The Matrix Resurrections (2021) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Lana Wachowski
Written by: Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell, Aleksandar Hemon
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jada Pinkett Smith
Runtime: 148 min
Synopsis: To find out if his reality is a physical or mental construct, Mr. Anderson (Keanu Reeves), aka Neo, will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. If he's learned anything, it's that choice, while an illusion, still the only way out of - or into - the Matrix. Neo already knows what he has to do, but what he doesn't yet know is that the Matrix is stronger, more secure and far more dangerous than ever before.
Two facts must be shared before the actual review. The first is something I have in common with the vast majority of cinephiles: I absolutely love 1999's The Matrix. Its undeniable, influential impact in the current century of cinema is acknowledged by everyone, but the two sequels weren't received that well at the time of release. Thankfully, time works in mysterious ways. Due to inevitable cultural and industrial changes, opinions alter after repeated viewings, especially if these are over the span of decades. These can move entirely from positive to negative or vice-versa. Fortunately, not only my love for the original film has grown even more, but my discontent towards the sequels also decreased - Revolutions remains with too many problems, but Reloaded became quite a pleasant watch.
The second fact is related to The Matrix Resurrections release date. Last week, one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Spider-Man: No Way Home, opened with record-breaking box-office numbers, even in the middle of a global pandemic. Hence, this fourth franchise installment from Lana Wachowski - her sister, Lily, didn't work on this new film - didn't get the excitement it would have acquired in a more "empty" month. This leads to my null expectations regarding this movie. As always, I dodged trailers, images, and all that, but that also led me to stay surprisingly neutral until I actually entered the theater.
Even with this kind of expectation, I left the screening utterly disappointed. I already checked the two main trailers, and I don't believe they would have helped me prepare better for this viewing. The Matrix Resurrections tells a story about the original trilogy instead of being yet another sequel, which is admittedly an attractive, welcome idea. In fact, Lily, David Mitchell (Sense8), and Aleksandar Hemon (Love Island) pack Resurrections with thought-provoking, inventive, subversive ideas, but the overall problem of the whole film is directly connected to the poor execution of its incredibly meta, self-aware concept. You'll read this a lot throughout the article.
The Matrix Trilogy was always heavy in exposition and philosophical meanings. The well-known dichotomies of reality vs. illusion, freedom vs. control, human vs. machine, corporate vs. individual, and dozens more are vital to the complex story and intriguing characters. However, all of these are approached and debated in each movie as underlying themes, character development, or important explanations to move the plot forward. Due to its meta environment and the self-awareness of every character about the original films, Resurrections transforms something that was once fascinating into off-putting, comedic brainstorming sessions about said movies.
The original trilogy is exhaustingly explained to the viewers through repeated discourses and comments made throughout the last two decades by critics and fans. I can imagine lines such as "originality isn't valued anymore, studios care about sequels, reboots, remakes, etc." or "ideas are the new cool" or even "The Matrix Trilogy is all about bullet time" working on paper. However, these and a *lot* more are handled as mere jokes. This film could very well be categorized as a comedy flick, but the worst part of it all is that Resurrections makes fun of several things it eventually becomes or does. If this is on purpose, then I just can't see how it helps or elevates the story in any shape or form.
In addition to this, the actual plot is extremely convoluted. Being exposition-driven doesn't help when the exposition itself is frustratingly heavy-handed, forced self-indulgence. People have always used the argument "it's too complex for just one viewing" to hide narrative issues. Some movies do require multiple viewings to fully grasp the director's intent, vision, and subliminal messages. Yet, as soon as Resurrections ended, I didn't struggle to retell the story to myself, which means I really only had problems during the actual runtime. The second act is extraordinarily messy, becoming genuinely confusing to comprehend what's going on.
The screenwriters rely too much on over-scientific excuses to explain certain plot points, using technical terminology that made my master's degree in electronics and telecommunications engineering look rather useless - I wonder how an audience member without advanced knowledge on the type of technology displayed will understand these critical explanations. The vast majority of the film feels like Lana dumping all of her thoughts and feelings she saved during these two decades as if she really needed to get some heavy stuff off her chest while searching for validation.
Moving on to the more technical aspects, the overall action is also an astonishing letdown. This was the only element I expected to be fantastic and infinitely entertaining, but I struggle to recall a single fighting scene that even compares to some sequences of the original trilogy. I didn't need groundbreaking, mind-blowing, culturally impactful action. Nevertheless, when a movie has stunt coordinators and actors who worked on the John Wick franchise, as well as in the MCU, I'm not ready to witness confusing fights filled with choppy editing that covers the supposedly great choreography. The only scene that looks genuinely impressive is a chase scene where CGI and real stunts work together seamlessly. Everything else feels like the viewers are watching a random Netflix action film.
From the audiovisual standpoint, Resurrections looks and sounds as expected from a big-budget blockbuster. Every single shot is dripping with visual quality, and the score (Johnny Klimek, Tom Tykwer) is the one component I truly enjoy more than the past movies. In the end, it's the cast who saves Lana from delivering a massive disaster. Keanu Reeves is, well, Keanu Reeves. The actor continues to surprise me at every corner, being a highlight of the film both as Mr. Anderson and Neo - though the former gets more exciting things to do than the badass Neo. Carrie-Anne Moss (The Bye Bye Man) is mesmerizing from beginning to end, and her interactions with Mr. Anderson are the only ones with truly gripping dialogue.
Nevertheless, my personal standout must go to Jessica Henwick (Love and Monsters). I admit that I'm biased towards this actress who became one of my favorites ever since Iron Fist. Not only Henwick does her own stunts, but she also demonstrates her immense acting talent that I hope other studios start noticing. Her character, Bugs, is also the most intriguing new addition to the saga. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman) offers a unique interpretation of Morpheus that takes a while to get used to, but eventually, the remarkable actor convinces me. Laurence Fishburne (Ant-Man and the Wasp) will always be the iconic Morpheus everyone grew up loving, but Yahya doesn't succumb to the pressure. On the other hand, Jonathan Groff (Frozen II) is far from living up to the unforgettable Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith, while Neil Patrick Harris (Gone Girl) feels a tad miscast, though I can't fault his performance.
Honestly, I hope Resurrections becomes one of those movies that I simply can't find a way to enjoy today, but it starts growing on me in the following years. I sincerely hope I find it surprisingly refreshing in future viewings instead of underwhelming and rather boring - I hate this word, but I can't lie about my yawns. As of right now, the film is receiving quite a divisive response from both critics and audience. My advice to everyone who falls on the same side as mine is that you don't need to repeatedly share your negative thoughts about the movie. Talk about it, sure. Write a review, no problem. But it won't make you or anyone feel any better if all you do is share how much you didn't like this film. We should all try to avoid spreading more negativity than necessary.
Final Thoughts
The Matrix Resurrections is one of my biggest disappointments of the year. Lana Wachowski delivers a surprisingly meta, self-aware movie about the original trilogy packed with bold, fascinating ideas but an absolutely terrible execution. From the dreadfully unfunny, cringe-worthy brainstorming sessions about the previous films to the heavy-handed, headache-inducing exposition, the director constantly tries to tell the viewers how incredible the original trilogy is, forgetting to create a compelling, captivating story for this new installment. The gorgeous visuals and impactful score aren't good enough to elevate the shockingly average, choppy action sequences. Despite remarkable performances from Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and the standout Jessica Henwick, Resurrections just didn't work for me. If you're a fan of the franchise, I obviously recommend watching it. Just be aware that this isn't a new The Matrix movie, but instead a film about the actual saga.
