The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Directed by: Lana Wachowski | 148 minutes | action, science fiction | Actors: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Jada Pinkett Smith, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci, Lambert Wilso, Andrew Lewis Caldwell, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt, Joshua Grothe, Brian J. Smith

The power of a film is the influence it has on society. After ‘The Matrix (1999)’ came out, the world wasn’t the same anymore. There were two groups: those who had seen the film and those who had not seen the film. The second group was small and was getting smaller daily. Written and directed by Lana & Lilly Wachowski, The Matrix wasn’t just a good movie. It was groundbreaking, both in philosophy and in action and special effects. It was new. It was fresh. Innovative. (Revolutionary. Technology and spirituality, doomed to enmity, went hand in hand here. ‘The Matrix’ was followed by ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ both released in 2003. Due to its extreme success, comic strips, video games and animated short films (‘Animatrix’) appeared that further explored the philosophy of The Matrix. Books were devoted to the religious and philosophical ideas of the film. Over the years, there were rumors of a fourth installment. Warner Bros. approached the Wachowskis every year for a fourth film. But they were all set. The story was also finished. Thus died the hope that there would ever be a fourth part. But then something happened that changed this: Ron and Lynne Wachowski, the parents of the Wachowskis, passed away in 2019. Lana Wachowski was having a hard time with this and had trouble sleeping. During a sleepless night, the story of ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ was born, with the retrieval of Neo and Trinity offering her solace. Warner Bros. was waiting with open arms and so, after eighteen years, part four came out. The world held its breath.

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) works at Deus Machina. He is a video game developer who has become world famous with The Matrix video games. He only sometimes gets attacks where he can’t distinguish between reality and dreams. Fortunately, he has a therapist to help him. He is also given pills that prevent these attacks so that he can lead a normal life. Deus Machina wants to expand the video game franchise with a sequel, a move Thomas doesn’t support. In a coffee shop where he sits almost every day, he regularly sees a woman, Tiffany. The special thing is: she looks a lot like Trinity, a character in his video game. He starts talking to her and they unconsciously feel a deeper connection, an underground river of emotion with origins in an intense past. But Tiffany is married and she has children.

One day Thomas is in his office when the fire alarm goes off. At the same time, he receives a message on his phone from an anonymous sender. He has to go somewhere. He follows the directions and ends up in a toilet, where an acquaintance is waiting for him. Only, it can’t be this acquaintance. He asks Thomas to go with him. But Thomas thinks he’s having another seizure and runs away. Finally, he meets this acquaintance again. But now Thomas listens and goes with him. Here he begins his (re)discovery journey to a past he knows intensely. He meets old acquaintances and new strangers who only know him as a legend. The stability of The Matrix is ​​in jeopardy and only Thomas can save it. There is much to lose but also much to gain. Thomas wouldn’t be Thomas if he didn’t at least try. And so the spectacle unfolds before the eyes of the viewer.

Sometimes we fantasize how a story continues after the credits. What would happen after ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ was a hot topic on forums devoted to The Matrix verse. It was therefore a pleasure to see the characters we are attached to on the big screen again. It’s like seeing an old love again. The movie plot doesn’t differ much from the previous versions and that’s not a bad thing. The essence of The Matrix is ​​simply a cycle. What is being fought for will always remain the same. Although the story has a strong nostalgic beginning, it gets weak later on. It’s too obvious that we’re working towards a specific ending. This often feels forced. While the special effects are masterful, when the cohesion of the story falls apart like sand, the rest has only decorative value.

Although the story is weak, Keanu Reeves (‘John Wick’, ’47 Ronin’) and Jonathan Groff (‘Mindhunter’, ‘Hamilton’) have strong performances. Despite being significantly older, Keanu is, (perhaps) due to his John Wick career, quite capable of convincingly execute his battle scenes. Jonathan Groff impresses with his smooth self-assured appearance. He is as dominant as an iron hand in a satin glove. Carrie-Anne Moss (‘Memento’, ‘Unthinkable’) , also a good actress, doesn’t come out as well. This is not because of her, but because of her place in the story. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Candyman”, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”) is a pleasant and fresh presence. Only he lacks the philosophical weight and seriousness of Laurence Fishburne. Fishburne is a teacher and guru. Abdul-Mateen II is not.

What ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ also does less well are the dialogues that lack the depth that were characteristic of the trilogy. The Matrix verse and the laws that underlie it are assumed to be known. This also makes the story a little more standard. Also, some battle scenes are messy and not as detailed and precise as in the trilogy.

‘The Matrix Resurrections’ has a strong start but weakens to a standard action movie. Keanu Reeves and Jonathan Groff’s performances are remarkably good and they complement each other well. The action scenes sometimes look chaotic and less tightly choreographed than in the previous parts. The special effects are of high quality but not groundbreaking as in ‘The Matrix’, where effects were new to the world. The dialogues are also standard and lack the philosophical depth as they occur in the trilogy. Attention has been paid to the clothes with synchronized colors. This gives the film a fresh feel and it fits well with the new innovated generation that has taken over the torch from the previous Matrix cycle. If ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ had been the first Matrix movie, it would certainly have made more of an impact. Unfortunately, this one has to compete with a film that has a cult following. And that is not easy. And because we live in a relative world, where one thing is compared to another, this film has to believe in that too. You must have seen ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, if only to have seen them all.