Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is a world famous video game designer who created The Matrix. But something seems off to him, he feels like he knows the woman he keeps seeing in the local coffee shop named Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss) and he needs his therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) to prescribe him blue pills to keep his visions at bay. But then he meets Bugs (Jessica Henwick) and has to decide if he should follow this rabbit down her rabbit hole. 

In 1999 the Wachowski’s delivered a seminal action classic which to some was a trans allegory (this is referenced in Resurrections as well). Later the Wachowski’s delivered Reloaded and Revolutions which finished their trilogy leaving our lead character seemingly dead. Eighteen years later and the Wachowski brothers are now sisters and Lana Wachowski has decided to revisit their creation. So how does she bring Neo back to life for a sequel? 

I have to say that The Matrix Resurrections is a very peculiar film. It is at its most interesting in its opening hour when it is extremely meta and explains how this story is possible whilst also explaining why we have a different Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and a different Agent Smith (Jonathan Groff). Although Smith’s storyline seemed utterly bizarre to me and nonsensical in the overall plot. 

In this opening hour we see Thomas Anderson’s office filled with Matrix action figures, whilst his business partner Smith tells him that Warner Brothers are going to make a sequel to his trilogy whether he likes it or not. Then we have brainstorming scenes where game designers discuss what made The Matrix so good whilst we see clips of the game which is actually the original films. Our new Morpheus enjoys quoting the old Morpheus whilst Neo’s analyst sounds strikingly like The Architect. And to cap it all Tiffany’s husband Chad is played by Chad Stahelski who is the director of John Wick, but also happened to be Keanu Reeves stunt double on The Matrix. So far so weird right? 

Eventually things start to settle down to the crux of the story which is that Neo needs to find and reconnect with Trinity. Action scenes ensue and we have an ending that really does point to the trans allegory so many believe that the Wachowski’s originally made and Lilly has confirmed in interviews. 

Overall the film is fine. I neither loved it or hated it. The opening hour and the peculiar meta references are the most fun. The action sequences are also just fine. Unfortunately this film does not redefine the action genre like the original did. Performance wise Reeves and Moss recreate their chemistry whilst the likes of Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Yayah Abdul-Mateen II all seem to be having a lot of fun which really elevates what can sometimes be very talky roles. 

I would argue that previous knowledge of The Matrix trilogy is a must to get the most from this film but just like Reloaded and Revolutions, Resurrections is enjoyable but not essential viewing.