Film Review: “The Matrix Resurrections” (2021)

Party like it’s 2003

Back in 1999, The Wachowskis exploded onto the scene with a classic gothic sci-fi thriller known as “The Matrix”. The film was a rousing success as it combined groundbreaking action with cerebral commentary. “The Matrix” wasn’t just a great film but, a game changer for Hollywood in the late 90s and the early 00s. The Matrix itself became a pop culture phenomenon back then: Anime films (“Animatrix”), video games (“Enter The Matrix”), and an all-around dedicated fan base, “The Matrix”, at one point, became for 90s teens what “Star Trek” was to their parents. Many films would go onto copy (i.e. “Resident Evil: Afterlife”) or parody it (i.e. “Pootie Tang”, “Kung Pow: Enter The Fist”) for many years to come.

In 2003, The Wachowskis released both “The Matrix: Reloaded” and “The Matrix: Revolutions” back to back. Both were quite successful at the box office but, they failed to live up to the classic first film. While I at least found a few things to like about “Reloaded” (mainly the car chase involving the twins), “Revloutions” left a pretentiously sour taste in my mouth. However, after nearly 20 years, Lana Wachowski brings us back to the world of the Matrix with “The Matrix: Ressurections”. Will “Ressurections” be a return to form or will it contribute to the slippery slope that is the decline in the franchise?