That there’s truly a brand new Matrix film out feels virtually as unreal as The Matrix itself. It’s been virtually 20 years because the final movie and in that point, the Wachowskis have stated time and again they’d by no means do it. But Lana Wachowski now has, and we’re nonetheless form of shocked it’s actual.

If you’re a fan like us, likelihood is you’ve already headed to the theater to see The Matrix Resurrections or have watched it on HBO Max. And if that’s the case, you most likely need to discuss it. All of it. Which is why we’re right here. Below is a spoiler-filled dialog between Germain Lussier, Cheryl Eddy, and Rob Bricken of io9 discussing what we appreciated, what we didn’t like, what was complicated, what was stunning, and what all of it means by way of The Matrix Resurrections.

Germain Lussier: Welcome to the io9 roundtable dialogue of The Matrix Resurrections. We all watched the brand new film final night time, so to begin I’m curious to know—are you each followers of the unique movies and had you rewatched them earlier than this one?

Rob Bricken: I watched the unique movies in theaters. Liked the motion of the primary one, intensely disliked the sequels, then acquired form of squicked out by the fetishization of gun violence within the franchise over the a long time. So I mainly got here into this as an apprehensive newcomer with imprecise reminiscences of the unique. Much like Neo!

Cheryl Eddy: I noticed all of them within the theaters and have rewatched them a number of instances over time… the sequels not as a lot as the unique. (I’m positively a kind of nostalgic folks this new film was presumably made for.)

Germain Lussier: I’m glad you stated that, Cheryl. I requested this as a result of I’ve a sense a latest, clear, direct reminiscence of the unique Matrix movies performs an enormous position in somebody’s like or dislike of this one. So, am I proper? How did you every really feel about this one generally earlier than we dig into it?

Rob Bricken: I believe you’re proper, in that it’s so depending on the unique movies to imply something or say something that I acquired virtually nothing out of it. I used to be principally baffled and postpone by it. I can’t think about some teen moving into to see this as their first Matrix movie and having fun with it.

Cheryl Eddy: I used to be positively excited when it was introduced, however I’m additionally getting a bit weary of all of the reboots/revisitations of films from the Nineteen Nineties. However, I additionally see why The Matrix is nonetheless related in any case this time, even when I used to be frightened it may need to attempt additional arduous to really feel as contemporary and thrilling because it did in 1999 (which: it did, for my part)

Rob Bricken: I strongly disagree.

Germain Lussier: With which half?

Rob Bricken: The “fresh and exciting” half.

Germain Lussier: I believe that’s what I appreciated about it essentially the most. That I felt it was “fresh and exciting,” however in a brand new method.

Cheryl Eddy: Oh I meant, it felt prefer it TRIED TOO HARD. Haha.

Rob Bricken: It is 80 % the identical film as The Matrix, which we all know as a result of the characters mainly point out it on a regular basis.

Germain Lussier: Well that’s form of what I imply. It may be a little bit of a cheat however I like that we stroll into this film not understanding if it’s a sequel or a reboot. And not solely is it a sequel, it’s a sequel set to this point forward sooner or later, it feels virtually not possible for the characters. So the enjoyment of the primary half is determining why this film even exists, and on the similar time, you could have a filmmaker who takes that story and twists it together with her personal insecurities of this film present. And it will get actually dense and perhaps slightly too meta however by the point we understand “It’s 60 years in the future, the machines kept Neo and Trinity alive, and they just want to be together” I used to be so all in.

Rob Bricken: I get that, however that doesn’t actually reply the query of why this film even exists.

Germain Lussier: Well I believe that query has two solutions and Cheryl I’d love to listen to your ideas right here too. But within the film, it exists to be like “Love triumphs.” Neo and Trinity cherished one another, sacrificed their lives to save lots of humanity, and by no means acquired to be collectively. Now, by means of the machines’ hubris, they do. Outside of the film, it exists as a result of a) Warner Bros. likes cash, and b) Lana Wachowski misplaced her dad and mom and couldn’t carry them again from the lifeless, so she introduced again one other couple that meant rather a lot to her: Neo and Trinity.

Cheryl Eddy: I didn’t anticipate the film to be so… meta. And I agree with Rob, I believe the script leaned into that fairly closely.

Rob Bricken: If you’re simply watching the film, although, and don’t have that context—which certainly many of the viewers doesn’t—it doesn’t matter.

