Wachowskis' THE MATRIX 4 starring Keanu Reeves (5/21/21) 4 4

[csaag]

I saw this the other night streaming it from HBO.  I'd give it a B-

I appreciate the 'movie wthin a movie' idea but that concept alone wasn't enough to make the film stand out.    The 2nd half becomes a standard fight & rescue movie.  They didn't have the same fight choreographer as before and it showed.  As said in the review Kav posted, Keanu Reeves in the original was the definition of 'cool'.  He's 'cool' in the John Wick movies.

He's not 'cool' here.  He looks confused for much of the movie - even after the initial part where he's supp to be confused. For that matter he looks like he just came off the set of John Wick.  They could've tried to make him look a bit different.  He kept repeating that same 'extended hands force' maneuver way too much.   

The motorcycle chase thru the city has a nice bit which I won't spoil here

I agree 1000% pct that they should've gotten Hugo Weaving back.  It would've been worth the wait.

[bronze_rules]

Looks like I'm in the minority now (liking it).

On the one hand I get the part about people hating the whole zion parts (most of part three). I too found it intensely boring and grating in the originals, on the other hand I feel if they threw it out, it would literally take away a huge part of the story itself. Not only that, but then people would be moaning the opposite direction, 'yeah, but they completely ignored what happened in zion and the real world. blah blah'

I thought the new sequel did a good job of minimizing the zion part, while adding some closure, but added plenty of material and eye candy in the virtual world. I really appreciated the homages to the fans of the originals, like that room that morpheus and bunny met in right after visiting another critical juncture of the film.

I get the open palmed force field disdain, but I figure he is getting old. The old  wooden acting syndrome was even more noticeable in the latest Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

I would have far preferred to have this sequel, any warts and all, than none at all. And for all the people bemoaning being lost, I felt like I was able to reasonably follow most of it. But anyone who hasn't seen the trilogy, might as well give up at the outset. This was a gift to the fans of the trilogy. I hardly expect it to do well with first time viewers.

I think people tend to have a hang up not seeing the true original characters on screen, but the reality (accepting the premise) is everyone in the matrix virtual world is just an avatar, so could be anyone, visually speaking. They did something like that with cloud atlas and 99% of the audience doesn't get it or can't stand it.

Edited December 25, 2021 by bronze_rules

[▫️]

I’m really surprised that I loved this cover to RATM’s Wake Up. This is the version that plays at the end of Resurrections and its equally as hard hitting.

 

 

[kav]

On 12/25/2021 at 5:48 AM, Artboy99 said:

I am holding off seeing this to see it with friends.

I am going into it with low expectations because I agree with @kav.

The first film was amazing and is one of my favorite films of all time. The story was incredibly innovative and so was the action.

After that it is a downhill slide. I do like the motorcycle chase scene but beyond that I didn't really like film 2. Film 3? I have never finished watching it - really do not like it at all.

So what will the new film be? Will it actually "resurrect" the magic of the first film, or is it more likely we see more of the style of the 3rd?

Its not as bad as the 2 sequels because they were just awful, but its close.  The acting is way worse.  Overacting gloating bad guys-you'll see.  Its painful to watch.  

[kav]

On 12/25/2021 at 7:46 AM, csaag said:

I saw this the other night streaming it from HBO.  I'd give it a B-

I appreciate the 'movie wthin a movie' idea but that concept alone wasn't enough to make the film stand out.    The 2nd half becomes a standard fight & rescue movie.  They didn't have the same fight choreographer as before and it showed.  As said in the review Kav posted, Keanu Reeves in the original was the definition of 'cool'.  He's 'cool' in the John Wick movies.

He's not 'cool' here.  He looks confused for much of the movie - even after the initial part where he's supp to be confused. For that matter he looks like he just came off the set of John Wick.  They could've tried to make him look a bit different.  He kept repeating that same 'extended hands force' maneuver way too much.   

The motorcycle chase thru the city has a nice bit which I won't spoil here

I agree 1000% pct that they should've gotten Hugo Weaving back.  It would've been worth the wait.

You nailed it I couldnt narrow down part of what was bugging me-he is not cool, once, in the entire film.  Wanders around like befuddled old man in library looking for the newspaper while people push him around in different directions.  "It's over there, pops" And to top it all off and make sure he was not cool whatsoever, the filmakers decided

Spoiler

HE'S NOT THE ONE ANYMORE!! TRINITY IS!!!  WT ACTUAL F????

 

[kav]

On 12/24/2021 at 9:34 PM, paperheart said:

absolutely crushed by Spidey

what is this thing??  pls explain how it works  etc

[PunisherPunisherPunisher]

Surprised they didn't turn Neo in to a woman for the latest movie

[Xenosmilus]

What a steaming pile of poo...

[Sauce Dog]

It was pretty good and a fresh direction, with lots of good concepts that better expanded on the lore.

