This is the third sequel to the classic film "The Matrix", so, really, it's best to start at the start with this franchise, although the next two sequels were major disappointments. That first film made an impact with its special effects and playing with the notions of Scepticism, as in the idea that we can't be sure that what we perceive to be reality really is real. It married such philosophical ideas with exciting action sequences to great effect. The first sequel gave me the sense that it was treading water but that the trilogy could still end strongly. Unfortunately, the last film in the trilogy sank for me, which would retrospectively have made the first sequel sinking, rather than treading water. It's a good thing that there was enough distance between me seeing the previous sequels at the cinema and this new entry, as I still had fond memories for the first one.
Since the last time I saw the previous sequels was at the cinema on release, I have to say that I had already forgotten what transpired in them, having just a vague recollection of some blonde-haired male twins in them, causing havoc for our hero, I think. Apparently Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) died in the last one. Apparently they were also romantically involved too, which I don't remember either. So, that makes the concept of a sequel in which these two characters feature rather problematic. Fortunately, the title of this new entry spells out how things will proceed.
It has to be said that the latest in this franchise is very "meta". By that I mean it depicts scenes which could be about the very making of this film itself. You are introduced to the idea that the original trilogy isn't what you thought it was, which would be...in keeping with the nature of the series, where the world of this story is...not what you thought that it was. How much you enjoy this new entry might depend on how much you like your films to be "meta". Personally, I was okay with this and in fact could have gone along with the direction the film seemed to be going early on. By that I mean I would have enjoyed a film which really has no connection to the world of the original Matrix trilogy and where there was no physical action at all to speak of. Having said that, I should point out that if they made anything which was unlike the first two sequels, I would have liked it more than those first two sequels. As it stands, I liked this film as it was. It doesn't go the full Monty, as far as "meta" goes. I remember reading Miles Franklin's "My career goes bung", which was written at the start of the previous century and being disappointed that it went "meta", which was not what I was hoping for in her (belatedly published) 'sequel' to "My brilliant career" (which was turned into a great film). Since I have heard mixed things about this new Matrix film, maybe the Franklin reference is apt (for some)?
The "meta" aspect to this film makes me wonder how much truth there was in those scenes and whether it could have gone harder on this angle. Were the writers and star self-loathing at the prospect and 'necessity' of doing this all over again? Perhaps Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) could have been represented as succumbing to the temptation of a lot of money to keep the franchise going? Maybe dialogue was written which was cut for being too close to the bone as far as how Hollywood works? If so, I think that THAT could have worked really well in this film. It's not clear whether the film is having fun with the 'necessity' for its existence or feeling dirty about its creation.
Anyway, this new film does have a clear focus on the relationship between Neo and Trinity. Keanu Reeves has a stilted way of delivering his lines for most of the film, as if he's been concussed and is a little 'slow' as a result. In the scene where things are just about to go pear-shaped in the toilet with Neo and a black man, Keanu's approach works nicely for that moment. Speaking of that black man, I didn't mind how the film handled old characters returning in a novel way. That could have been included in the "meta" aspect of this film, I think.
Back to Trinity, I had a genuine moment of emotion in this film, as in a sort of subdued joy, perhaps you could call it, when Neo is waiting for her with his 'therapist' at a restaurant, I think and...she enters. At this moment, what is to follow is not certain but I felt my emotion swelling at the possibility that something good was about to happen. These kinds of moments are so rare in the films that I've been watching lately that I have to give kudos to films which elicit this response. Marvel films would like to trade in that kind of emotion but they've never drawn that out of me, as far as I can remember. They just don't have those kind of film-making chops.
As for the how the film ends, well, it works as a final chapter in the series but it could also function as the start of another Marvel-like explosive diarrhoea of new content. A trilogy of trilogies, perhaps? Do the Wachowskis yearn to complete this second trilogy and then for Disney to buy the rights to the franchise and make a final trilogy? Maybe Keanu Reeves could develop a personal friendship with Mark Hamill and turn to him for consolation? I dunno.
Random notes:
* This film was tracking for a score of 80%. Dipped to 75+% on the thought that was maybe too generous (but the plus sign means I'd still give it 8 out 10 stars whereas I wouldn't without it). That moment with Trinity put it back up to 80% but the Marvel-like ending brought it down to 77.5+%. The Marvel-like post closing-credits sequence made me drop the plus sign...it's a cliché aspect to the film which undoes the film's good work in it's use of the other cliché "meta" element. Is it meant as a throwaway joke or is it part of the story? Why bring this "meta" into play again?
* The desires of audiences are discussed in the film. The sense is that rubbish is produced because they want it. That seems to imply that the producers of culture are blameless and that it's the audience's fault for all the rubbish being made. I'd suggest that the producers are more than capable of being derivative, lazy and woeful even when they're aiming high.