Germain Lussier: A film about love triumphing over precise life doesn’t matter? Also, by going into the machine metropolis and making an attempt to rescue Trinity, they’re risking all of the lives of this new metropolis, iO. Which, I’ll admit, might have been seeded and defined higher.

Rob Bricken: Yeah, and that’s form of shitty! Like, I’ve zero recollection of what occurred on the finish of Revolutions, however Neo sacrificed the whole lot so the human race may very well be higher off, after which he’s introduced again and needs a redo at the price of humanity.

Germain Lussier: I do agree the story perhaps feels slightly larger than its level however that additionally brings up one other factor I actually, actually appreciated, which is that Neo’s “victory” in Revolutions caused alternative within the machine race and now machines facet with human. And because of humanity now having this superior expertise at their facet, they’ve begun to thrive in methods they by no means imagined.

Rob Bricken: And Neo’s able to toss all of it within the trash.

Germain Lussier: Kind of, positive. But it really works out after which they change into Gods of the Matrix.

Cheryl Eddy: I used to be additionally stunned it took so lengthy to get Carrie-Anne Moss into the film. It’s like two hours in earlier than she’s not simply the confused lady within the espresso store. (Good outdated “Tiff the MILF.”) But I do recognize the love story and Keanu Reeves and Moss are so nice collectively, I want there had been extra scenes with them collectively. And I want her character had been higher developed on this film.

Rob Bricken: I positively agree that Reeves and Moss had been wonderful collectively. Reeves isn’t significantly good at romance, however they work, even when—perhaps particularly—once they assume they don’t know one another.

Germain Lussier: Yeah, Keanu and Carrie-Anne are tremendous on this. But after all, they’re mainly the one returning actors. What did we take into consideration a number of the new characters like Jessica Henwick’s Bugs?

Rob Bricken: Jessica Henwick guidelines on this film, however I do not know what she was making an attempt to perform by discovering Neo.

Germain Lussier: Yeah, Rob, the entire begin of the film is unquestionably slightly complicated. But from what I can inform Bugs and her crew are Neo superfans and so they spend their time believing that he exists and trying to find him. So they discover this bizarre, outdated program somebody wrote which is the place Neo hid his model of Morpheus and that was the one method he knew he might get out. I believe. I’ll admit it’s complicated however I noticed it as a lady who isn’t proud of the iO establishment and nonetheless believes that “The One” will save EVERYONE who’s within the Matrix and so she retains looking. She’s mainly a fangirl of the unique Matrix movies making an attempt to maintain them alive.

Rob Bricken: Those aren’t actually stakes. And then these individuals are additionally down with the potential extinction of the human race so Neo can get his girlfriend again.

Germain Lussier: Well after which, perhaps, save the world too. But we’ll get to the ending in a second. What concerning the architect of this new and improved Matrix, the Analyst?

Cheryl Eddy: I like me some Neil Patrick Harris, however the cat had extra character than his character did on this. The Analyst was so one-dimensional and apparent and predictable, contemplating he was alleged to be a supersmart evil laptop.

Germain Lussier: Ouch.

Rob Bricken: I do know Agent Smith was a ham, however was the personification of The Matrix all the time so… smarmy? It reduce no matter stress the film was making an attempt to construct as a result of the Big Bad was an asshole as an alternative of being scary or intimidating.

Germain Lussier: Jonathan Groff’s efficiency because the “new and improved” Agent Smith is definitely, for those who can imagine it, much less smarmy than Hugo Weaving was. But I do assume his position as effectively in it is a little muddled. He’s an enemy, he’s a pal, he saves them, they struggle, it’s not all the time 100% clear.

Rob Bricken: I agree, though Weaving had three films to stockpile that ham. I don’t actually know why Smith 2.0 is on this film.

Cheryl Eddy: Speaking of Agent Smith, what did you guys consider the struggle scenes? I knew it was going to be arduous for this film to prime something within the originals… how do you make “bullet time” even cooler?… and I concern I used to be proper. Plus each film since The Matrix has ripped The Matrix off with such enthusiasm, it’s arduous for something to really feel like we haven’t seen it earlier than.

Rob Bricken: I’m truly feeling unhealthy about being so damaging on the movie, which I didn’t hate, precisely, however I watched this yesterday and can’t for the lifetime of me keep in mind something that occurred in any of the struggle scenes. Oh, wait—the Analyst’s introduction of “Bullet Time,” which I believed was supremely intelligent, however I don’t know if Neo is paralyzed whereas a smarmy laptop walks round and gloats counts as a struggle scene.

