Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss return as Neo and Trinity, or someone like them, in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Lana Wachowski’s sequel/reboot of the groundbreaking science fiction film trilogy. It has been over 20 years since the original MATRIX was released and nearly as long since the last of the trilogy came out. A lot has changed, for science fiction films and for the Wachowskis, so revisiting the world of the Matrix seems a bit of a surprise after all this time. THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is a solo project of one of the two siblings who created the original, and features the original two stars, who find themselves once again caught in the dream world of the Matrix. This sequel offers more action entertainment than philosophy, but with a more satisfying take on Neo and Trinity’s story.
Or at least Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) seems to be in a world connected to that one. Here Anderson is the creator of a wildly popular computer game called The Matrix, along with his business partner Smith (Jonathan Groff). The game was groundbreaking hit 20 years ago and made the company prosperous and Anderson kind of famous, but now Smith is leaning on Anderson to come up with a new hit. Anderson seems sad and distracted, haunted by a past that included a mental breakdown, and is seeing a therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) to help cope. He also has a thing for a woman he sees daily at a local coffee shop, a mother of three named Tiffany (Carrie-Ann Moss), who is also a regular.
It is a rather clever approach to re-enter this world, and Wachowski, as co-writer, deserves credit for that. Instead of revisiting all the philosophical, existential questions of the original trilogy, this reboot mostly lets all that stand and instead focuses more on what has happened to the world of free humans in the meantime and more importantly, on the connection between Neo/Anderson and Trinity/Tiffany.
Although Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss are 20 years older, they both still look very good, particularly Moss, who seems amazingly little changed by the years. While 20 years have passed in our world, a much greater period of time has elapsed in the Matrix’s world. We the audience see Reeves and Moss as Thomas and Tiffany see themselves. but others in the story see them as much older, as their “real” age, which we glimpse occasionally in reflective surfaces.
Of course, this world is illusion, as a programmer named Bugs (Jessica Henwick) discovers and then explores with the help of a new Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is also a version of Agent Smith. The addition of new characters like Bugs refreshes things, but there are also some old favorites (Jada Pinkett Smith also reprises her role as Niobe, albeit an older version), a combination that takes this tale in different directions than the original man-versus-machine story. Here the sides are much murkier, which is really more fun.
While the trilogy was all about Neo as the One, this new film is more about Neo and Trinity as a team, and a couple, in this new battle for freedom. This Matrix is more action-focused and offers plenty of that along with splendid visual effects. There are plentiful references to the original films, little treats for fans that are used to advance this new story.
Performances are good, with Neil Patrick Harris as the Analyst a stand-out, particularly on the comic side. Reeves and Moss have lost none of their chemistry and putting the emphasis on them as two sides of a whole feels like a more contemporary choice. The film also wraps up with a more satisfying ending of their story than the original trilogy. While the door is open for another sequel, this one also could be a good ending for the story cycle.
MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is not a genre-busting film but it is an enjoyable addition to the series, turning it in a new direction. For fans who were all in on Neo as the One, the savior theme, and are looking for more philosophical rabbit holes to go down, they should note this film is more heart than head, with more of an action focus. For fans of the original 1999 Matrix movie more than the series, MATRIX RESURRECTIONS offers a nice wrap-up alternative for Neo and Trinity, after the existential questions are laid to rest, with a more down-to-earth, hopeful, human ending.
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS opens Wednesday, Dec. 22, in theaters and on HBO Max’s ad-free version for a limited time.
RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars
