Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Over 20 years after the release of the first film in the franchise THE MATRIX, we see the release of THE MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS. Taking the story of Neo AKA Thomas Anderson forward, the film starts off with Keanu Reeves’ character living a normal everyday mundane life as Thomas Anderson. However, he is plagued by dreams and visuals of an alternate life. His therapist put him on certain blue pills that help alleviate the situation. But things come to a front when he is given a red pill. Are the visions he has glimpses of, an alternate reality? Or are they simply dreams or unfulfilled wishes? Will Mr. Anderson understand what they are? Will he take the plunge down the rabbit hole to understand better what THE MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS is all about? With Lana Wachowski returning to helm the project, great things are expected. But will the new film live up to the legacy left behind by the previous three or will it be just another cash grab attempt that will ultimately ruin a franchise is what we analyse.
The film takes off with Mr. Anderson having an encounter with Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who gives him a red pill to open his mind. From here, he is plunged head first into the Matrix, returning to his long forgotten self Neo. However, there isn’t anything new to expect. Given that the film takes the story of Neo and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) forward, it is essentially somewhat of a love story set against the backdrop of an ever changing world with plenty of action. Sadly, THE MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS is a far cry from the 1999 film. With segments thrown in from each of the previous three parts along with new footage, the film does not make for an appealing watch. In fact, the long drawn out action, and drama sequences make it hard for the viewer to stay seated. Unlike the first film, do not expect stand out scenes that will leave a lasting impression. Moreover, the chemistry between Neo and Trinity seems lost, though both actors, Reeves and Moss try their hardest to ‘resurrect’ the chemistry, it remains a lost cause. On the other hand, the ability of the film to use its own story in a rather ironic fashion is something to watch out for.
However, what really takes down the film is that it’s too complicated, even for those who have seen THE MATRIX trilogy. The last part of the series appeared nearly 18 years ago. Many might have not refreshed their memory and watched the three parts before venturing out for THE MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS. For such viewers, the film is sure to go bouncer. It won’t be wrong to say that even those who would have binged-watched the earlier parts would find it difficult to comprehend what is going on. The complex jargon in the dialogues hampers the impact even more. The release period of the film, on the other hand, is also quite wrong.
Talking about performances, Keanu Reeves has done a good job, giving it his all. Returning as Neo/ Thomas Anderson, Reeves manages to get back into the mould that we have witnessed in the previous films. The same goes for Carrie-Anne Moss as well, essaying her role as Trinity/Tiffany Moss does equally well to fit into her character. However, the same cannot be said for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who takes over as the hacker Morpheus from Laurence Fishburne. Despite having limited screen time, with Fishburne’s character appearing from archive footage, Mateen fails to impress. On the other hand, Neil Patrick Harris as The Analyst, and Jonathan Groff as Smith both of whom have taken over characters reprised by others in the past, have excelled. In fact, their rendition of their given roles, takes their characters to another level. Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Sati is wasted and is hardly there for around 8-10 minutes. Though she plays a pivotal role in the film, her acting prowess has been highly underutilized.
Coming to the visuals, one expects a lot when talking about the fourth film in the MATRIX franchise. Going by what we saw in THE MATRIX, THE MATRIX RELOADED, and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, it is expected that MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS would take things a notch higher. However, here again the viewer is let down. Though the CGI is well executed and seamless, one expects much more. In fact, the 1999 release given its time period was way ahead in terms of technology used. For a film made in 2021, MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS could have been so much better visually. As for Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer's music, there is not much to expect either. Taking a cue from the previous films, the music of MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS is more or less on a similar scale. Do not expect something to stand out.
Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll's cinematography is on point. With stunning views, the duo has done a decent job. But, Joseph Jett Sally's editing leaves a lot to be deserted. At 2 hours and 28 minutes, the film is way too long, with certain sequences being drawn out for no reason. The same goes for the action. Though the actors have put their best foot forward, at times the action sequences seem to be never ending, leaving the viewer disenchanted.
On the whole, MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS does not live up to the previous films in the franchise. A film that need not have been made, this one does not warrant ruining a franchise. The film has a complicated and convoluted plot that will leave viewers disenchanted. At the Indian box office, it’ll face a very tough time, considering it releases right between last week’s successful films, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME and PUSHPA and the much awaited upcoming film, 83.
matrix resurrection cast:
Neo (Keanu Reeves)
At the beginning of the first Matrix, Thomas Anderson is just a regular computer programmer who secretly works as a hacker named Neo who sells contraband programming. After being freed, however, Neo learns that he is The One, an individual who has been prophesied to save humanity from the Matrix. Throughout the trilogy, Neo uncovers more details about the history of the Matrix and eventually makes a deal with the machines to destroy the rampant Smith program in exchange for a truce between them and the humans. Even though Neo sacrificed himself to destroy Smith, he is somehow alive in The Matrix Resurrections.
Before The Matrix, Keanu Reeves starred in several hit movies including Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Point Break, and Speed. After The Matrix Revolutions, Reeves appeared in many commercial failures until 2014 when he played the titular assassin of the action thriller John Wick. This movie has spawned several sequels and is often considered a career comeback for the actor.
Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)
In the first Matrix movie, Trinity is one of the members of Morpheus' real-world team who works to free humans from the Matrix. She falls in love with one of those freed humans, Neo, and that love enables him to come back to life and gain incredible manipulative abilities within the Matrix, such as superhuman agility and stopping bullets in mid-air. Both Neo and Trinity have continued their romance throughout the trilogy. He even chooses to put her life over humanity's survival in The Matrix Reloaded,. Unfortunately, Trinity dies in the following film but is somehow alive in The Matrix Resurrections.
