When I first saw Neo’s reflection in the table as the old man I thought he kinda looked like The Architect and I was like “whoa what if Neo is appearing as the Architect, being manipulated to work on his Matrix within the Matrix to control the Neos we see in that scene at the end of Reloaded so it’s actually Neo talking to Neo ”

And then it turned out just being some crew member Easter egg

So boom out the gate let me preface this by saying that I truly honestly believe that this is a movie that some critics are gonna come back to like "we were too harsh on this " I've seen this done for hella movies like the most random s*** like the Schumacher Batman flicks and what not. I see this happening with this movie tbh.

And NO, I'm not some Wachowski stan. Tbh with you I haven't really delved into their non Matrix works like that. But after rewatching the OG Matrix stuff and seeing this, I wanna start.

I feel like this movie's divisive reaction is kind of an overreaction tbh. I can't tell people how to feel, nor would I want to. But I walked away from this movie enjoying what it had to say and loving what works as opposed to what didn't.

Like, I'm sorry but all this talk about this being a cash grab is kinda funny to me because I feel like if this was the case, the premise would be more crowd pleasing and less alienating? If this is a cash grab then why literally bite the hand that feeds you with the sneak disses to WB? I'm not even here to try to convince people that didn't like it whether or not these aspects worked, I'm moreso on the side that I feel like Lana was tryna get s*** off her chest whether or not people were gonna like it or hate it. This movie wasn't just like "hey buy more of our s***!" It was speaking on a lot of things at once, some handled better than others. This movie felt real sincere to me.

Let me start with what I didn't like / thought was lacking:

First and foremost, Yuen Woo-Ping’s touch is really missed here. The action scenes aren't terrible but most of them are pretty just cool / ok to me, not to mention the crazy shaky cam. Most of my favorite sequences involved Bugz, but I also liked Trinity near the end as well as the one on one fight between Neo and Smith. I think that 1 v 1 between them is when Neo looked like Neo the most. The dojo scene didn't really do much for me.

The Merovingian callback just didn't land for me all the way. It's crazy cuz my audience loved it, but it kinda just felt inconsequential? Like, he's back as a rambling mad man and then after the Exiles are defeated, he kinda just slips out the movie. I kinda feel the same way about Niobe. She comes in and it's like "dope Niobe's back", then she starts to give a f*** ton of exposition which I thought was kinda extra and actually brings the dope pacing of the first half of the film to almost a screeching halt, she gets mad at Bugz and her crew, then after they come to an understanding she kinda slips out too. I really thought IO and the whole growing our fruits stuff and working alongside the machines stuff was dope, would REALLY like that explored in an Animatrix 2.

Speaking of stuff that should be explored, wish we got more Trinity as Tiffany scenes and seen her tripping out more like Neo did when he realized he was in another Matrix.
I feel like IO could've benefited from more world building and flashbacks but I feel like COVID played a part.

Agent Smith should've gotten more air time I think, dude was a delight but then Groff is like gone for the last 20 minutes. Also man Morpheus wardrobe in here was pretty awful man LOL. Like it got pretty distracting at a lot of moments. Yahya is good in the role but I feel bad for him cuz he had to follow up Fishburne and when they did the call backs it kinda felt out of place? Like Yahya's not awful, and knowing what they were going for with his role in the story with him being a combo of Morpheus / Agent Smith created by Neo, I understood it.. but sometimes it missed for me. Like the absence of his predecessor was noticeable.

What I loved:

Yeah idc no one says Bugz stole the show for me bro. Having her as the audience surrogate was so on point, her reaction to realizing the opening sequence was a trap was the exact same one I had. And also I don't get the hate for Groff as Smith, this nigga was a complete d***head but I loved every second of it and I wish we saw him more. Bro was a smug little s*** the entire time, and I feel like Groff made the right acting choices in where he took core elements of the Agent Smith character but interpreted them differently than Hugo Weaving. I never felt like he was tryna be Hugo or trying to replace him, and I loved it because of that.

Carrie-Anne Moss still raw as f*** as Trinity and like I said earlier, her action sequences were dope. Her and Keanu's chemistry still hits, and their love story from 1 to here feels earned. Like damn, these niggas really would and have been through hell and back for each other. I know I complained about the action sequences earlier, but I really did like the Bugz scenes, Neo vs Smith 1 v 1, and the final sequences where Trinity breaks free and then their riding through the city on the bike while dodging the bots; s*** felt cyberpunk as hell.

I also would like to add that the action really got better in the second half, when they started treating this movie like a heist film as opposed to a kung fu movie. The rescue mission aspect of the plot >>>>>>

The meta aspect has been touched upon by a lot of y'all but it worked for me. The Merovingian (while still, not my favorite call back) dissing sequels and reboots was still just a sight to behold. Neo's "coworkers" discussing what the Matrix is felt like a love letter and a diss track to the fandom at the same time LOL especially after rewatching the OG films leading up to this like I did. Cuz it is kinda interesting how the OG movie was in fact somewhat of a critique of capitalism and the culture of the new millennium but what a lot of the critics and the audiences took from it was how cool the effects / aesthetic and action sequences were.