* When the 'Sandman' is at 'Rapunzel's tower', is that a narrative mistake of the film (which can be 'fixed' in a sequel) or was it intended?
* Who was Tiffany's reflection on the table when she was having a coffee with Thomas?
* Is the therapist's black cat a red herring?
* A machine in this film reminds me of Songbird in the BioShock Infinite video game.
Since the last time I saw the previous sequels was at the cinema on release, I have to say that I had already forgotten what transpired in them, having just a vague recollection of some blonde-haired male twins in them, causing havoc for our hero, I think. Apparently Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) died in the last one. Apparently they were also romantically involved too, which I don't remember either. So, that makes the concept of a sequel in which these two characters feature rather problematic. Fortunately, the title of this new entry spells out how things will proceed.
It has to be said that the latest in this franchise is very "meta". By that I mean it depicts scenes which could be about the very making of this film itself. You are introduced to the idea that the original trilogy isn't what you thought it was, which would be...in keeping with the nature of the series, where the world of this story is...not what you thought that it was. How much you enjoy this new entry might depend on how much you like your films to be "meta". Personally, I was okay with this and in fact could have gone along with the direction the film seemed to be going early on. By that I mean I would have enjoyed a film which really has no connection to the world of the original Matrix trilogy and where there was no physical action at all to speak of. Having said that, I should point out that if they made anything which was unlike the first two sequels, I would have liked it more than those first two sequels. As it stands, I liked this film as it was. It doesn't go the full Monty, as far as "meta" goes. I remember reading Miles Franklin's "My career goes bung", which was written at the start of the previous century and being disappointed that it went "meta", which was not what I was hoping for in her (belatedly published) 'sequel' to "My brilliant career" (which was turned into a great film). Since I have heard mixed things about this new Matrix film, maybe the Franklin reference is apt (for some)?
The "meta" aspect to this film makes me wonder how much truth there was in those scenes and whether it could have gone harder on this angle. Were the writers and star self-loathing at the prospect and 'necessity' of doing this all over again? Perhaps Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) could have been represented as succumbing to the temptation of a lot of money to keep the franchise going? Maybe dialogue was written which was cut for being too close to the bone as far as how Hollywood works? If so, I think that THAT could have worked really well in this film. It's not clear whether the film is having fun with the 'necessity' for its existence or feeling dirty about its creation.
Anyway, this new film does have a clear focus on the relationship between Neo and Trinity. Keanu Reeves has a stilted way of delivering his lines for most of the film, as if he's been concussed and is a little 'slow' as a result. In the scene where things are just about to go pear-shaped in the toilet with Neo and a black man, Keanu's approach works nicely for that moment. Speaking of that black man, I didn't mind how the film handled old characters returning in a novel way. That could have been included in the "meta" aspect of this film, I think.
Back to Trinity, I had a genuine moment of emotion in this film, as in a sort of subdued joy, perhaps you could call it, when Neo is waiting for her with his 'therapist' at a restaurant, I think and...she enters. At this moment, what is to follow is not certain but I felt my emotion swelling at the possibility that something good was about to happen. These kinds of moments are so rare in the films that I've been watching lately that I have to give kudos to films which elicit this response. Marvel films would like to trade in that kind of emotion but they've never drawn that out of me, as far as I can remember. They just don't have those kind of film-making chops.
As for the how the film ends, well, it works as a final chapter in the series but it could also function as the start of another Marvel-like explosive diarrhoea of new content. A trilogy of trilogies, perhaps? Do the Wachowskis yearn to complete this second trilogy and then for Disney to buy the rights to the franchise and make a final trilogy? Maybe Keanu Reeves could develop a personal friendship with Mark Hamill and turn to him for consolation? I dunno.
Random notes:
* This film was tracking for a score of 80%. Dipped to 75+% on the thought that was maybe too generous (but the plus sign means I'd still give it 8 out 10 stars whereas I wouldn't without it). That moment with Trinity put it back up to 80% but the Marvel-like ending brought it down to 77.5+%. The Marvel-like post closing-credits sequence made me drop the plus sign...it's a cliché aspect to the film which undoes the film's good work in it's use of the other cliché "meta" element. Is it meant as a throwaway joke or is it part of the story? Why bring this "meta" into play again?
* The desires of audiences are discussed in the film. The sense is that rubbish is produced because they want it. That seems to imply that the producers of culture are blameless and that it's the audience's fault for all the rubbish being made. I'd suggest that the producers are more than capable of being derivative, lazy and woeful even when they're aiming high.
* When the 'Sandman' is at 'Rapunzel's tower', is that a narrative mistake of the film (which can be 'fixed' in a sequel) or was it intended?
* Who was Tiffany's reflection on the table when she was having a coffee with Thomas?
* Is the therapist's black cat a red herring?
* A machine in this film reminds me of Songbird in the BioShock Infinite video game.