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The Matrix: Resurrections Review

‘If you watched the first three movies for the subversive themes and the contextual art, you’ll have a great time. Otherwise, you’re in for a slow burn.’

By Jamie 'Pappers' PapworthPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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A curious blend of old and new in a playful package.

It’s interesting watching people respond to the new Matrix movie. The rather critical commentary on social media makes it pretty clear that more than a few fans went in to the cinema expecting more of the same 90’s visuals and over-the-top sci-fi thrills we saw in 1999, and ultimately came out disappointed. But let’s be honest - with such expectation after twenty years, that dissatisfaction was… INEVITABLE.

Minor spoilers, ahoy.

The setting for the new movie places the story a staggering sixty years after the conclusion of the Trilogy. In that time, humanity and its command of technology has progressed, and most of the faces we remember from the first three films are afforded a graceful exit from the franchise’s narrative, paving the way for a fresh new generation of colourful characters to bring the Matrix’s now-expanded dystopian future to life once again. Whilst time has done little to hinder Keanu Reeves’ and Carrie-Anne Moss’ reprised portrayals of the franchise's protagonists, the new cast do a spectacular job superseding the legendary actors that came before them, serving to bring an unfamilar but essential new flavour to the cult favourite experience. Neil Patrick-Harris’ enigmatic performance in particular drags the the 30-year-old story firmly into the current decade.

The big disturbance amongst Matrix fans around the world in the wake of Resurrections is the unfamiliar direction the franchise has taken. There’s no avoiding the fact that Resurrections is a very different kettle of fish to the Trilogy; it’s been twenty years, the war ended, and most of the characters are no more over the course of a sixty-year transition - we're at a different table now, and it stands to reason that the writing will show some degree of evolution to reflect the time that's past. While the previous films were fast-paced, high-octane thrillers filled with action around almost every corner, the brakes are firmly engaged this time around to make way for some more elegant story-telling, taking a new approach to packaging its poignant social commentary while still offering some of that intense slow-mo action we’ve all missed so much. The film's prevailing theme too is inherited from that of the last three: the illusion of choice. True to form, director Lana Wachowski uses memorable wordplay and masterful direction to explore other social issues like conservatism, liberty, the convenience of false normalities and the limitations of binary concepts.

But whilst there are many facets to the movie’s writing, Resurrections’ true value lies in its screenplay; the film is unashamedly self-aware as the whole first act is a surreal imagining of a games developer sanctioned by Warner Bros. to produce an action game franchise called The Matrix, which portrays protagonists Neo and Trinity in their mission to fight a war with machines masquerading as militaristic agents in a virtual reality. I mean, how astute to liken 'The One', a digital God capable of manipulating the world around him, to a games developer creating a video game. The connection made with the games industry too is a masterstroke that bluntly points the finger at certain consumers, including an entire sequence that might as well be speaking to camera as characters describe the mindless consumption of quick, shallow satisfaction and endlessly recycled formulas.

Fun though it was watching the movie juggle its complex imagery, Resurrections is by no means perfect - it depends heavily on throwbacks to actual footage from previous films, albeit playfully. It’s also a big shame that such a quirky new cast are barely allowed more than a quick introduction and a few one-liners, which ultimately leaves many of them feeling quite unknown and faceless. The way the film passes the torch to this new generation of actors is at least relatively delicate, offering a reasonably comprehensive recap to bring the audience up to speed, though the stakes certainly seem a little less weighted by contrast to the previous films. That said, the movie's conclusion least plenty of room for at least one, if not several sequels that might see a whole new saga added to the Matrix narrative.

The Verdict

Resurrections is a movie for the open-minded, with little room for folks looking exclusively for the familiar thrill of the film’s predecessors. The iconic bullet time and king-fu action that made The Matrix what it is still plays an integral role throughout the movie, but if you’re firmly set on constant edge-of-your-seat action from start to finish, you’re likely to feel ripped off as the lengthy character development draws a slow burn. If it’s edgy screenplay, complex themes and artistic cinematic imagery you’re after, however, The Matrix: Resurrections is a fresh two-and-a-half-hour joyride with a few detours down memory lane, packed with exactly what you’re after.

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About the Creator

Jamie 'Pappers' Papworth

I'm a chatty creative from the UK with a passion for the written word and an opinion on all things worthy of insightful discussion. Expect games, movies, music, politics, ethics and a general waffle about the times we live in.

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