Following the events of "The Matrix Revolution," Neo (Reeves) finds himself as Thomas Anderson again. He has no recollection of his past or destiny. All he knows right now is that he’s an award-winning video game designer who, after "dreaming" about it, turned the original Matrix trilogy into a video game franchise.
One day, a reborn version of Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and a woman named Bugs (Jessica Henwick) found him in the Matrix working for the rogue program Smith (Jonathan Groff). They were able to persuade him that the world in which he was living was a simulation. Upon Neo’s awakening, he spotted Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in the other pod and he’s transported through the ruins of Zion to a place called Io, headed by Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith).
Neo expresses his desire to get Trinity out of the Matrix as well, which the people of Io oppose with at first. Breaking Trinity free from the Matrix is an impossible mission because of the one powerful program that currently controls the simulated world – The Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris).
"The Matrix Resurrections" was a film that may have raised some eyebrows.
Fans of the franchise are familiar with the vastness of the Matrix and the plethora of ideas it holds. It should come as no surprise that it remains one of the most riveting pieces of cinema ever produced, even decades after its release. But filmmaking is still a business, and if there is a way for companies to milk money from successful movie series, they will find a way to do it, even if it may derail everything.
Such was the case with "The Matrix" franchise.
It's difficult to take "The Matrix Resurrections" seriously since it feels like it's attempting to sell a story that is essentially over and complete. "The Matrix Revolution" already closed Neo and Trinity’s arcs quite nicely with their heroic sacrifice to save Zion. But here we are again with another story that unwittingly discredits them for their gallantry.
The story is so disjointed that it relies on nostalgia to propel the narrative forward. I appreciate that the film makes an effort to remind audiences of Neo's transformation from hacker to savior, but the film's need to connect everything takes a toll on its run time.
With the fourth installment, the Matrix plot has also become increasingly convoluted, making it impossible to keep track of what is going on. The plot develops at such a rapid pace that even a lengthy exposition from Morpheus or Bugs is insufficient to fully convey everything that is taking place. Not to mention the fact that the film's philosophy and narrative clash, resulting in something that is incoherent and incomprehensible.
Of course, there are some absolutely fantastic concepts. However, Lana Wachowski is unable to see things through to completion. She simply just stacked them one on top of the other, making no attempt to let the audience understand all about it. There were high hopes for "The Matrix Resurrections," and the film fell short of them. There are undoubtedly moments in the film where it could have been fascinating, but for the most part, this is just all spectacles.
1.5/5
