Released this week, the fourth film in the Matrix series premiered titled, ‘The Matrix Resurrections.’ Beginning with a retread of Trinity’s first scene in the original Matrix, being surrounded by police. We’re introduced to Bugs [Captain of the Mnemosyne] played by Jessica Henwick as she recalls this scene being what started everything. However, Trinity isn’t her but someone else and ends up being apprehended by agents. Bugs is found by the agents and police but manages to hide. She gets caught by one of the agents into a hidden room as the two exchange a conversation. Identifying himself as Agent Smith, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as he recollects memories of Morpheus. Believing he has a purpose and joins in Bugs’ cause to find Neo and free him from the machines. Jump to, Thomas Anderson played by Keanu Reeves as he’s a famed game designer for a company under contract of Warner Brothers. Having created a series of realistic Matrix games that follows one-for-one of the films in a somewhat meta way. Haunted by memories of another life believing it to be just a traumatic dream. He frequently sees his therapist, played by Neal Patrick Harris who manages to control Thomas’ struggle by giving him blue pills to cope. Alongside his co-worker at a coffee shop, spots a Trinity look-a-like who goes under Tiffany and has her own family. Thomas’ co-worker introduces the two as Tiffany mentions to Thomas having meet him before somehow. Afterward, the company has an emergency evacuation as police look for the threat. Thomas receives a text which leads him to Morpheus which begins to shatter Thomas’ perception of reality, hoping the memories of the Matrix wasn’t real. A shootout occurs with Morpheus and the police as Thomas hides in fear. His boss, Smith played by Jonathan Groff begins to recollect memories of Agent Smith from before as he reaches for a dropped gun. Chasing after Thomas in order to eliminate him. The scene ends with Thomas in a therapy session as he calms down. Becoming disillusioned with life and a will to jump off a roof, he’s saved at the last moment by Bugs. Which quickly proves what happened in the office, did happen. For once, he accepts Bugs’ proposal to free his mind from the Matrix. He’s introduced to Bugs’ crew as well as sentient machine crew members, proving to Neo’s sacrifice brought peace and co-existence. He’s taken to a new human sanctuary Io that replaced Zion and brought to an elderly Niobe, played by Jada Pinkett Smith who leads as General. Sixty years have passed and war has ended between humanity and the machines. Both sides had stubborn factions that remained in their old ways and created chaos. At that time, Morpheus became head council and embraced peace with friendly machines and programs. However, Niobe desires to avoid another war and reprimands Bugs and her crew as well as locking Neo for the time being. Of course, Bugs manages to release Neo as they all desire to rescue Trinity. Unfortunately, Smith had been waiting for the crew as he brought Exiles with him, The Merovingian played again by Lambert Wilson from the Matrix Reloaded and others to fight them. Smith nearly gets Neo but manages to beat him. Neo meets up with Tiffany but his therapist reveals himself as The Analyst. Who created the current version of the Matrix and desires to keep Neo and Trinity together in their own illusions. Neo and crew retreat and once again are reprimanded by Niobe, however a risky plan is brought an allied sentient carrying Sati who explains the device that resurrected and carried Neo and Trinity. The plan nearly goes hay-wary but Neo manages to get through Tiffany to free her as Trinity. The Analyst uses his swarms of bots in a desperate attempt to kill them as well as the crew of Mnemosyne. On a rooftop, Trinity recalls her dream in which ended at that point and desires to become free. Jumping off and somewhat falling to their deaths, Trinity discovers her ability to fly. They manage to safely get away, as well the crew in their desperate fight. Afterwards, the Analyst is visited by Neo and Trinity in which the latter is none too happy about her treatment by him. After several hits on the Analyst, the two desire to redesign the Matrix for the better.
The Matrix Resurrections has a runtime of 148 minutes, with the first hour focusing on Thomas Anderson’s haunted memories that continually get repressed. Several instances of him getting the hint that something is wrong with this world such as his reflection, coincidences with several co-workers and people he encounters, and more. The following hour focuses on the fight to get Tiffany to realize her true self as Trinity and become free from the Matrix. There’s an enormous amount of callback from the original trilogy that new viewers won’t have to worry much about prepping for this one. Plenty of action to be seen as the plot is about discovering one’s own self in a world filled with bland copycats. There’s also plenty of meta in the film as we’ll hopefully see this as the start of a new trilogy.
It earns a 4 out of 5.
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