The Matrix: Resurrections

January 13, 2022
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So I can’t necessarily say this is a good movie, but to me, it’s already an underrated one that deserves way more credit than it’s been given.

Inexplicably following the events of the original Matrix trilogy (didn’t Neo and Trinity die at the end of the last one?), The Matrix: Resurrections follows a very different Neo (Keanu Reeves), as he goes about his life in a world that’s vastly different yet far more familiar than it initially seems. Acting as the architect of a hit trilogy of video games that depicts the events of the original films as if they were nothing more than the conjured ideas of a creative mind, this film sees Neo question his very sanity as he’s constantly unsure of what’s real and what’s not. Soon swept up in a web of lies and revelations linked back to the idea of what the Matrix is and who he is in the grand scheme of it, Neo is thrust into another mind-bending journey that directly takes on what came before, while simultaneously exploring what the idea of the Matrix means moving forward.

First things first: this will probably go down in cinematic history as one of the most botched sequels of all time, or — as I believe — one of the most interesting experiments in sequelitis this side of Reloaded and Revolutions, the two follow-up entries to the groundbreaking film that was the original Matrix. Chock-full of meta-commentary that both helps and hurts the story, Resurrections is a film that needs to be seen with an open mind as a lot of what happens in this film might rub the Matrix faithful the wrong way, despite the valiant effort made to do otherwise.

Equal parts messy yet elegant, nonsensical but thought-provoking, and action-packed yet far less stylish than expected, Resurrections does a lot of things right on the page but doesn’t seem to give itself a fighting chance once everything is said and done. Taking liberties with the source material as well as pushing it into a new direction in interesting if not controversial ways, this film reeks of a rush job that in all honesty, might have turned out far better if the filmmakers were given a bit more leeway and time to do exactly what they envisioned.

Oftentimes feeling like it takes one step forward and two steps back, the overarching idea of this one is something that I applaud, but can’t necessarily condone, as at least half of this movie is actually kind of great, with the other half botching the execution in ways that frustrate more than anything else. There’s something to be said about how the world of the Matrix has evolved over the decades, and while it doesn’t always stick the landing, this is still a Matrix movie, and for all of its flaws and half-baked promises, Resurrections worked far better for me than the third movie, not as much as the second, and can’t really hold a candle to the original, but is still a sequel that I truly believe is far better than it lets on.

So although I honestly think this movie could have been the best entry in the franchise since the original with a little more development time and a lot more help from the clearly indifferent studio that is Warner Bros, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The Matrix: Resurrections more than deserves the split criticism it’s been receiving since its release, but for me, the brilliant ideas, return to the Matrix itself, and fun world-building add up to an experience that’s no doubt flawed, yet is still something I enjoyed nonetheless.

So I can’t necessarily say this is a good movie, but to me, it’s already an underrated one that deserves way more credit than it’s been given. Inexplicably following the events of the original Matrix trilogy (didn’t Neo and Trinity die at the end of the last one?), The Matrix: Resurrections follows a very different Neo (Keanu Reeves), as he goes about his life in a world that’s vastly different yet far more familiar than it initially seems. Acting as the architect of a hit trilogy of video games that depicts the events of the original films as if they were nothing more than the conjured ideas of a creative mind, this film sees Neo question his very sanity as he’s constantly unsure of what's real and what's not. Soon swept up in a web of lies and revelations linked back to the idea of what the Matrix is and who he is in the grand scheme of it, Neo is thrust into another mind-bending journey that directly takes on what came before, while simultaneously exploring what the idea of the Matrix means moving forward. First things first: this will probably go down in cinematic history as one of the most botched sequels of all time, or — as I believe — one of the most interesting experiments in sequelitis this side of Reloaded and Revolutions, the two follow-up entries to the groundbreaking film that was the original Matrix. Chock-full of meta-commentary that both helps and hurts the story, Resurrections is a film that needs to be seen with an open mind as a lot of what happens in this film might rub the Matrix faithful the wrong way, despite the valiant effort made to do otherwise. Equal parts messy yet elegant, nonsensical but thought-provoking, and action-packed yet far less stylish than expected, Resurrections does a lot of things right on the page but doesn’t seem to give itself a fighting chance once everything is said and done. Taking liberties with the source material as well as pushing it into a new direction in interesting if not controversial ways, this film reeks of a rush job that in all honesty, might have turned out far better if the filmmakers were given a bit more leeway and time to do exactly what they envisioned. Oftentimes feeling like it takes one step forward and two steps back, the overarching idea of this one is something that I applaud, but can’t necessarily condone, as at least half of this movie is actually kind of great, with the other half botching the execution in ways that frustrate more than anything else. There’s something to be said about how the world of the Matrix has evolved over the decades, and while it doesn’t always stick the landing, this is still a Matrix movie, and for all of its flaws and half-baked promises, Resurrections worked far better for me than the third movie, not as much as the second, and can’t really hold a candle to the original, but is still a sequel that I truly believe is far better than it lets on. So although…

6.9

Resurrected and Reused

The Verdict

6.9

7

Brian is first and foremost a nerd in every way shape and form. He likes to compare himself to a black hole, consuming any and every form of entertainment unlucky enough to get caught in his gravitational pull. It's not uncommon on any given day for him to read a couple comics, settle down with a good book, watch a few movies (inside and out of the theater), catch up on his ever growing but never depleting Hulu queue, challenge himself with a few good video games, listen to any music he can get his hands on and, of course, write his heart out. He spends every waking moment dreaming up interesting and intriguing concepts and ideas that will hopefully one day inspire and entertain anyone looking for an escape from their daily lives. Graduating from Full Sail University in good old humid Florida, Brian currently lives and works in New York City and is waiting for the day when all he has to do is wake up and create something unique and new for people to enjoy. He is always in the process of writing scripts and stories and is constantly on the lookout for ways to enhance and build his creative drive. After all, life is just one big story, all that really matters is how you strive to make it the best story possible. Disclaimer: Brian does not actually have powdered green skin in case anyone was wondering. A Skrull I am not. Blame the guys at the Color Run for this one.

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