When The Matrix exploded onto the screen in 1999, it revolutionized the concept of cinematic sci-fi fantasy in ways few could have predicted. It was one of those rare moviegoing experiences that took many by surprise, mainly because most had no idea what kind of story they were about to experience.
The concept of taking a red pill to free our minds, helping us enter a world of pseudo-realism, versus taking a blue pill that would allow us to stay in a state of (supposed) “free will” was revolutionary for the time. It helped to blossom a Cyberpunk genre that was just beginning to emerge.
The original Matrix spawned two sequels, which received lukewarm responses from fans, many of whom felt let down by the dismal wrap-up. Twenty-two years after we first followed the white rabbit, Lana Wachowski takes us back on an ultimately familiar ride with heaping spoonfuls of fan service in The Matrix Resurrections.
Those callbacks are the most heavy-handed in the first thirty minutes, where we are hit with heavy doses of nostalgia and homages to the first movie. We are re-introduced to Keanu Reeves’ ordinary-life Thomas Anderson, whose career path has taken a very cheeky, meta direction. Regardless, it’s a drab existence that seems cloaked in uniformity and corporate mindsets.
Fortunately, the film doesn’t focus on this for long, and we are soon graced with Carrie-Ann Moss’ reprisal of Trinity, now living as suburban mom Tiffany. At their core, the Matrix movies are enveloped in the relationship between Neo and Trinity and their complex, codependent bond. Their chemistry is still undeniable, brought to life by Moss and Reeves in ways that should make any fan swoon.
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Though they clearly can carry this newest installment on their shoulders, there are some standout performances from the new faces to the franchise. In particular, Jessica Henwick as steadfast activist Bugs, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the newest incarnation of Morpheus. Though bringing back Laurence Fishburne for the role would have undoubtedly rounded out the comeback feeling, Abdul-Mateen brings a fresh perspective that can’t be denied.
It’s after the first act of purposeful meta callbacks that The Matrix Resurrections attempts to form a new algorithm apart from its source code. In doing so, it dives deep into a complicated plot that weighs the story down, causing that nostalgia so expertly placed in the first act to start to feel contrived. Resurrections is a movie that is self-aware enough to recognize this, and fans can just lean back and enjoy the ride. Those looking for a fresh perspective may feel as though the storytelling has backed itself into a corner after the balancing act of originality and continuity.
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The action sequences feel slick, but overall, they don’t live up to the original eye-popping, innovative choreography. They somehow find a way to be both captivating with familiarity and redundant with staleness but at least provide visual payoffs through a meandering plot.
While the fate of future installments of the franchise remains unclear, the final moments provide enough ambiguity to take it in several directions. Whether audiences will be on board for that journey is up in the air, much like the gravity-defying acrobatics of Neo and Trinity. The decision to take the blue pill or red pill is still yours to make, and either way, the journey will be reminiscent and comforting but also long and arduous.
