediately between the two characters, and even though this is an epic action movie, there's a deeper romantic film hidden inside that serves as the heart of the film. This is due to director Lana Wachowski, who returned to the franchise due to the sudden death of both her parents only weeks apart, and found her therapy in reuniting Neo and Trinity as a way to process her own issue with death. You can tell the story is deeply personal, and while the film wasn't necessary, it was useful at least to comfort someone going through a very rough time.
"The Matrix" has always, to me anyway, seemed muddy in the idea of Neo being "The One" who would rescue mankind from the machines - something Neo never seemed to believe himself. It's hard to root for someone who constantly puts himself down and limits his own abilities due to his preconceived notions of his lack of importance, and "Resurrections" really doesn't tread new ground here either. Neo is hesitant at first to even come out of the Matrix, but once he does, he recklessly puts others in danger in order to get Trinity out as well, dismissing claims once again that he's "The One" who will...again...save mankind from the machines. It's much easier to think of it as a rescue story than anything grander, because again, it just retreats old ground without adding much to the story. "Resurrections" serves almost as a greatest hits package of "The Matrix" franchise, with continual flashbacks to the previous three films in order to tell their story, and it's hard to move forward when you're constantly looking to the past.
Reeves and Moss easily return to their memorable roles, despite their early reluctance to admit who they really are in the film. Thomas is more neurotic and depressed, thinking there has to be more to life than what he's been given, while Tiffany seems content with being a married woman and mother to three children, yet both have a deeper longing for the life they once knew - a life that was erased by the Matrix, but hints of it still remains locked in their inner subconscious. It's only a matter of time before they realize who they really are, and the story follows that journey.
While there's other characters that returned to the franchise, "Resurrections" focuses on a new group of people who help Neo in his quest, led by gunslinger Bugs, played by Jessica Henwick, who plays the character with an intensity that's palpable and serves - in her own words - as the audience's eyes and ears. While Laurence Fishburne didn't return to the franchise, his character Morpheus remains in the film, this time played by "Candyman" star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. This Morpheus is younger and needs to learn his own identity after being rescued by Bugs, and when he discovers his true purpose, helps Neo once again to grasp his own sense of his own purpose. Jonathan Groff takes on the role of Agent Smith, made famous by Hugo Weaving, and while he tries to channel his inner Weaving, doesn't come across at all as menacing as the original.
Still, the action and visuals are the film's saving grace, as it's as exciting as ever when the fighting occurs, and while the effects are somewhat dated than they were before, they still serve as thrilling moments that keeps you entertained throughout the longer expositional dialogue that's peppered in the story. There's some really intense moments, and thankfully the film is more self-aware of the times than its predecessors. "Resurrections" has less to do with machines controlling our lives (which, in all reality, is already happening) and more about the deep introspective mind that drives us to do what we do, and trying to understand the deep ramifications of our own mortality and decisions. Much like the use of the psychiatrist in the film, the entire movie itself is a sort of therapeutic look at the inner psyche - with lots of gunfights and slow-mo action.
While returning to a long-dead franchise is often a big mistake, "The Matrix Resurrections" manages to pay homage to the past while focusing on a more introspective look into the lives of the characters we've come to know and love, while introducing new characters that are fully developed - even if the entire exercise seemed a bit unnecessary.
The Score: A-
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