The Matrix is unanimously hailed as the single greatest science fiction movie of the previous century. In more ways than one, the movie paved the path for modern sci-fic action. It’s though provoking premise coupled with its incredible well-scripted lore made for some really rewatchable popcorn flicks. The next two sequels – The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions are said to have diluted the sanctity of the movie franchise. Fans claim nothing tops the first Matrix movie. Or is it?
There’s more than enough reason to believe the second and third Matrix movies were miles ahead of the first. Believe it or not, Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions were more important to the franchise than Matrix 1. And here’s why.
The Matrix sequels Have Aged Like Fine Wine
The Matrix dealt with Keanu Reeves‘ Neo coming to terms with his chosen purpose. He was The One, the savior of all mankind. He would liberate the humans from the machines, and become a God within the Matrix. That was a good enough plot for setting up the premise in the first movie. The first movie seems like your typical action blockbuster. The stakes are high but in the end, the hero defies all odds and pulls a final trick out of his hat to defeat the antagonist.
It was in Matrix Reloaded that the stakes went a bit higher. The fate of humanity, not just Neo, hung in the balance. The movie tried spicing things up by adding in more breath-taking action sequences. the freeway car chase scene and the fight using medieval weaponry are now held as sacred sequences by action fans. The problem with CGI is visible now more than ever. But the action choreography helped alleviate those pains.
Matrix Revolutions took things up a notch. Now the fight was not just inside the Matrix but also in the real world. The CGI rife War For Zion is a good example. Things happened in tandem, creating a sense of dread unlike anything we had ever seen in Matrix movies.
Reloaded and Revolutions are blamed for a lot of stuff. They kept sidelining Morpheus, abruptly killed Trinity, nerfed down and ultimately blinded Neo. But what seems like brought down the franchise actually secretly enhanced the Matrix movie’s core charms. The Matrix movies rely on grim and dark storytelling set in the backdrop of a world which is as gritty and tragic as they come.
In a future dystopia ruled by machines, humanity is bound to suffer. Matrix reloaded and Revolutions tried showcasing the bolder and bleaker nature of its world. Unlike the first movie, the rest two movies set the franchise apart from regular action blockbuster franchises. The two movies stood for something entirely different. And that is what’s going to help Matrix 4 create a compelling storyline that coincides with the tone of the franchise.
Matrix Resurrections – A Fresh Start But With A Similar Tone
The Matrix Resurrections represents a bold new era. In the backdrop of the Y2K, The Matrix resonated with a lot of fans. Technology has become way too advanced since the last matrix movie and is almost irreplaceable. Matrix 4 will definitely need to think of a way to get out of the trilogy’s shadow. But it no longer needs to be a standalone movie pandering to the whims and fancies of the casual movie-going masses like Matrix 1 did, thanks to the Matrix sequels.
