What to say about The Matrix Resurrections? Well…they sure made a sequel! After all these years, Lana Wachowski decides to create one of the boldest and craziest sequels I have ever seen. Long thought dead, Neo (“The One”) is alive and kicking it somewhere in The Matrix. But when a new crew of humans helps him escape, he must find a way back to his love, Trinity. To be honest, this is a REAL simplified version of the plot. Why? Because Wachowski crams SO much into these two-and-a-half hours.
Should I Get This Off my Chest Now?
I absolutely hated the first 30-minutes of this film. The writing was a confusing web of ridiculousness that held no weight. The story is bogged down with the most meta-references I have ever seen leading to a hot mess of characters and ideas. The beginning of the film is a messy splurge of storytelling with the film struggling to convey what is going on. You can argue building mystery but instead, it was just confusion. The screenplay is stuffed with excessive exposition, stiff dialogue, and endless loops of meta ideas that just feel like a jumped mess. The film borrows so much from the first The Matrix film as well making the film feel both unoriginal and bold. By the end, there are some interesting ideas, but it never feels like it adds up to a whole lot. At least the set-up for the film and why all the characters are where they make sense (by the end).
But What Are Wachowski’s Contributions Behind the Camera?
There are plenty of bold and striking visuals throughout the film. The top-notch visual effects will be one of the most praised aspects of the whole film. The visual representations of the powers the character exhibits are bold and powerful. You can feel the gravity and scale of the action. The action does not feel as original as the first film but there are some creative elements including a completely bonkers finale that is a sight to behold. The pacing of the film is off because there are moments that feel like it is rushing and clunky (including a messy montage of meta lines to “White Rabbit”) while others feel like they drag. But when it comes down to it, there is a sense of knowingness that brings a lot of fun to the table.
Can The Cast Elevate This Messy and Bold Sequel?
Keanu Reeves does his Keanu thing in the best way possible. He even delivers a little bit of extra sass that might not be expected. Carrie Ann Moss delivers a fine performance (especially in her scenes with Keanu). Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jonathan Goff play new versions of iconic characters, but the original actors are sorely missed. It is hard to one-up Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving. Jessica Henwick is an amazing addition to Bugs which made me want to see a film anchored by her in the future. Neil Patrick Harris is quite a bit of fun…but feels out of place in the film.
What a Movie – The Matrix Resurrections, Right?
Wachowski went in hoping to blow minds and deliver a blockbuster sequel worth remembering. I do believe that this is bold and memorable in so many ways but many of those ways are bad. Based on this review, you would probably think I legitimately hated this film. I don’t. This was disappointing to me due to the excellence that is The Matrix. But there is plenty of fun and craziness to be had with The Matrix Resurrections, so you should check it out in theatres or on HBO Max.