Before starring in the first Matrix, Carrie-Anne Moss appeared in many TV shows including Models Inc., Baywatch, and Due South. After The Matrix, Moss starred in hit films such as Memento, Chocolat, and Disturbia as well as TV shows like Humans, Jessica Jones, and Tell Me a Story.
Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)
Lawrence Fishburne originally played Morpheus in The Matrix trilogy. This character frees Neo from the Matrix and informs him of his greater purpose as The One. After Warner Bros. released the first trailer for The Matrix Resurrections, many people suspected that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II would play a younger version of Morpheus, a theory which the actor later confirmed himself on Instagram. As for why Morpheus looks so young, Abdul-Mateen told British GQ, "It will make sense when it comes out."
Over the last few years, Abdul-Mateen has made himself a young talent to look out for. He has appeared in several hit movies including Aquaman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Candyman, and is set to reprise his role as Black Manta in the upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Abdul-Mateen also won an Emmy for playing Cal Abar/Dr. Manhattan in HBO's Watchmen miniseries.
Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith)
Niobe was first introduced in The Matrix Reloaded and later appeared in The Matrix Revolutions. She is a leader in the Resistance and was once in love with Morpheus, though their relationship grew strained as he became more enamored with the prophecy of The One. Although Niobe does not believe in this prophecy, she does eventually put her faith in Neo. The second trailer for The Matrix Resurrections reveals a much older-looking version of the character.
While most people know her as the wife of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith has appeared in many movies and TV shows including Collateral, Gotham, and Madagascar. The couple runs a production studio called Overbrook Entertainment. Pinkett Smith also hosts a talk show with her mother and her daughter on Facebook Watch called Red Table Talk.
The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson)
The Merovingian is another important character from the Matrix sequels. As one of the older programs in the Matrix, the Merovingian describes himself as a "trafficker of information" since he's helped exiled programs travel between the machine world and the real world to the point where he comes off as a crime boss of sorts.
Lambert Wilson is a seasoned French actor, so it's no surprise that he starred in many French films before he appeared in The Matrix Reloaded including The Public Woman, Rendez-vous, and Hiver 54, l'abbé Pierre. He's also been nominated for multiple Cesar awards, which are the French equivalent of Oscars.
Agent Johnson (Daniel Bernhardt)
Image via Warner Bros.
Agent Johnson first appeared in The Matrix Reloaded and surprisingly did not appear in The Matrix Revolutions. Just like all the other Agent programs, Johnson is designed to protect the security of the Matrix and could take over the bodies of anyone who has not already been freed.
Before appearing in The Matrix Reloaded, Swiss actor and martial artist Daniel Bernhardt starred in several action movies including Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, Future War, and Perfect Target. Due to his martial arts background, Bernhardt has made a habit of playing henchmen in action movies such as John Wick, Logan, and Hobbs & Shaw.
Bugs (Jessica Henwick)
Bugs is a mysterious figure who, based on the trailers, is trying to help Neo rediscover his destiny. She even has a white rabbit tattoo!
Although Jessica Henwick has appeared in many movies and shows over the years, she is best known for playing Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones and Colleen Wing in Marvel's Iron Fist, as well as Jess Pava in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Henwick reportedly had to turn down a role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in order to appear in The Matrix Resurrections.
Sati (Priyanka Chopra Jonas)
Tanveer K. Atwal first played Sati in The Matrix Revolutions. She is the daughter of programs Rama-Kandra and Kandra and was scheduled for deletion since she was born without a purpose. Thankfully, Sati's parents made a deal with the Merovingian to smuggle her into the Matrix without the machines knowing. The Oracle promised to protect Sati since she believed the child was important. An Instagram post from Warner Bros. Korea confirmed that Priyanka Chopra Jonas will play an older version of Sati in The Matrix Resurrections, so the character may be important after all.
Chopra Jonas gained prominence from appearing in several commercially successful Bollywood films including Andaaz, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, and Aitraaz. She was cast as the lead in ABC drama Quantico, making her the first South Asian to headline an American network drama series. Chopra Jonas has also appeared in multiple American films such as Baywatch, Isn't It Romantic, and The White Tiger.
The Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris)
Neil Patrick Harris plays a character named The Analyst in The Matrix Resurrections. In the first trailer, this character is positioned as the therapist of Thomas Anderson, who explains that he's "been having dreams that weren't just dreams." After Anderson asks if he's crazy, the Analyst responds, "We don't use that word in here."
Harris is best known for portraying Barney Stinson on the long-running CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, which netted him four Emmy nominations. He's also appeared in many films including Starship Trooper, Gone Girl, and the Harold & Kumar franchise.
Smith (Jonathan Groff)
Jonathan Groff will play a new version of Neo's arch-nemesis, Agent Smith, in The Matrix Resurrections. Many fans theorized this after the second trailer intercut footage of his character with footage of Smith from the first Matrix, and an electronic press kit confirmed this theory. Hugo Weaving played Smith in the original Matrix trilogy, but he could not reprise the role due to scheduling conflicts.
Groff has amassed many performances in film, television, and theater throughout his career. He voiced Kristoff and Sven in both of Disney's Frozen movies and portrayed FBI agent Holden Ford in the Netflix original series Mindhunter. Groff also originated the role of King George III in the Broadway production of Hamilton.
In terms of additional cast, Christina Ricci has been confirmed to be playing a character named Gwyn de Vere. She'll be joined by actors Eréndira Ibarra as Lexy, Max Riemelt as Shepherd, Brian J. Smith as Berg, and Toby Onwumere as Sequoia, all of whom worked with Lana Wachowski on the Netflix series Sense8. Although not much is known about these roles at the moment, hopefully, we'll get all those answers and more when The Matrix Resurrections hits theaters and HBO Max on December 22.
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