To find out if his reality is a physical or mental construct, Mr. Thomas Anderson aka Neo (Keanu Reeves) will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. If he's learned anything, it's that choice, while an illusion, is still the only way out of--or into--the Matrix. Because of what Neo has gone through since, mentally and psychologically, at the end of "Matrix Revolutions", he is under a psychologist care (Neil Patrick Harris), and then Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) reenters Neo's life to confront him in order for him to choose: the blue or red pill. Morpheus' crew including Bugs (Jessica Henwick), Sequoia (Toby Onwumere), Sheperd (Max Riemelt), Berg (Brian J. Smith), and others, help Neo to seek out Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in order to fulfill what they need to combat the 'agents', one named Smith (Jonathan Groff). Neo already knows what he has to do, but what he doesn't yet know is that the Matrix is stronger, more secure and far more dangerous than ever before.
Others to round out the cast are Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Sati, Christina Ricci as Gwyn de Vere, Lambert Wilson as the Merovingian, Andrew Lewis Caldwell as Jude, Joshua Grothe as Punktlon, Brenda Ibarra as Lexy, Michael X. Sommers as Skroce and L. Trey Wilson as Hanno.
This was directed with the same intensity and fervency as with the trilogy by Lana Wachowski (Bound" '96, "The Matrix" '99, "The Matrix Reloaded" '03, "The Matrix Revolutions" '03, "Speed Racer" '08, "Cloud Atlas" '12, "Jupiter Ascending" '15) plus TV, video games and a video short documentary. This wasn't as much of a stretch for this filmmaker, since when the trilogy was produced and the Wachowskis were then male and since are female, so he merely relied on the format of the past trilogy to make this film work as well as it did in the directing. Why another Matrix? Not sure, except maybe since they had such a success with the trilogy and haven't been as profitable since, it's called 'let's do it again'. Certainly the actors were effective, especially since both Reeves and Moss were reprising their roles. It was effectively written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon, based on characters created by the Wachowskis. Since the Wachowskis wrote the trilogy, and only one of them co-wrote this with two relative newcomers to feature film writing, this had a tendency to get bogged down with some choppiness and lack of continuity. After about two-thirds the way through, the story started picking up and the story then started to fall into place. It was a bit long-in-the-tooth to convey what was going on--about 10 minutes plus could've been cut. It did have some interesting twists in it which did add to the interest, but I feel both Wachowski siblings should write the next one. And, oh yes, not to spoil, but it does leave it open-ended for yet another installment assuming this makes money. And, of course, the visual effects,predominantly created by Framestore, Double Negative and One of Us were seamless and definitely one could get that 'Matrix' feel as with the past films.
Certainly if you're a 'Matrix' fan, the sheer nostalgic feeling this gives which can take you back to 1999 when "The Matrix" was released, you'll be in Matrix heaven. If you like your film up, close and personal, this is also presented in an IMAX format. This does look like it would be killer in that format.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 158mins.
No comments:
Post a Comment