The Matrix Resurrections Movie Review

The Matrix Resurrections failed in its attempt to capture the nostalgia of fans due to its lackluster action, poor casting choices, and uncompelling story. The Matrix films are known for their epic action scenes. The Matrix Resurrections however, found a way to make the fight scenes look like a parody of The Matrix franchise. It lacked the speed and finesse of its predecessors and it relied way too much on the use of wires. It was as if the cast were rehearsing for the fight scene but the director started filming them anyway.

The movie also made the mistake of miscasting iconic characters like Morpheus and Agent Smith. Though Yahya Abdul-Mateen and Jonathan Groff are great actors, they did not fit the roles of Morpheus and Agent Smith, respectively. Whereas Lawrence Fishburne made Morpheus the stoic, philosophical leader that fans know and love, Mateen makes Morpheus a comedic best friend, which disrespects the legacy of the character. Jonathan Groff as Agent Smith was more like the Agent Smith from the past, but where Groff falls short is the commanding presence that Hugo Weaving had. Anytime Groff threatens Neo or goes into a villainous monologue, the audience is disappointed rather than afraid. Groff’s take on the Smith character was too hip and preppy to take him seriously as Neo’s ultimate rival.

The biggest issue with this movie, however, was its lack of story. The main goal of the film was for Neo to rescue Trinity out of a new version of The Matrix. This mission jeopardizes the remnants of humanity, and these stakes made it difficult for the audience to get behind. In the film, there is talk of a civil war between the machines and the humans, but luckily there are some rogue machines who have joined forces with the humans to create a new city. This would have greatly improved the overall plot had they continued to flesh this idea out, but instead they return to Neo rescuing Trinity.

The Matrix Resurrections felt like a cash grab rather than a revitalization of a beloved franchise. Unfortunately, rather than resurrecting the franchise by fixing the mistakes of the previous films, this story crashes and burns.