The first half was the better part, and I would have loved more time spent playing with Neo's sanity and being pulled between the two 'realities', however the main issue with the latter half was the poor (by comparison to prior films) shooting of the fights (which wasn't the focus of this movie, as they implied within it, but still the quality of camera work stood out to me as wanting) that also lacked much 'threat'. 

 

[AGGIEZ]

On 12/25/2021 at 3:46 PM, PunisherPunisherPunisher said:

Surprised they didn't turn Neo in to a woman for the latest movie

Did you watch the movie? They practically did.

It was just another overly woke piece of Hollywood drivel to me. Sorely disappointed.

The original is really the only one in the series that deserves any discussion. That’s one of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time…2,3,4 are like the introduction of Jar-Jar Binks over 3 movies…

[Jayman]

Saw it last night and all I kept thinking was that Keanu Reeves must have agreed to do this movie as long as it didn’t interfere with the next John Wick installment! 

Agree with @kav with no cool Neo and uninspired fight scenes. Actually one scene made me laugh at one point, where the helicopter was firing at them. They threw in a quick slow-mo shot of the shell casings falling down from the chopper like “remember this cool effect?” 

[I like pie]

On 12/25/2021 at 11:51 AM, bronze_rules said:

Looks like I'm in the minority now (liking it).

 

Maybe on the forums but not in general. It's divisive amongst fans and critics alike but nothing like TLJ.

If you went into expecting it to be as good as the first one, I can understand the disappointment. It was a fun movie for what it was.

[WolverineX]

On 12/26/2021 at 10:36 AM, I like pie said:

Maybe on the forums but not in general. It's divisive amongst fans and critics alike but nothing like TLJ.

If you went into expecting it to be as good as the first one, I can understand the disappointment. It was a fun movie for what it was.

I agree.  Good enough for Christmas.  wonder woman 1984 on the other hand was awful last year. 

[I like pie]

On 12/26/2021 at 10:03 AM, Wolverinex said:

I agree.  Good enough for Christmas.  wonder woman 1984 on the other hand was awful last year. 

It's hard to say something positive about that movie...

Gal Gadot sure is pretty! 

[Sauce Dog]

On 12/25/2021 at 11:40 PM, AGGIEZ said:

Did you watch the movie? They practically did.

 

Ah yes, it's never an online discussion without some misogyny creeping into it. 

[AGGIEZ]

On 12/26/2021 at 11:52 AM, Sauce Dog said:

Ah yes, it's never an online discussion without some misogyny creeping into it. 

Here come the snowflakes…

[chrisco37]

I enjoyed it for what it was, a totally unnecessary sequel to the original trilogy.  Good effects and action sequences; it felt and looked like the Matrix.  Agree that they should’ve waited as long as it took for the “real Smith” to be onboard.  It would have been better with him.  I did expect the whole “girl power” stuff at the end with Trinity so, while annoying, I’m not upset about it (even if I think it’s lame).  Neo should have been “cooler” as well.  3.5/5.

[paperheart]

On 12/25/2021 at 10:46 AM, kav said:

what is this thing??  pls explain how it works  etc

there's a website (hsx.com) that lets you 'invest' in a movie's box office. last week, the 'market' valued/estimated (in millions) the first four weeks of Matrix Disinterred box office at $130+/-; now it's valued/estimated at $65. $55. $50 $45 $40.

Edited January 5, 2022 by paperheart

[Microchip]

On 12/26/2021 at 3:40 PM, AGGIEZ said:

Did you watch the movie? They practically did.

It was just another overly woke piece of Hollywood drivel to me. Sorely disappointed.

The original is really the only one in the series that deserves any discussion. That’s one of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time…2,3,4 are like the introduction of Jar-Jar Binks over 3 movies…

The other movies worked because Keanu was the weakest actor in the room, and in this movie he's the strongest.   And there's a lot of love for Keanu, but as a big punching actor, that's not him.   All the other other actor's in this movie are forgettable, or bordering on annoying (Jada).    

And Barney Stinson as the bad guy, and the other guy, they're just too weak.. poorly cast.    They were light years away from Hugo Weaving, they had zero gravitas.

And the same for Morpheus take two.   Joking, and dressing like he's about to go on a Carribean holiday, just lost it for me. 

[kav]

On 12/26/2021 at 2:16 PM, Microchip said:

The other movies worked because Keanu was the weakest actor in the room, and in this movie he's the strongest.   And there's a lot of love for Keanu, but as a big punching actor, that's not him.   All the other other actor's in this movie are forgettable, or bordering on annoying (Jada).    

And Barney Stinson as the bad guy, and the other guy, they're just too weak.. poorly cast.    They were light years away from Hugo Weaving, they had zero gravitas.

And the same for Morpheus take two.   Joking, and dressing like he's about to go on a Carribean holiday, just lost it for me. 

He had one facial expression in entire film.  Emotionless.  Worst movie of the lot.  Bad.