The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
★★ — The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
The Matrix Resurrections arrives eighteen years after The Matrix Revolutions (2003) closed out the original trilogy, and represents Lana Wachowski returning to the franchise without her sister Lilly, who opted out of the project entirely. The film was shot largely in San Francisco, a deliberate departure from the series' traditional Australian and studio-bound locations, and its $190 million budget makes the eventual box office return (just over $156 million worldwide) a notable stumble for Warner Bros., particularly given the simultaneous HBO Max release under the studio's pandemic-era hybrid distribution strategy. Lana had spent the intervening years on Sense8 for Netflix, and Resurrections marks her first feature since Jupiter Ascending (2015).
A painfully missed opportunity. After the wild, mind-bending finale of Matrix Revolutions (Matrix 3), there was actually a brilliant setup for a sequel: Neo, seemingly “unplugged,” still able to see the Matrix, still able to destroy machines with his mind. That should’ve been the first clue that he was never truly free and that maybe the rabbit hole went even deeper. Imagine a follow-up that leaned into that idea, Neo still plugged in, the Matrix even more insidious than before. A fresh philosophical trilogy was right there. But no. Instead, we got… this. A self-aware, nostalgia-drenched mess that spends half its runtime winking at the audience like it’s too cool to care and the other half rehashing old ideas with none of the impact. The plot holes are huge. The stakes are non-existent. The vibe is weirdly smug. Trinity’s back, Morpheus is… not Morpheus, and the new characters are completely forgettable. Even Keanu looks like he’s not sure what he’s doing here. This could have reignited the franchise with something bold and thought-provoking. Instead, it’s just a half-baked love letter to the original trilogy, especially the first film, and nothing more. Plug me back in. I don’t want to remember this one.
Rating: ★★ | Year: 2021 | Watched: 2025-04-06
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Amazon Prime Video · HBO Max Amazon Channel · Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Lana Wachowski: The Matrix Revolutions (2003) · The Matrix Reloaded (2003) · The Matrix (1999)
More with Keanu Reeves: The Matrix Revolutions (2003) · The Matrix Reloaded (2003) · The Matrix (1999)
More from the 2020s: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025) · The Long Walk (2025) · Americana (2023)
More science fiction: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Fantastic Planet (1973) · Nightmare City (1980) · The Long Walk (2025)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
