The Matrix 4

[Wor-Gar]

I thought this movie showed potential to be worthwhile but ended up being almost entirely pointless. I was actually loving the first 30 minutes or so because it seemed to be going in a bold direction and reframing what the Matrix is. I thought we were actually getting something intelligent and thought-provoking to justify its existence. Instead, the film pivots and goes back to being nothing more than a slightly tweaked rehash of the first three. It's the same thing, but just dressed differently.

It's also one of the most self-indulgent films I've ever seen. So much of Neo's dialogue is Wachowski providing self-reflection, with Neo as an avatar of sorts, and allowing it to be totally blatant as if the facade of the film being "self-aware" will justify it being a vanity project. So, the lack of subtlety in using the plot to make an allegory about the director's journey of "self discovery" ends up being the only mind-blowing thing about the entire endeavor. Which leads me to the ending and why I love how hilariously oblivious and hypocritical it is...

Spoiler

It ends with Neo and Trinity in full control over defining the "reality" of the Matrix. They're going to rewrite the code to construct a world where people will be "liberated" and happy. But there's nothing liberating about it. They jokingly refer to a sky full rainbows as if that would somehow make the fact that all of the people would still be living in a false construct more palatable in principle. It isn't.

At the end of the day, having Neo and Trinity (in their new state of harmonized duality) create a reality free of conflict and strife is fundamentally the same thing that the Matrix had always been: a false reality where the preferences of the programmer decide how people will live their lives. The fact that Neo and Trinity think of themselves as "good" or "virtuous" doesn't change the underlying problem of playing God (be it a man or machine one) with people's lives. Spare me, please.

A movie that spends part of the time being self-aware of both the redundancy of sequels and of the blatant manipulation of using nostalgia, then goes on to spend the rest of the time being almost entirely redundant and manipulative. And I don't think Wachowski is being as self-aware ironic in doing so as some might want to attribute. This was ultimately all just an exercise in self indulgence, with that being the first and foremost ambition.

This is a brilliant review. I know its true and I haven't even seen the movie. But I've seen Lana. And I know people. She's like that clique in school who wanted to be 'different' -- and yet they all had the same wardrobe that assigned them as 'different', like a uniform... therefore NOT different.

In reference to the "rainbow sky" -- the idea that "they" know what's good for you. Isn't this what people hate about both sides? Always!?

There's some perfect lines in this:

A movie that spends part of the time being self-aware of both the redundancy of sequels and of the blatant manipulation of using nostalgia, then goes on to spend the rest of the time being almost entirely redundant and manipulative.

Neo's dialogue is Wachowski providing self-reflection, with Neo as an avatar of sorts, and allowing it to be totally blatant as if the facade of the film being "self-aware" will justify it being a vanity project.

So many reviewers acclaim being 'self-aware as brilliance' but most of the time its as simple as 'awareness of futility' which to me is just following the pack. Like all those "quirky, art movies" in the 90's that were considered 'edgy'.

 

[The Buffinator]

Maybe if I wish for it, he'll just walk into my kitchen to save the thread.

And maybe when he leaves your kitchen, Autumn will run a lottery!

 

[jye4ever]

So technically Neo can go out dressed like Trinity and Trinity like Neo right?

Matrix 5 Gender Free

Rainbows makes perfect sense lol

 

[Wor-Gar]

That's the truth. Lana's message: be who you want to be, who you were born to be.

I can see that entitled attitude making for a very mixed-up and dangerous world. What if I want to be ruler of the Free World? I mean, I was born to be it so I deserve it.

 

[Khev]

So technically Neo can go out dressed like Trinity and Trinity like Neo right?

Matrix 5 Gender Free

Rainbows makes perfect sense lol

Holy crap nail on head, lol.

 

[Dave_W]

Didn't Smith say the first Matrix was a paradise and it was a colossal failure? Now after all this time Neo and Trinity think they know better?

 

[Wor-Gar]

Come on, Khev. Break out! Be Free! Be who you were meant to be!

 

[Wor-Gar]

Didn't Smith say the first Matrix was a paradise and it was a colossal failure? Now after all this time Neo and Trinity think they know better?

Don't "they" always?

 

[Khev]

So many reviewers acclaim being 'self-aware as brilliance' but most of the time its as simple as 'awareness of futility' which to me is just following the pack. Like all those "quirky, art movies" in the 90's that were considered 'edgy'.

Yes this movie was very "Scream"-like with characters literally saying things like "crap we're the supporting cast which means we're fodder." The problem is that "Scream" was already old hat when the first Matrix film was released...

 

[Khev]

Come on, Khev. Break out! Be Free! Be who you were meant to be!

 

[Otomofan]

I liked that you could choose to read into the meta-messages however you wanted.

For me the character that spoke the most truth was NPH's Analyst when he said that people LIKE control. People WANT control. People fear freedom. Just look at what's been going on in the last few years and it couldn't possibly be more true. Not just the covid situation, but the last decade of people staring at their phones 24 hours a day like mindless drones.

So yeah, I really liked his character. He has so much fun playing bad guys (like in Gone Girl) and he even channeled the good old "That was a d ick move" NPH from "Harold and Kumar." He was just plain fun. I loved him.

I liked the new Smith too. Even though it's not Weaving, it's just cool to hear that antagonistic banter again.

I think Merv's brief appearance was a bit of a waste...I wish he did something a little more cool.

I liked Bugs a lot. I was soooo ready to hate her, she surprised the hell out of me by being LIKABLE for the duration of the movie.

Totally agree with what Khev said that this is how the ST could have been, if Lucas hadn't waited so long.

