 It's been 18 years since we last saw a cinematic installment to the Matrix. Yes, we've had something close to it in the Matrix online, but never a proper follow-up to the original trilogy. Not that we expected one either, because apparently everything that has a beginning has an end. But now that we've received our first look into the Matrix resurrections, how can it possibly live up to the phenomenon that was the Matrix, more than two decades after the first movie was released? I'm Matt Rogers and join me today as I explain why I unfortunately think it can't. But before we get to that, if you want videos on the latest movies and TV shows delivered straight to your subscription feed, be sure to spank that subscribe button and ring that bell to not miss a single thing. Now don't get me wrong, I do not intend for this video to become a hit piece on the Matrix series, far from it. I have my reasons for loving every movie so far, but as excited as I am for the series to be continuing, we have to remember some important points as to why we, or at least I, initially fell in love with the Matrix. To start with, the Matrix came out in 1999. It was the late 90s, the turn of the millennium, technology in the internet was still a mystery to most. The concept Samsung mobile phones in the original movie were absolutely revolutionary at the time, in a weird way they still are. The fantasy technology and more importantly the special effects used in these movies were cutting edge, with the introduction of things like bullet time and making proper use of slow motion, which for child me it was like watching my dreams play out on screen. Fast forward to 2021 and internet, CGI and far-fetched movie concepts are a lot more commonplace. Nothing quite like the Matrix of course, but I can't imagine what it would take for the Matrix 4 to have that same effect on me. For the action and fight sequences, let's use a very fitting example, the John Wick movies. The fight choreography there is top-notch and although John Wick doesn't have gravity-defying characters going head-to-head, there are limits to what the Matrix can show us that we haven't already seen in the original trilogy or elsewhere. Now I am a huge defender of the Matrix Reloaded. I remember having a VHS of that movie at just 10 years old and watched the burly brawl, the shadow fight and the car chase scene so much that those parts of the VHS burnt out. I really haven't enjoyed an action sequence as much as those in all the years past and sadly I don't expect to again. But maybe my imagination just isn't as big as the Wachowski sisters and returning to what I was saying before I do not have a problem with being wrong on the points I'm making. Come December I will happily eat my words if my now adult mind is blown. On the topic of story, they really need to go nuts here for it to be taken seriously. If they do what I'm scared they're going to do, a neo-amnesia thing where he has to remind himself who he is from scratch, the whole movie is already dead in the water if you ask me. My prediction and probably the most obvious plot goes as follows. These people we see in the trailer come to fetch Neo as they need his help for something. He's been taking the blue pills to forget about the events of the first movies but the call of the matrix is too strong. We see him pass through the liquid mirror once again then after reintroducing himself and remembering he is the one he realises he needs Trinity for insert plot point here and he initiates her like she did to him in the first movie. I don't know it's not a bad concept and I may be entirely off base but main characters with amnesia is becoming a meme at this point and it's not a mind bending enough concept for my liking. But on the other hand since the story wrapped up in revolutions it kind of gives the writers a blank page especially since it's been established that characters that were very dead in revolutions are now back. The animatrix did a great job at filling in blanks that we didn't realise were there, maybe this movie will assist in doing the same. It's been confirmed that Lawrence Fishburne unfortunately won't be returning for this film and reportedly wasn't even invited to. But if the matrix online is considered canon Morpheus is killed by a masked gunman whilst placing a bomb in the matrix to get back in the machines. But who we see here in the trailer very well could be a young Morpheus and who knows maybe a cameo by Fishburne is being kept under wraps it is called the matrix resurrections after all. With so many potential plots and story threads I guess it's worth hearing what Keanu Reeves himself had to say about the movie. Director Lana Wachowski had this to say. Quote we showed the film to Keanu and he was really blown away by it and he said something that was typically Keanu where it's incredibly insightful and he's just sort of sitting there and you don't expect some incredible revelation to come out of him at that moment but he like casual brilliance just rolls off of Keanu and he was just sitting there and he goes 20 years ago you told a story in which you described the coming 20 years and the problems of the nature of digital virtual life and how it was going to impact us and how we think about it and gave us a frame to be able to think about it and talk about it and you took the same character and the same stories and the same stuff and somehow you made it about the next 20 years and he was like how do you do that? Keanu Reeves wise as always and let's hope he's right but let's change gears I want to talk about the style choices that we've seen so far. The trailer isn't much to go off but that's really all we have so far. Is anyone else disappointed that Neo looks exactly like John Wick? We all know Keanu Reeves found his look with his long hair and stubble which obviously suits him but that's just not Neo to me. It's literally the exact same look as John Wick and it's almost like this movie in John Wick 4 will be hard to differentiate for more reasons than one. I'm sure he wouldn't look as good as he did with short hair and a close shave and maybe I'm just holding on to the past but that was my initial reaction. For the iconic Matrix costumes the trailer again doesn't give much away but I'm begging to see those trench coats again. The wardrobe of the cast became such a big part of the original trilogy and it would be a shame to not at least have a call back to that. Give us the sunglasses at least. I'm also hoping for some standout new characters too. Remember characters like the twins? They were such a great concept with the interesting ghost mechanics which added so much to the car chase sequence in Reloaded. Give us more stuff like that. We are getting aggravated. Yes we are. Another iconic aspect of the Matrix is its music. Who could forget the rage against the machine ending to the first movie or the electronic and orchestral score by Don Davis and features by Juno Reactor? Part of the appeal of Reloaded for me was the music and I don't think anything quite like it has been done for any other movies since. Scoring the Matrix is a tough gig and unfortunately they don't have Don Davis returning to the composer's chair this time and apparently he wasn't invited back either which is a bit of a concern. I would have loved to have had just one more soundtrack from him and Juno Reactor. Confirmation of the role of composer has not 100% been confirmed but it is said to be Johnny Klamek who worked with the Wachowskis briefly in Revolutions but more so in their TV series Sense 8. I'm not too familiar with his work but looking through his discography I did enjoy one hour photo which is another one of the best movies of the early 2000s. But will he be up to the task of scoring something as complex as the Matrix? I guess we'll have to see. All this to say I know I'm being a pessimist here as there is a lot that could drag this movie down but I really hope I'm wrong. What I would give for this movie to become a classic in its own right. But what are your thoughts? Do you share my pessimism or have you got a whole other outlook on it? I'd love to hear what you think so let me know. I'll be down there in the comments. But be sure to subscribe for weekly videos covering your favorite movies and TV shows. If you subscribe during this video then walk on the board and if you had a good time hanging out then spank that like button. This is Matt Rogers and that is all.