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The Matrix Resurrections

By Alan Ng | January 20, 2022

Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix Resurrections is probably one of the most self-aware sequels ever made. Do you ever wonder if a filmmaker knows what the public thinks, not only of the original films but what about a sequel coming out two decades later? It looks like Wachowski knew all this when cleverly co-writing, alongside David Mitchell and Aleksander Hemon, the screenplay — which makes one wonder why she didn’t with Reloaded and Revolutions.

I can’t say much about the plot without major spoilers, but The Matrix Resurrections opens with a literal reboot of the 1999 Matrix. Led by resistance squad leader Bugs (Jessica Henwick), she and her crew hack into an old memory file from the original programming. Then, she drops into the moment that Trinity (Carie Anne Moss) encounters Smith and his men in black during the opening of the original. Think of this interaction like Back to the Future, Part II. She watches the action like a bystander as she searches for clues to finding Neo in the present. Now, newly upgraded men in black spot Bugs, and we’re off to the races.

“…famous game developer Thomas Anderson is being pressured by his partner…to complete the fourth installment of The Matrix video game…”

Cut to the famous game developer Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) being pressured by his partner, Smith (Jonathan Groff), to complete the fourth installment of The Matrix video game for Warner Brothers. Anderson is hesitant because he does want to revisit that world once again. But, before you know it, Anderson begins seeing “glitches” and begins to question the very fabric of reality. Thankfully, he has his analyst (Neil Patrick Harris) to talk about his fears.

Let me first start by saying, I liked The Matrix Resurrections a lot, and based on the reaction of my fellow critics, I was probably the only one in the room who did. There are some cringeworthy moments that I’ll talk about at the end, but clearly, I was alone in my warm feelings that night.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Directed: Lana Wachowski

Written: Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell, Aleksander Hemon

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci, etc.

Movie score: 8/10

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"…a few hokey visual effects may spoil your viewing altogether..."

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  1. Igor Carlier says:

    I am a die hard fan and could care less of special effects, would prefer an only dialog movie than this, the tone should be of drama and philosophy, not silly comedy, I cannot believe WB let the movie out like this, my only hope now is that they make a Matrix 5 so good we will all forget Matrix 4 existed.
    The story buildup is very weak, this movie is one of the weakest in cinematography I have ever seen, even a junior film making student would do better building this script into a movie, and I will agree the script is not horrible when we remove the silly comedy parts.

  2. Paul Aquilina says:

    Did you watch the first three? Do you seriously thing this should even be apart of the same series? This movie was a huge deviation and wasn’t half as clever as it was trying to be. A reboot that couldn’t secure the same actors that was unfaithful to it’s core fundamentals, jamming nostalgia down our throats until we felt sick. The whole thing was akin to a indie fan made, low budget rip off of the original trilogy. Hard to believe critics can be so out of touch…

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