Cheryl Eddy: Jonathan Groff ripped a sink out of a wall, which felt very Fight Club, haha.

Germain Lussier: Yes. Yes, he did. But right here’s the place I believe we’re all on the identical web page. The narrative twists and turns listed here are infinitely extra attention-grabbing than the motion, which actually quantities to “Doogie Howser does slow motion” and “Neo has the Force.” Those are the 2 new large additions and so they don’t actually add a lot. The greatest failing right here is that the motion is so sporadic and principally unmemorable, which is so not what The Matrix was constructed on.

Cheryl Eddy: “You’ll believe a Neo can fly!” (Or a Trinity. That was her flying on the finish, proper?)

Rob Bricken: This film can be higher with fewer motion scenes. I might have been superb with simply the romance angle.

Cheryl Eddy: I agree with Rob. But I believe Warner Bros. would’ve been livid at a Matrix film with fewer struggle scenes.

Rob Bricken: They very a lot felt like Lana Wachowski put them in out of obligation.

Germain Lussier: Yes, they don’t add a ton to the story and sure Trinity flies on the finish. I believe on a second watch I perceive why and the way however curious what you each consider that and the ending generally? They say they’ve one other probability. Are they referring to their love or to save lots of the world?

Rob Bricken: I’ve to imagine they imply their relationship, as a result of what does their means to rewrite the Matrix accomplish? Are they going to wake all people up? Didn’t that occur within the unique trilogy? Are they shutting down the machines?

Germain Lussier: All very legitimate questions. But no, the unique films didn’t wake everybody up.

Cheryl Eddy: I’m positive we’ll discover out within the subsequent film, Matrix Reborn. Matrix Reanimated? Bride of Matrix Reanimated? Matrix Redundant?

Rob Bricken: /chef kiss

Germain Lussier: Oh man, that is getting out of hand however I’ll permit it. Yeah, I believe their means to rewrite the Matrix on the finish of this means that unplugging everyone seems to be not possible and the true technique to save everyone seems to be simply to make the Matrix they’re plugged into extra truthful. So the opposite probability is for his or her relationship in addition to a brand new perspective on find out how to change the whole lot. Oh, and I believe Trinity can fly as a result of she was resurrected by the machines so now she has machine code in her.

Rob Bricken: Honestly, I didn’t have a query about Trinity getting Neo powers as a result of I had questions on just about the whole lot else. I simply assumed it was love or some shit.

Germain Lussier: Rob, you keep in mind how the primary film ended, proper? Neo simply is like “I’m coming for you” and leaves. It has one million questions on the finish of it too.

Rob Bricken: Resurrections has one million questions at first and center, too.

Germain Lussier: /chef kiss. Touché.

Cheryl Eddy: Germain in all seriousness, do you assume there shall be one other Matrix film coming or is that this it?

Germain Lussier: I believe that is it. I believe Lana Wachowski stated what she has to say, and from this dialog it’s apparent the film may be very polarizing so who is aware of how a lot cash it’ll make. And, if it is it, Neo and Trinity residing fortunately ever after in a world the place expertise is changing into higher for the people in the true world, and them doing their greatest for folks within the digital world, appears becoming. Any final ideas right here gang?

Cheryl Eddy: Just needed so as to add that I missed Laurence Fishburne for positive. But Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s wardrobe was the most effective wardrobe The Matrix has ever produced… apologies to all that iconic latex and people chunky knits, after all.

Rob Bricken: I’m very bored with films which are so depending on ‘80s/’90s nostalgia to grasp or get pleasure from.

Germain Lussier: Yeah, thanks Cheryl for mentioning Morpheus. I believe the actual fact he wasn’t introduced up earlier than can also be form of a fault of the film. The character isn’t fairly as memorable and robust as he was within the unique, however at the very least the story offers us a superb purpose why Fishburne didn’t come again. And Abdul-Mateen II is GREAT within the movie however Morpheus form of isn’t.

Cheryl Eddy: 100% agree.

Rob Bricken: Also, wait a second. That jogs my memory—how does Jessica Henwick hack into Neo’s online game? It’s a program in a program.

Germain Lussier: It’s not the brand new online game, it’s a modal for applications that he constructed independently.

Rob Bricken: Follow-up query: How does Jessica Henwick hack into Neo’s modal?

Germain Lussier: Ummmm…Good night time everybody!!

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