While the first Matrix film is unanimously hailed as one of the most iconic and thought-provoking sci-fi/action films of all time, its 2003 sequels earned a mixed reception at best. However, in spite of their follies, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions have only improved with age, and are genuinely worth revisiting ahead of the franchise’s return with The Matrix Resurrections in December.
With that said, let’s dive into the Wachowskis’ misbegotten Matrix followups and what it all means for the property’s comeback eighteen years later.
The Matrix Sequels Have Improved With Time
While the first Matrix film follows Neo (Keanu Reeves) exploring his identity as The One, it’s the sequels that plunge into the depths of how he finds purpose in saving the world. By fighting for Zion — the peaceful colony of the people living in the real world — Neo finds probable cause in ending the war against the machines, adding an element of sympathy to the overall universe of the franchise. Of course Neo’s fight leads him down a rabbit hole of fetch quests in order to serve exposition — tracking down a cryptic Key Maker and ultimately coming face to face with the creator of The Matrix — but while the plot of the first sequel is stretched thin and primarily exists only to set up the finale, there’s no denying that it’s at least driven with some sense of purpose.
The Matrix Reloaded also upped the stakes in every way when it came to the action. Between the stylized hand-to-hand combat — notably a fight with medieval weapons — and an extended car chase on a freeway that was built for the film, the action sequences are breathtaking. The problematic special effects may stand out more now than they did in 2003 but the suspense amidst all the kung fu and sword fighting makes up for any criticisms. The Matrix Revolutions (the second sequel), on the other hand, traded much of the martial arts for the CGI-ridden war for Zion, but the heady concepts of fighting for a larger universe remained bold and prominent in the trilogy closer.
Granted, some of the primary issues with Revolutions are just as controversial now as they were in 2003, mostly in character decisions — blinding Neo, sidelining Morpheus, and prematurely killing Trinity — but in viewing the franchise from a modern perspective, these tragic storytelling beats also reveal the bold nature of the bleak world the characters of The Matrix are living in. The unsaturated darkness of a dystopian Zion filled with war and death only earns the neon sunset of the trilogy’s closing moments of hope. Sure, it’s asking a lot for audiences to literally suffer through the film’s desolate atmosphere, but it does warrant closure for the franchise overall.
What That Means for The Matrix Resurrections
In a sense, the Matrix sequels provide such a sense of completion that it almost doesn’t make sense to return to the franchise at all. Given the state of finality with the films’ characters and situations — Neo and Trinity seemingly dead and The Matrix having been reset — it’s difficult to see how the series could be resurrected. That said, Reeves has confirmed that the fourth Matrix would indeed be a follow-up to Revolutions starring himself and Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their roles as Neo and Trinity. Being that the sequels’ Architect has stated that the Matrix program has gone through multiple reincarnations, the idea of rebooting that world doesn’t sound like such a stretch after all.
Blockbusters have evolved a long way since The Matrix, leaving speculation as to whether or not the series can find new relevance in 2021. Given the successful formula of reboot/sequels, The Matrix Resurrections could follow that pursuit and embrace its identity as a standalone sequel. Another cause for its relevancy is the franchise’s signature marriage to technology and its impact on society. Where the original Matrix arrived at the heels of Y2K, the film’s overall themes of Man vs. Machine were very grim considering the overall fear of technology, but now that electronics have become unimaginably advanced in our modern day, the thematic commentary on technology is more significant than it’s ever been — providing entirely new purpose for the franchise.
In looking back, for existing on the cusp of the 21st century the Matrix sequels may not visibly appear to have aged well. The cyberpunk leather costumes and shoddy CGI certainly look outdated in the 2020s, and the philosophical ideas bite off more than they can chew. All the same, between the grandiose expanded mythology and stunning action sequences, the Matrix sequels offer a unique world of visual storytelling unlike any other cinematic trilogy of its kind.
The Matrix Resurrections arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.
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