Rent The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

So bad - The Matrix Resurrections review by TH

If like me you enjoyed the original Matrix but found the sequels a bit messy but watchable then expect to find this something to miss altogether. It's truly a mess of a film. Bad storyline, Keane reeves in autopilot and missing cast members. Give it a miss and watch the original instead.

As much as there is no reason for this film to exist, there are some good points amongst the dreck - The Matrix Resurrections review by TB

I really struggled about what score to give this film. In many ways, it's a pointless addition to the Matrix world. And nowhere more is that evident than by the actions over many years of The Wachowskis.

After Revolutions, there were repeated offers/requests made by Warner Bros for another film. Repeatedly, The Wachowskis turned them down. This was probably down to partly the trilogy completing and coming to a relatively concrete conclusion and also the fact that the movies became more poorly reviewed/badly received with each installment. Certainly Revolutions, except for some moments of brilliance, was mainly an unbelievably bloated film which spent very long amounts of time and exposition to just spew words at the audience. And the final fight, rather than being the most incredible of the trilogy, just kept going and going and going until it seemed someone from the editing department said "You really need to bring this to a close!"

But years later, Lana decided to revisit the world, with Lily refusing to get involved again. And whilst it absolutely is great to see Keanu and Carrie-Ann back sharing the screen again together, the biggest thing for me was that there wasn't really much of a reason for the film to exist. But the film does have, amongst the long scenes of exposition, which didn't often make sense, some elements of brilliance.

By far the best thing about this film, eclipsing even Reeves and Moss, is Jessica Henwick as Bugs. She is such a good character, so well written and stealing every scene she is in. I could quite happily have watched an entire film based around her character. In a movie where certain characters have been recast and others not, it takes an original character to really make this film enjoyable. And it also shows that, when The Wachowskis want to, they can create amazing people.

There are other characters who makes appearances who I won't list so I don't spoil the surprises. Some are welcome returns, whilst others ridiculous and seem to have been shoehorned in to add to the retro-ness nostalgia. But as mentioned above, as much as there are certain standout scenes, this doesn't either right the wrongs of the previous entries nor do anything drastically different.

However, I did enjoy it overall, hence the 3 stars. There is also a notable change once we relocate to Io and the film, at least for a few minutes, settles down and actually gives us some decent backstory and interactions between characters. The action is also solid. Mercifully, the stupid green filtering which The Wachowskis insisted on shooting the first 3 films with is gone. This film looks gorgeous, the bright and popping colours actually making the Matrix and it's world come alive.

As I have seen from the reviews, as well as the feedback online, a lot of people hated this film. But I always look at films in a balanced way and there is a decent amount (if you're patient and don't mind sitting through exposition,) that I liked. Temper your expectations.

See it for a walk back down memory lane and a stunning Jessica Henwick.

What were you expecting? - The Matrix Resurrections review by RD

Let's be honest. There was absolutely no way that a sequel would ever rival the groundbreaking original Matrix movie.

It was a product of it's time; you can't have a sequel to an original concept by its very nature.

It's entertaining to a degree as long as you don't think too much, but then you should never think too much about the original.

No idea why they felt the need for a cover of 'Killing in the Name of' for the end credits when the original would have done much better.

Pointless Sequel - The Matrix Resurrections review by GI

A pointless and anti climactic fourth instalment in the ever dwindling series. What a shame! The Matrix (1999) was a sharp, innovative sci-fi thriller even if it did use machines as the enemy which The Terminator (1984) had already claimed. The two subsequent sequels were devoid of fresh ideas and relied on effects for their entertainment accepting that some of the set piece chases etc were exciting. And now this tired addition offers nothing much other than reworking scenes from the earlier films and trying to work them into a new narrative that sees Neo (Keanu Reeves), now reinserted into a new matrix as part of a negotiated peace with the machines. When he is...again... rescued from a life as a battery he yearns for Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and she apparently holds the key to the future of humanity. Sadly though Moss has far too little screen time and little to do when she's around. Characters from the previous films pop up so die hard fans of the series will no doubt be happy but overall this is a film that has no real creativity beyond recycling the ones we've already seen. If you are like me and prefer to revel in the first film and forget the sequels exist then you can comfortably forget this one to.

Not terrible - The Matrix Resurrections review by BM

To be honest my initial take in the first half an hour was what the hell is going on and there was some plot lines i didn't like but overall i thought it was an ok film considering it had been 18 years since revolutions, flash backs were a nice touch, little bit cheesy, little bit predictable but worth a watch :)

Same As Expected. - The Matrix Resurrections review by KW

Well the 'near' original characters are back, and the movie has near enough what's expected, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Still worth the viewing and hope that another isn't made as I feel they should stop there.

Pretensions bilge - The Matrix Resurrections review by RB

I’m sick of equally pretentious Cinema Paradiso reviews distorting the real reviews from customers. The films terrible and everyone else who’s seen it knows it