I think this is the ONLY revival-after-20-plus-years movie I've actually enjoyed other than Twin Peaks, and that I only enjoyed some of.

I don't know how to explain it. I'm as surprised as the rest of you. I went in, expecting *******, and I ended up actually enjoying the hell out of a movie for the first time in a loooooong time.

I can't promise you'll have the same reaction, but all I know is that for some reason, the way it was put together, the cast, everything, it all worked for me. Even that ******* overused "White Rabbit" song was fine in the context of the movie.

The only thing that sucked as much as I thought it was gonna was the ending theme song.

 

[Khev]

Hey Oto I love it when people break ranks and give their own insightful perspectives that provide a different way of looking at things. No way am I gonna dismiss your opinions after being one of three people who have championed the ST for half a decade, lol.

 

[guyver1]

I wonder if Keanu has a stipulation in his contract that no matter what project he tackles next he must keep the shaggy hair and beard . Maybe they had to fight him to shave the beard for the awful Bill and Ted revamp flop

 

[Khev]

I wonder if Keanu has a stipulation in his contract that no matter what project he tackles next he must keep the shaggy hair and beard .

Even his new John Wick look had to be called out by one of the characters.

 

[guyver1]

Even his new John Wick look had to be called out by one of the characters.

I’m afraid sooner or later..
some director would want him to do another Point Break or Speed flick

Moss looks like somebody’s grandmother if she shaved her head Thank god she has the dark hair

 

[Wor-Gar]

people LIKE control. People WANT control. People fear freedom. Just look at what's been going on in the last few years and it couldn't possibly be more true.

Couldn't agree more with this. And it scares the beejeezus out of me.

One of the few lines in the PT that was portentous and is utterly frightening: This is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.


I'm a little afraid now to watch this. What if I like it?

 

[Otomofan]

Couldn't agree more with this. And it scares the beejeezus out of me.

One of the few lines in the PT that was portentous and is utterly frightening: This is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.


I'm a little afraid now to watch this. What if I like it?

There of course were some scenes with old man Keanu clean shaven and bald, like in the first movie. Sadly, his Bill and Ted 3 jowls are noticeable when he's clean shaven. I was trying to tell if he was wearing a bald cap or not, but if he was it was really well done. Really looked like a real buzz cut. I can't imagine he actually cut his hair that short though, even if it was at the end of filming.

Then again, I guess he can always wear a wig for John Wick 4.

 

[jye4ever]

Trinity is so freaking hot in Matrix 1.

 

[jye4ever]

There of course were some scenes with old man Keanu clean shaven and bald, like in the first movie. Sadly, his Bill and Ted 3 jowls are noticeable when he's clean shaven. I was trying to tell if he was wearing a bald cap or not, but if he was it was really well done. Really looked like a real buzz cut. I can't imagine he actually cut his hair that short though, even if it was at the end of filming.

Then again, I guess he can always wear a wig for John Wick 4.

There of course were some scenes with old man Keanu clean shaven and bald, like in the first movie. Sadly, his Bill and Ted 3 jowls are noticeable when he's clean shaven. I was trying to tell if he was wearing a bald cap or not, but if he was it was really well done. Really looked like a real buzz cut. I can't imagine he actually cut his hair that short though, even if it was at the end of filming.

Then again, I guess he can always wear a wig for John Wick 4.

If those were indeed bald caps it was the best ever put on screen.

 

[Ropen]

I liked that you could choose to read into the meta-messages however you wanted.

For me the character that spoke the most truth was NPH's Analyst when he said that people LIKE control. People WANT control. People fear freedom. Just look at what's been going on in the last few years and it couldn't possibly be more true. Not just the covid situation, but the last decade of people staring at their phones 24 hours a day like mindless drones.

So yeah, I really liked his character. He has so much fun playing bad guys (like in Gone Girl) and he even channeled the good old "That was a d ick move" NPH from "Harold and Kumar." He was just plain fun. I loved him.

I liked the new Smith too. Even though it's not Weaving, it's just cool to hear that antagonistic banter again.

I think Merv's brief appearance was a bit of a waste...I wish he did something a little more cool.

I liked Bugs a lot. I was soooo ready to hate her, she surprised the hell out of me by being LIKABLE for the duration of the movie.

Totally agree with what Khev said that this is how the ST could have been, if Lucas hadn't waited so long.

I think this is the ONLY revival-after-20-plus-years movie I've actually enjoyed other than Twin Peaks, and that I only enjoyed some of.

I don't know how to explain it. I'm as surprised as the rest of you. I went in, expecting *******, and I ended up actually enjoying the hell out of a movie for the first time in a loooooong time.

I can't promise you'll have the same reaction, but all I know is that for some reason, the way it was put together, the cast, everything, it all worked for me. Even that ******* overused "White Rabbit" song was fine in the context of the movie.

The only thing that sucked as much as I thought it was gonna was the ending theme song.

I agree, people are saying this is a rehash but it isn’t it, everything is an ilusión, the book simulacra/simulation dwelles deeply into this!!

the only thing that did sucked was the freaking soundtrack to this movie to be honest.

Couldn't agree more with this. And it scares the beejeezus out of me.

One of the few lines in the PT that was portentous and is utterly frightening: This is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.


I'm a little afraid now to watch this. What if I like it?

Watch it, they explain this better. The analyst had some series conviction which ties in directly to how much the matrix has “evolved” into using people to achieve their higher purpose.

everyone went into expecting a “Matrix”(1999) but it was more like a novel in explaining what’s really changed in the last 60 years