Resurrecting the Matrix: should have been buried deeper. Better off dead. Some things shouldnt be necromanced. 

Nate Carr and Patrick Pane

Laurence Fishburne really dodged a bullet with this one

Haiku:

On beating a dead franchise in the pale moonlight:

Laurence Fishburne– you

really dodged a bullet here:

Matrix 4 suxx 

The matrix resurrection was an overall cinematic failure for a multitude of reasons. However, the reasons for its lacklusterness are nuanced and require in-depth analysis. This is what huge matrix fans and reviewers Nate and Patrick will provide with their separate critiques. 

Nate:

Matrix Resurrection is an unexpected and frankly unnecessary edition to a trilogy which already should have just been a standalone piece. The movie opens with a newly introduced main character that is quickly forgotten only to pivot back to a much older Thomas Anderson played by Keanu Reeves trapped inside of a new iteration of the matrix. 

In this opening segment the Matrix’s hallmark symbolism of red representing costly liberation and blue representing blissful ignorance are beaten over the audience’s heads to an insulting degree. 

This oversaturation of the franchise’s classic imagery continues throughout the entire film and greatly hinders the integration of new characters to the point where I can’t even recall their names. With basic worldbuilding established, this movie was free to go in a new direction and introduce fresh and engaging ideas but simply chose not to. 

Instead, the rest of the story follows parallel to the original trilogy and eagerly borrows its highlights and twists at the cost of a cohesive narrative in a desperate attempt to recapture nostalgia. But they couldn’t even get that right as they didn’t redo the highway scene from Matrix Reloaded and the combat is overly focused on manipulating the cyber world with lazy effects rather than impactful choreographed fight scenes. 

Finally the core issue that makes Matrix Resurrection not worth watching is that it’s a shallow cash grab that lacks depth or purpose. Unlike its predecessor, it doesn’t make the audience think, much less change their perspective or perception of reality.

Patrick:

The Matrix Resurrections, a sequel to a 20 year old movie series is a boring and uninspired piece of filmmaking. The movie starts with an intriguing if unoriginal first act. Thomas Anderson is yet again stuck in the Matrix with his memory seemingly wiped. 

Along with the plotline of Neo finding out about the matrix again there is a plotline introducing the new Morpheus who is now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and a blue haired woman whose name I don’t remember due to the lackluster character focus. The sequences with them separate are interesting enough and can keep the viewers attention. 

Although it seems like the directors think that all the viewers are braindead with the amount of bashing-over-the-head with the themes. Things go absolutely downhill when the plotlines converge. 

The small novelty of the first act’s meta commentary is removed and the rest of the movie is an extremely soulless remake of the Matrix. For some reason the action scenes seem to have a focus on the “matrix magic” instead of the scintillating energy of the original movie. 

The Matrix resurrections is a soulless and unnecessary cash grab attempting to cash out on nostalgia alone and not any of its own merits. This is one you should skip.

P.S. Cowboy Curtis, (I know you are actually Laurence Fishburne but as a character you hold a special place in my heart, thank you so much for all of your contribution to the Pee Wee Herman show and the energy you always brought to my childhood, again, thank you so much.) I am glad you decided to keep your sanity and respect for acting by refusing to appear in the now year old movie, The Matrix: Resurrections. Your respect for acting has always been an inspiration, and appearing in this movie would forever marr you in my eyes.