The Matrix is a very divisive franchise, because while many can agree that the original is a classic, the sequels that followed are loved by some and loathed by others. The first film does stand on its own, so it’s easy to ignore the sequels if you so choose because you have the free will to do so. Or maybe it was predetermined that you’d dislike the trilogy and you had no say in it at all. Whichever you believe to be true, the question is the same: if you didn’t like Reloaded and/or Revolutions, should you give Resurrections a chance?
The Matrix Resurrections picks up 60 years after the end of The Matrix Revolutions, and there’s a lot to it that’s best to experience over the films two-and-a-half hour runtime. What we do see is the return of both Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss), which may confuse some considering the pair both died at the end of The Matrix Revolutions in order to save what was left of the human race. This time around they’re not the people we remember though, as they don’t even truly remember who they are.
We spend the first act with Thomas Anderson, a successful video game developer who created the smash hit game, The Matrix, based off of fragments of memories he had of Neo. He has a crush on Tiffany (Trinity’s new persona in this unfamiliar world), a married mother of two, though he never brings himself to speak with her and just adores her from afar whenever their paths cross.
Anderson knows something is off with his life, but can’t quite put his finger on it. Instead he creates a simulation called a modal in order to develop characters for his game. Within it there’s an ongoing loop of the night Trinity first found Neo back in the original film playing out again and again. It’s here that Bugs (Jessica Henwick) enters this new Matrix from the real world in an attempt to figure out what’s going on in this new digital prison, and why she believes that Neo is still alive within it.
This already sounds like a lot of information, even though at the same time it’s actually very little. There’s a lot to The Matrix Resurrections, and while it is the fourth film in the franchise, it can also be viewed as an epilogue to Revolutions instead of a reboot or some sort of cash-grab sequel. In fact, the Wachowski sisters never wanted to make another Matrix movie after Revolutions, and turned down Warner Bros. when asked. Warner Bros. then went out and hired others to continue the franchise, but as fate (or free will?) would have it, Lana Wachowski went through something in her life that just compelled her to tell this story. She signed on, as did Reeves and Moss and here we are.
So if I’m not going to delve into the plot to avoid ruining things, what can I say? Well, I’ll say that the story is a beautiful one, and it’s actually a really great idea for a fourth film. Revolutions was a darker story, and while the human race did endure, the loss of our favourite characters in the film was a lot. So getting to see these characters return, and the same actors reprising the roles is just awesome, and the story that Lana is telling here really does the characters and the world of the Matrix justice.
I love the entire Matrix trilogy, but I can easily say that this is my favourite film in the series next to the original. Now for some that may not be a high bar to overcome, but I just really enjoyed every aspect of this film and the way it approached the themes of the films that came before it, while also making sure it wasn’t just a simple retread of everything we’d seen before. It’s an easy thing to have happen in a franchise, and we’ve seen it time and time again, so to have this fresh take on a world that’s been heavily explored in various mediums was incredibly welcome.
The action scenes are what The Matrix trilogy is known for, and Resurrections doesn’t hold back in that regard either. Some may find the first act a bit slow, but I was just taken in by it all. The action picks up more an hour or so into the film, and we then get plenty of the gravity defying action sequences that fans have come to expect and love spread nicely throughout from that point forward. There are new enemies within this new Matrix for our heroes to deal with, as well as a familiar one. I won’t dwell on things too much, but Neil Patrick Harris is phenomenal and an incredibly welcome addition to this world.
Above all else, The Matrix Resurrections is a love story, and it’s a top tier one at that. Back in the original film Trinity confessing to a dying Neo that he had to be “The One” because the Oracle told her that she’d fall in love with “The One” and she loved Neo. It was a sweet moment for the film, but it didn’t feel earned. It felt like there was a path these two characters had to take, and that’s why Trinity loved him. But their bond grew over the course of the trilogy and blossomed into something that felt natural and true, and Resurrections takes that to an entirely new level. One that makes their bond as important and integral to the story as the original wanted it to be.
I was okay with how Revolutions played out, and while it was hard to see Trinity get taken out, and Neo sacrifice himself, it all made sense as far as the story being told. There are a lot of ways that continuing this franchise could’ve gone, but odds are most paths would’ve lead to one or more bullet-time rehash ridden, emotionally hollow action flicks that just looked to recapture the magic that was brought to theaters back in 1999 without any of the originality. Luckily, that wasn’t what destiny had planned, and instead the franchise got the send-off it deserved by those who made it what it was to begin with.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
If you want the closest thing you can get to having seen this film theatrically then the 4K version is the only route to go. Warner Bros. nails it with this 2160p transfer, with incredibly strong visuals that leap off the screen beautifully. The film is often vibrant, even in the darker or night scenes, and it’s just a gorgeous all around presentation that you’ll want to have in your collection if looking for the best of the best from a visual standpoint.
On the audio side of things we’ve got an equally impressive Dolby Atmos track that will come through as Dolby TrueHD 7.1 if you don’t yet have the support for it. Either way, this is a fantastic sounding film, with so much going on even in the silences. The score, sound effects, dialogue are all top form and delivery, working harmoniously with the video to deliver an absolutely amazing home viewing experience for this film.
Special Features:
No One Can Be Told What The Matrix Is – This feature is just over 9-minutes in length and looks back at the original trilogy for those who may have not revisited it in recent years. It’s nice to see the cast members here talking about it all, both new and old.
Resurrecting The Matrix – This is one of the major features on the disc coming in at just under 31-minutes in length. Here we see Director Lanada Wachowski, as well as Moss, Reeves and other cast and crew talk about coming back to the franchise after so long, what’s been happening in the years since they made Revolutions, and just looking back on everything that’s happened during and since the original films. A must-watch for fans.
Neo x Trinity: Return to The Matrix – This featurette comes in at just over 8-minutes and sees Reeves and Moss talking about meeting back in the original film, and again, what it’s like returning all these years later to these beloved characters.
Allies + Adversaries: The Matrix Remixed – This featurette comes in at a little over 8-minutes in length and we see some of the supporting cast step up to talk about their characters and experiences while filming.
Matrix 4 Life – This featurette is just over 6-minutes in length and again is a look into the on-set vibe and production life, as well as more retrospective from the cast and crew about their experiences.
I Still Know Kung Fu – This featurette is just under 5-minutes in length and we get to watch Reeves and the gang practicing and training for the fight scenes. This one would’ve been nice to have seen be a little longer, as it’s always great to get to see the stunt workers and choreography that goes into these complex battles.
The Matrix Reactions – This is the big feature on the disc that’s broken into nine parts, or can be watched all at once to come in at just under 49-minutes. Within them we see the cast and crew breaking down the different scenes within the film, talking about what went into them, as well as what the final product ended up being. It’s an easy watch, much like most of these special features!
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents The Matrix Resurrections. Directed by: Lana Wachowski. Written by: Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell, Aleksander Hemon. Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Jada Pinkett Smith, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci. Running time: 148 Minutes. Rating: 14A. Released on 4K Blu-ray: March 8, 2022.
About Brendan Campbell
