“The Matrix” captivated audiences and redefined action in 1999. While the sequels weren’t as good, everyone was still looking forward to returning to the world of NEO, Morpheus and Trinity. But Matrix Resurrections often strays too far from what we love with in trying to stay fresh and hurts itself badly in the process.
Thomas Anderson is the world’s most famous game designer. But something about his life feels off. When his true past confronts him and brings him back to reality, he decides he must rescue his true love, Trinity, who is also trapped in the revamped Matrix before moving forward to free mankind from the machines.
Director Lana Wachowski knows her creation. But too often “Resurrections” dwells on what we hate so much about reboots. The film is a slog whenever Keeanu Reeves or Carrie Anne Moss aren’t pushing it forward, and almost every new element here doesn’t work, while many of the new characters are no good or even obnoxious.
When the Matrix does what the Matrix does best, it’s still good. And that is first class action. The fighting is still next level. The shootouts are still strong, and there are stretches where we’re having fun. But there isn’t enough of that to make this really work and the entire final act feels to forced.
Sadly, the Matrix Resurrections will fall into the hopper of reboots that we would have been better without. That’s unfortunate. There are few experiences that will ever match that first trip into the Matrix that we all took so many years ago. But we’ll always have that experience at least.
Matrix: Resurrections
GRADE: D
RATED: R
Running Time: 2 hours and 28 minutes