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'The Matrix Resurrections' reactions call sequel an ambitious, meta & slightly glitchy blockbuster
The Matrix Resurrections arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Wednesday, Dec. 22.
With the fourth Matrix movie — subtitled Resurrections — a little less than a week away from opening in theaters and on HBO Max, critics are finally able to share their early reactions to the Lana Wachwoski-directed sequel on social media. Some folks (like Heather Wixson of Daily Dead) are calling it the best movie of 2021 while others (such as Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment) have described it as "one of the most disappointing films of the year."
About the only thing early audiences can agree on is that the movie is an extremely meta love story about Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) that hasn't quite worked out all the bugs. Variety's Clayton Davis, for instance, tweeted that it's "too self aware of its existence." Simon Thompson (a contributor for several entertainment outlets) tweeted: "it is so meta at times that winks and digs at itself quickly feel sour."
Others found that sense of self-awareness to be most of the strongest bits of the movie (along with the action, of course). "The Matrix Resurrections is one of the most thought-provoking blockbusters ever made since it grapples with real-world legacy," wrote Brian Davids of The Hollywood Reporter. "It has all the elements you want in a Matrix film, but its central love story is where it shines."
"The Matrix Resurrections is a terrific, awe-inducing, meta mind-bender completely in line with the franchise's legacy," added another Variety writer, Courtney Howard. "Finds an innovative, high-concept way to frame the new story ... [The] action sequences are BIG, meaningfully engaging with character parallels and connections. Lana Wachowski & Co. thread subtle, nuanced nods to the other films through the fight choreography, visual effects, production design, and cinematography."
In addition to a celebration of the returning cast members, a great deal of praise was also given to franchise newcomers like Jonathan Groff (playing an Agent Smith-type villain), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (playing a new version of Morpheus) Neil Patrick Harris (playing Neo's therapist, who may have ulterior motives), and Jessica Henwick (playing Bugs, a blue-haired gunslinger who reintroduces Neo to the concept of the Matrix).
Head below to see more Twitter reactions...
The Matrix Resurrections arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Wednesday, Dec. 22.
