It Needs to Re-Focus on the First & Best Film in the Series
4 Things We Want to See in The Matrix Resurrections
Speaking of fan service, The Matrix’s overwrought and overcomplicated sequels – Reloaded and Revolutions – felt just like that: fan service that failed to take advantage of what made the debut feature such a timely masterstroke.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s enjoyment to be gleaned from both sequels in a turn-off-your-brain kind of way, and the visuals did manage to hit new highs; but from a narrative and tonal perspective something felt off. From overly sexualized scenes to overly laborious philosophical mumbo jumbo that overcomplicates things before being swiftly swept under the rug (was it really necessary to infer a whole Matrix-within-a-Matrix sub-plot?) to just an overly predictable by-the-numbers story arc that relies too much on action spectacle while lurching from one plot device to another, the sequels don’t stand up in quite the same way as the original, especially through a modern lens.
Long story short, The Matrix Resurrections needs to re-focus on the elegance and restraint of the Wachowskis’ 1999 opener to avoid the pitfalls of its disappointing sequels. After all, with Warner Bros. returning to The Matrix’s sci-fi well, this can’t be yet another case of diminishing critical returns for the franchise, as ultimately, this could potentially spell doom for the IP’s brand as a whole.
