The Matrix is one of my favorite films ever. Firstly, because of what it said. It was a prescient, dystopian commentary about the world that seems to be increasingly hurdling towards us. Secondly, because of how it said it. So many elements felt ground-breaking, from the script, which was littered with many memorable lines, the cinematography, the memorable characters, etc.
This latest installment, unfortunately, falls way short of the Matrix legacy. You will be disappointed. Gone are the memorable lines and layered story telling. Indeed, the screen play felt like it was in shambles. Many elements just did not work for me or were just confusing. For example, whatever was going on with Agent Smith. I don't know if the story was just not well thought out or if key elements ended up on some cutting room floor.
Reeves and Moss just really never achieve the chemistry needed to pull off the premise and you were just constantly being reminded that their characters were shadows of their former selves. The incessant flashbacks also did not help. Whose idea was that? Less is more.
Finally, unlike the first film, where even the minor characters where memorable, most of the performances here were disjointed and forgettable. No wonder. It seemed to me like being one of Lana's favorite people she worked with in the past was the primary driver of casting versus if the actor actually fit the role. The movie felt more like a series of cameos than a serious attempt to tell a story. That statement, on second thought, may be unfair to those actors. I know many of these guys to be really excellent. Brian J Smith, Max Reimelt, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, to name a few. So, I guess I just don't have an explanation for why their performances felt so disjointed.
To be sure, on the other hand, some performances just really rose way above the limits of the material. Despite not having a lot to work with, Niel Patrick Harris' performance was definitely outstanding and a ray of light. Jonathan Groff also did a good job reprising the Agent Smith character. With a little more help from the script, he too would have been able to add a new dimension to the Matrix mythology.
5 out of 6 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink