‘Why use old code to create something new?’ A question asked within The Matrix Resurrections is not only essential to the new film’s core plot but also increasingly relevant to our society.
The Matrix films have always played with meta themes and lofty questions regarding our own existence, but it’s almost too hilariously on-the-nose when taking a closer inspection at the franchise’s history on the big screen. All the way back in 1999 at the turn of the century when Y2K fears were prevalent and the paranoia of technology stabbing us in the back had reached fever pitch, the world was introduced to the first ‘Matrix’. Suffice to say, its groundbreaking special effects, thought-provoking narrative, and excellent performances blew audiences away. A cultural phenomenon had been born. Fast forward twenty-two years, two lackluster sequels, three video games, an animated tie-in, countless works of parody and pastiche, and the series had been swallowed by its own ambition and corporate obligation. The Matrix had become old code. Now, as things have finally come full circle in our age of endless reboots and nostalgia, this is something The Matrix gets to have a lot of fun with in ‘Resurrections’.
2003’s ‘Matrix Revolutions’ ended the trilogy on a decidedly fina and somewhat somber note, with both Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) sacrificing themselves in the war against the machines. Exactly how both of the leads have found themselves seemingly alive and well in this new entry is something the marketing campaign has kept close to the chest. The solution is characteristically meta and perfectly relevant for the tech-obsessed modern world we’ve found ourselves in.
Taking a combination of cues from Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and simulation theory, the way this film weaves its way around this explanation is almost ingenious. That said, it does also very much like to have its cake and eat it too. Those expecting this sequel to play more like a semi-reboot rather than a direct continuation will be disappointed to learn that knowledge of the original trilogy is absolutely essential to this story. In fact, those people may actually be surprised at the amount of archive footage that is replayed here. Make no mistake, it is a lot. Some will view this as a playful wink and nod to the glory days, which functions fairly organically within the narrative. It’s also easy to see how others may view it as lazy and derivative of itself. But, couldn’t that be argued as the whole point in the larger meta-joke?
There are a number of new faces entering the world of The Matrix in this installment, with some wonderful additions as new characters, old characters, and even a mixture of the two in some cases. Chief among these as the biggest scene-stealer is Jonathan Groff’s revamped take on Agent Smith. The famous role was originally made iconic by Hugo Weaving, and Groff is an absolute delight to behold here. Effortlessly switching from confident and charismatic to cold, calculating, and driven, the Hamilton star doesn’t miss a beat as Neo’s evil nemesis. Jessica Henwick also shines as the rabbit tattooed, gun-toting badass Bugs (yes, as in Bunny). Playing a huge role as the audience’s entry point to the story, and often acting as the mouthpiece of exposition, Henwick essentially takes on the role Morpheus played in the original. This brings us to another big topic of conversation surrounding the film since its first promotional material, Morpheus. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes over this time around as the cool and loyal freedom fighter. But with Reeves and Moss returning as their characters, why replace Laurence Fishburne? The answer is actually relatively straightforward and almost makes enough sense to justify this recasting. Almost. Luckily, as the superbly gifted performer that Mateen is, he makes the role his own in some nicely unexpected ways. His presence isn’t felt quite as much as the trailers lead us to believe, however, which is a bit of a shame.
One of the key ingredients to the success of The Matrix has always been its boundary-pushing fight sequences. Whether it’s the unforgettable rooftop ‘bullet time’ sequence or Trinity’s adrenaline-fuelled highway chase, the series has never been lacking in eye-popping action. Unfortunately, that is one element of ‘Resurrections’ that is a slight letdown. Blockbuster cinema has evolved exponentially in the last twenty years, and it looks like the filmmakers struggled to innovate the genre any further when it’s already come so far. That said, the action still looks great, but it just doesn’t generate the same thrill as it did in 1999.
Not as stylised as John Wick, nor as grandiose as a Marvel film. Although, as director Lana Wachowski has reiterated, this film is very much a love story, and in this context, it works very well. This is driven home by the always outstanding Reeves and Moss, who ultimately both sell this idea with their beautiful performances. Clearly, this film is not perfect. It’s still a little too long and loses momentum in the middle. But, it’s certainly far superior to both ‘Reloaded’ and ‘Revolutions’, with bonus points for how unexpectedly funny it is too.
The Matrix Resurrections
Summary
Should you decide to take the red pill, and see how deep this rabbit hole goes, this old code has been rewritten to resemble something new enough to justify its existence.
The Matrix Resurrections is in cinemas from 22nd December 2021
