After such a long absence, our beloved Neo and Trinity are back on the big screen… sort of. When we are reunited with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in Lana Wachowski’s Matrix: Resurrections, their characters are back to a life of ignorance. Mr Anderson is the creator of a computer game and generally feels pretty bored about life. And soon, you just know someone is going to come along and talk to him about a man called Neo…
Enter brilliant and curious Bugs (Jessica Henwick), a woman seeking to understand the reality of what came before and what that means for her world. Bugs is arguably the lead here, and the catalyst for much of the story. The supporting cast is huge, with many new faces alongside the returning ones. Some notable absences are keenly felt – though there are nods – and the likes of Jonathan Groff and Neil Patrick Harris are welcome albeit too brief additions to the roster. Sense8 fans, in particular, will thoroughly enjoy the appearance of so many of that show’s huge ensemble cast.
Of course, it’s Reeves and Moss who lured many of us back. The pair are still just as magnetic as they ever were, as Mr Anderson finds himself drawn back to his Trinity and the truth of the world in which he lives. Too much, however, rests on that chemistry. The action is sorely missing for much of the film, only really kicking in for the brilliant final act. Instead, Matrix: Resurrections focuses more on a meta analysis of our sense of self and a philosophical exploration into fate or destiny. The dialogue is good enough but often hugely confusing and just cannot compete with the action-packed sequences we’ve come to expect and love in these films.
Matrix: Resurrections just about manages to hold your interest but, as much of it is rehashing what came before without really adding much until the final act, it’s difficult to get too excited.
The Matrix Resurrections is in cinemas now and on HBO Max now in the US.