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United States The Matrix Resurrections review - has it been worth the wait?
18 years ago, The Matrix trilogy came to a divisive end as it wrapped up with what felt like a definitive ending to the story.
The Oracle knew better though, telling Sati that she suspected Neo would be back – and you should always trust the Oracle. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are back as their iconic characters in the eagerly-anticipated The Matrix Resurrections, solely directed by Lana Wachowski as Lilly needed time away from the industry.
In a world that has become increasingly dominated by franchises, reboots and legacyquels, it felt almost inevitable that we'd get another Matrix movie. It felt equally inevitable that when it happened, the new Matrix movie wouldn't be unaware of society's obsession with familiarity and it wouldn't be your average sequel.
For better and for worse, this has turned out to be the case as The Matrix Resurrections makes bold and mind-bending swings to tell what is, at its heart, that purest of things: a love story. This is a Matrix movie though, so simple isn't really on the table and endless debates among fans are to be expected.
But if all you want to know is whether it's any good, then rest assured, it's better than the sequels. If you want to delve deeper to follow the white rabbit though, we've got some more spoiler-free thoughts for you ahead.
Warner Bros.
Even with a full range of trailers and TV spots, it's impressive how little we know about The Matrix Resurrections, which makes a plot summary tricky. What we do know is that, somehow, Neo (Reeves) and Trinity (Moss) are back alive and Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has a new look.
For whatever reason, Neo is back to being Thomas Anderson and has no idea what he went through. He doesn't even fully remember Trinity, but there is at least a flicker of recognition when they see each other. (These mysteries are all explained during the movie and not in a "somehow he returned" Rise of Skywalker way, so fear not.)
Bugs (Jessica Henwick) is the new white rabbit that Thomas just has to follow to learn the truth – should he choose to do so, of course. That's probably as deep into the plot as we can go without wading into spoiler territory as even where we first reunite with Neo is a surprise.
We hear you, it does sound awfully familiar, as though the new movie is just a retread.
And it actually is... until it very much isn't.
Warner Bros.
Lana Wachowski is fully aware of the comparisons and delights in offering meta-commentaries to the trends of reboots, legacyquels and more. It's not exactly subtle and could prove too on-the-nose for some, but it turns out to be a crucial part of the plot rather than a winking in-joke.
It helps that the meta commentary and the numerous callbacks and nods to the entire trilogy are often very funny, one of the most unexpected things in the new movie. Whether you end up liking The Matrix Resurrections or not, this isn't a sequel that's been casually thrown together to deliver more of the same.
There is a downside to this self-aware mocking, though, that becomes apparent in the movie's second half. It starts to feel as though the movie wants to have its cake and eat it too, as the familiarity starts to become stale rather than innovatively self-aware. You can't really mock sequels for doing more of the same... and then continue to do more of the same yourself.
This is especially apparent in the weakest aspect of the movie which, surprisingly, turns out to be the action scenes. There are familiar set-ups, including Neo taking on a huge army of people, but the execution is nowhere near on the same level as in the trilogy.
Warner Bros.
For a series that defined action scenes as we know them, it's hugely disappointing. Too many of the fight sequences are choppily edited and filmed in close-up, instead of making the choreography the star. When the set pieces get bigger than one-on-one combat, there's nothing here that we haven't seen in numerous blockbusters in recent years.
If it's all some extremely meta commentary that uniformity has become king in modern blockbusters then fair play to Lana. Yet while even the divisive sequels delivered something new, there's nothing of the sort to be found here.
One element of the sequels that is on display here though is the clunky exposition and overuse of techno-babble. After a magnificent first half, all momentum is lost when the explanations start coming and the final act is being set up. It's not confusing as such, but it's definitely convoluted and when it's delivered in big chunks, you'll need rewatches to fully understand.
As in the original trilogy though, the sincerity of the cast sells the outlandish concepts. Keanu Reeves is every bit as good as he was before as Neo and has lost none of the chemistry he shared with the equally-great Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity.
Warner Bros.
She's underused compared to Reeves, but their love story still holds an emotional power almost two decades later. It's an unashamedly romantic movie as their connection provides the key to the majority of the plot. Compared to the relatively sexless blockbusters we're used to, it's refreshing to see their romance front and centre.
As much as we'd have loved to see Laurence Fishburne back as Morpheus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a superb replacement. There's a narrative reason behind the 'new' Morpheus and the actor balances reverence to the established character with his own fresh take on the performance.
The same goes for Jonathan Groff as a version of another classic character (if you've seen the trailer, you'll know) who's no less menacing and engaging. With brand-new roles, Jessica Henwick and Neil Patrick Harris are superb as Bugs and the mysterious Analyst. They make them instantly feel as though they're characters we've known for years.
Warner Bros.
It's a shame that the rest of the supporting cast, including Jada Pinkett Smith's returning Niobe and Priyanka Chopra Jonas's Sati, are underdeveloped by comparison. However, the main cast members are so strong that you don't really notice, and there's the potential sequel for them to be explored more.
Because that's the thing. As much as the movie is self-aware of its status as a legacyquel, it definitely sets the pieces on the board for this to act as a soft reboot for further movies. It's another aspect that makes you think it wants to joke about the current marketplace as well as become part of it too.
Don't get us wrong: we'd be happy to see it happen. While The Matrix Resurrections ends up being a mixed bag, it's still a unique mixed bag of ideas and creative expression that you can never accuse of being dull. We'd take that any day over a cookie-cutter blockbuster or, even worse, a generic Matrix movie.
The Matrix Resurrections is released in cinemas on December 22. It will also be available to watch on HBO Max in the US.
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