by John Bizub, Contributing Writer
The blockbuster movie is in a very interesting point in time as of now. Studios are fueled by the power of capitalist profit, merchandise, and the idea of more feature films in their property. Or they could be an antithesis on the idea as whole and make you think on what to spend your 20-plus dollars on when you’re buying tickets. The Wachowski sisters have always been on the latter, making very big and outrageous films that tackle serious subject matter with themes feeling wholly unique to the world of blockbuster filmmaking. From the Matrix trilogy, Speed Racer, and even Jupiter Ascending, the sisters have such a dynamic way of storytelling that cannot be matched by any other mainstream filmmaker.
The Matrix Resurrections is a tough act to follow as a sequel to the divisive The Matrix Revolutions as well as a new addition to the trilogy; however, Lana Wachowski is back at the helm of directing (without the help of her sister, Lilly) and the cast, such as Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss, returning as Neo and Trinity, respectively. Plus, the marketing has been on a home run streak, with impressive trailers and unique advertising campaigns feeling very in vain to the world of online internet culture by going at great lengths to make people feel like a part of the Matrix world. The film also stars Yayha Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jessica Henwick.
Before I dive into my thoughts on The Matrix Resurrections, I would like to preface by voicing my admiration for the Wachowski sisters’ previous works. The Matrix trilogy is my favorite cinematic trilogy ever composed, and their 2008 film, Speed Racer, is my favorite film of all time. So you could only imagine that my excitement and anticipation for a new Wachowski film is immense, and the fact that Lana is returning to her love child feels very right, especially with how she handles storytelling.
The Matrix Resurrections feels like the most hardcore and aggressive film I have seen in a long time, and I mean this in a very positive way. It’s a visual and storytelling masterstroke of meta-commentary on blockbusters in a bleak state of Hollywood where we feel trapped in the funnel of reboots, sequels, and remakes. Wachowski sticks a middle finger right up towards Hollywood and the entertainment industry and does so in glorious fashion. The Matrix Resurrections is a film about love transcending both the physical and digital world, continuing beyond the events of the previous films, and creates something wholly unique and somber while also placing new meaning behind their relationship. If you missed the subtlety of the original Matrix’s transgender narrative, there is no way you can miss it here. From binary codes to trapped transgender relationships and deadnaming, this film feels like a meditation and reflection on Wachowski as a filmmaker and person.
Reeves brings quite possibly my favorite performance of the year in this film, feeling very akin to his role in the previous films, while also feeling scared and alone. You see him barely hanging on in a world where nobody believes the things he has seen and his idea of him being “crazy” is a misconstrued concept. Moss has never been better, still kicking ass and taking names, while also feeling lost in a changing world where she does not feel comfortable living in her own skin. The other performances by Abdul-Mateen, Groff and Harris all feel very great and fit very well in the film’s overall work. Everyone across the board stole the show respectively and felt like a part of the film’s overall whole.
The cinematography is a visual treat, in one of the best looking blockbusters of recent memory, combining both elements of film form with regard to formalism and realism with its stark colors and dynamic shadows to play with. Wachowski’s direction plays like gangbusters here, providing very thought-provoking and meta commentary on our film-going experience, as well as playing with the concept of what the original trilogy is; think of it as a modern day Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. While Don Davis is absent from the composing department here, Tom Tykwer and Johnny Klimek feel like good stand-ins and provide unique remixes to the film’s glitch-infused aesthetic.
I do not remember being hopeful for the future of cinema this much since The Last Jedi. Resurrections is a bold, divisive, swing-for-the-fences movie that will work for some, but not for all. If you are a fan of the original trilogy, I implore you to watch this, but if you are looking for a sequel to the first film, you will be sorely disappointed. While it feels very early in the 2020s, I do not think we will find a film like The Matrix Resurrections that will drop the mic so aggressively and incredibly again.
Grade: A+
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