Formula: The Matrix / A Glitch in the Matrix
The Matrix is one of those movies that, through no fault of its own, may have done more harm than good. The effects which work so well in the movie ruined action movies for years from poor imitation. The bullet time has become a go-to lazy parody in bad movies. The philosophy of the movie gave rise to a movement of bad interpretations of the movie and even worse applications of those theories. I can’t be the only one who would be happier if I never had to hear someone earnestly explain simulation theory.
One of the scariest things in Hollywood is when a franchise reads its own reviews. It turns into a case of the tail wagging the dog. Instead of directing the conversation by developing the story further, it becomes about explaining why an interpretation of the last story was wrong or how people liked the wrong parts of the movie(s). To a large extent, that’s what The Matrix Resurrections is. It’s a movie all about how we feel about The Matrix.
This time, Thomas Anderson (aka Neo) (aka Keanu Reeves) is back in the Matrix, only he’s been convinced that the first three films were all just a psychotic fantasy. He’s a video game developer who made the game The Matrix which was a revolutionary when it came out in 1999. Now he’s being told by his parent company, Warner Brothers, to make a sequel (Get it?). Of course, he eventually takes the blue pill, finds that 60 years have passed, and has a new set of analog character to work with. Outside the Matrix, there’s a whole story about there being a new Neo and Trinity grown as a power source or something. I never understood the “real world” parts of these movies that well. Inside the Matrix it’s all very meta. The program has gotten better at fighting the growing number of bugs. Most of the time however is spent reflecting on the old Matrix that we all know.
I think your enjoyment of the new Matrix will depend on what you liked about the original movies, and if you liked the wrong parts, you will be shamed for it. At this point, it’s clear that what the Wachowskis liked about The Matrix isn’t what made it so popular. I like them as cool action movies with some nifty world-building and mythology. I like that there is more to them to examine if you’d like, but I wasn’t that interested to do so. Lana Wachowski didn’t make Resurrections for me, although she tried to. This movie goes out of its way to point out the movie parallels and recontextualize what we’ve seen before. Nowhere is this more apparent than all the times Resurrections cuts to clips of the original movies. Note: If you need to remind the audience with that many clips you are probably doing something wrong. You see, the people who care about what you are trying to explain remember the movies well enough that they don’t need the flashbacks. All the people who need the flashbacks don’t remember those scenes for a reason: they aren’t that big of fans. That’s my main issue with the movie. It wants to force the entire audience to care more than it’s willing to. Either make a movie that’s only for the fans or make one that’s wholly accessible. Don’t make the focus be convincing the people that weren’t a certain kind of fan to convert. At some point, it becomes like explaining why a joke is funny. It turns people off even more.
What bummed me out about this movie is how much Neo and Trinity were in the way. I realize Keanu was needed to get this off the ground, but having him in this movie felt like such a retread in a world that was otherwise ready to evolve. Like, they cast new people to play some characters then decided Neo and Trinity needed to be the same people. It’s such a weird compromise. They get Keanu and Carrie-Ann Moss on board to get the greenlight for this hundred-million-dollar blockbuster to make a movie about how if you are watching this to see a blockbuster then you are missing the point.
Look, if you loved unpacking all three films in the original trilogy, then there’s plenty to enjoy about this movie. Or similarly, if you enjoy the philosophizing of Cloud Atlas and Sense8, this is also for you. If you came for an action movie with cool effects and maybe a provocative thought or two, you’ll be left wanting. Sadly, I’m more in the latter category, although there’s nothing wrong with being in the first category.
Don’t get me wrong. There is some excitement in the movie and the new cast is actually a lot of fun. Jessica Henwick would’ve been the star of this movie had it not been so indebted to Keanu and Neo. I wouldn’t mind if another project pops up with her as the focus. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a nice take on Morpheus. Jonathan Groff is a weirdly perfect new take on Agent Smith. And Neil Patrick Harris brings some of that Gone Girl menace that we don’t see often enough. There are a few big action set pieces to remind us that the Lana Wachowski still knows what she’s doing. However – I hate how bad this makes me sound – there’s just too much talking and explaining for the 2.5 hour run time. And please quit trying to make me feel bad for enjoying a movie differently than you want me to.
Verdict: Weakly Don’t Recommend
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