Also I know this movie is a critique on reboots, endless sequels, etc, but am I the only one that felt like this movie had a lot to say about growing old as well? Like it's kinda funny how Neo was The One / essentially Superman in his universe but to bring him down The Matrix had to pacify him with an office job where he's the lonely old guy compared to his coworkers. Trinity going from this rebellious young woman to a coffee drinking soccer mom whose generic husbands name was literally CHAD, who scoffs at the idea that his "Tiffany" could ever be the sleek and sexy motorcycle riding Trinity from the OG trilogy was interesting too. Niobe being this slightly bitter old woman who won't risk saving Trinity out of fear of what may happen was something that caught my eye as well. I wonder if this movie's tryna make a commentary about how sometimes people are "less free" when they get older? Like they're more open to assimilating into the roles society has already built for them?

Hm.

Anyways I'll give this a solid 3.5 / 5 for me.

My rankings go:

Matrix
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix Resurrections
Matrix Revolutions

Also wanna add that rewatching the Matrix series makes me wanna check out the rest of the sister's stuff. Might go peep Speed Racer next.

He meant to look old and trinity meant to look old

making him look like the architect would make very lil sense because he like the only one who ever met the architect

Uhh we will see based on fan reaction I dont think critics will ever apologize for the harshness of their reviews especially when they had expectations of a certain degree. Also because they have been even harsher on wachowskis before. What they stated they disliked about it or demanded of it will always be cemented.

Would definitely watch Cloud Atlas. Sense8 is a lil messy but has some great moments

I think people dont really want to hear a movie tell them things or make them think to this degree about these given topics. That isn't pretentious to say that these topics aren't topics that some want to address at all yet alone in a movie where they came for the exact things addressed so I think they feel ambushed or triggered.

They think its a cash grab solely for the imagery and select scenes that do reenact but I agree with you

rest I agree but the crazy part is people get made that we gave it this much thought or type this much out like we havent been in thread for months

I honestly wish test screenings went to open hearted fans rather than critics cause now I am like what were the cut 15-30 minutes. We know one thing was this

Hope we get rumored animatrix 2 and game

Cloud Atlas is one of the best movies of all times

The reason I made my initial comment is because this weird revisionist history I seen on the internet when it comes to movies, music and stuff in general. I've seen people turn around and try to go "the Star Wars prequels weren't that bad" after years of s***ting on them. I've seen people defend Limp Bizkit when in the early 2000s they were the most hated band on earth. Even with the negative reviews, they act like this film was a b******ization of the OG trilogy and then there's me like "Wait, y'all unanimously love the sequels now???"

The crazy thing about the reenacted scenes is that, in my opinion, they work in the context of the story. Not like "Hey, remember this? How cool it was?" like bruh narratively this man came back from the dead and is reliving trauma that he's suppressed for god knows how long, like he's entitled to a couple flashbacks LOL

And yeah like I said, this premise is audience - alienating. Also I want to add that if the OG trilogy is about their struggle with being closeted and trans this new movie seems to support self-love and acceptance on the low. The way Trinity acted near the end makes me feel like this is the case.

EDIT: They should've cut some of Niobe's exposition and left in the other s***

THAT FIRST WATCH IN IMAX

My immediate thought leaving the theater and one of my major cons was Niobes exposition which is why I was so confused that people thought I was just being a blind fanboy. That Niobe exposition then sati laying out entire plan not only used up valuable time on the clock to resolve story so no one would feel they needed a Matrix 5 it also just lost all the momentum and good will it had

I understand budget issues so could only do so much on IO especially since robots now. I get they didnt just want a rave scene to show society as hedonistic but it would have really helped them to rather than Niobe give Neo the main character a long lecture he instead watches her give a speech to robots and humans and we see a few mini stories play out with the various characters and how they got to their point. The 2 minute flashback of her with the sentinnels leaving in matrix revolutions was possibly the most unnecessary of them all

Then being like "we got no way to get trinity yet" felt like "good guys about to win dont worry broski". Would just love to know what other ideas they had for IO that were
1. out of scope budget wise
2. didnt rely on niobe growing fruit showing she attached to nature
3. Let the characters and crew of ship shine more

NEIL

DEGRASSE

TYSO

probably watch it later today on hbo max

Yeaaaaa I agree, the flashbacks with various characters would've been way better than the expo dump. I feel like Sati's involvement was more necessary for sure though. It's just crazy cuz Niobe's moments really felt like.. not essential LOL especially when Bugz broke that man Neo out in like 5 secs

Exactly I mean especially after seeing how in Sense8 she blended so many characters stories together I was a lil dismayed that they all revolved around Neo yet again even if their commentary on fanboyism was meta and filled in ground there it just all would have been preferred to Niobe. Also I cant imagine the Niobe and multiple robots/ fruit scene didnt eat up budget that could have been used to tell simple quick character stories with each or all together

gotta peep sense8 before i make that comparison but yeah. I did like seeing the humans / machines interaction

Cloud Atlas first lol unless you want to end with the best then sense8 then cloud atlas

Tiffany being a deadname for Trinity like a trans person

Did this win any oscars yet?

I’m still not sure if I’m gonna watch this movie tbh

You didn’t even watch it yet you was attacking all of us???

(yes we know you think it's bad, trash, mid, s*** and garbage)

Nah see you can talk your ish

Is it any good
I saw lawrence fishburne wasnt in it and lost all ambition to watch it

Is the Matrix Online canon?

If you like to be completely surprised with a new indie style then yes

If you want more of the same this prolly ain’t for you