The reviews for the highly anticipated sci-fi action sequel The Matrix Resurrections are now in, so does this return to the iconic franchise reignite the legacy of the beloved original, or is it a sense of lesser sequel déjà vu? Well, a bit of both, it seems. While some critics found a whole lot to love about The Matrix Resurrections, others were not so keen, resulting in a somewhat divisive response to the further adventures of Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss).

Beginning with John DeFore from The Hollywood Reporter, The Matrix Resurrections rekindles more memories of the first The Matrix rather than Reloaded and Revolutions, with the critic enticing fans of the 1999 original to give this long-awaited follow-up a chance.

“If you loved The Matrix and hated the sequels (or simply found them unsatisfying), go see this one. Have a blast.”

David Ehrlich of indieWire meanwhile came away a huge fan of director Lana Wachowski’s vision for the continuation of this sci-fi world. Gifting The Matrix Resurrections with an A- rating, he praised the movie’s central love story amidst the trappings of the genre in which it inhabits, even comparing it to divisive Star Wars sequel The Last Jedi.

“A devastatingly sincere movie about how love is the best weapon we have to make sense of a world that fills our heads with the white noise of war and conflict on a forever loop.”

A lot of fuss has been made over the sequel’s meta-approach to its predecessors, with Matt Singer of ScreenCrush finding this to be an endearing element, and even saying it was, “Good enough to evoke warm memories of the first Matrix.” Scott Mendelson of Forbes took some issue with the movie’s action sequences but also felt its deep connection with the past franchise. “I wish it were a better (or less of an) action movie, but the scenes where folks talk to each other and detail the aftershocks of what came before are as fascinating as hoped,” he says. “It’s less a continuation and more of an epilogue, and it’s a weirdly light and jolly movie about a hopeless future.”

Surprisingly, some of the responses to The Matrix Resurrections have been more middling, which is arguably worse than a more extreme reaction either way after such a long wait. Peter Debruge of Variety says, “In short, Wachowski doesn't add much to the rich mythology she and sister Lilly have established, but she's careful not to mess it up either.” Alex Godfrey from Empire Magazine echoed these sentiments, giving the movie 3/5 and saying, “Resurrections suffers from an identity crisis, going from being supremely fun and knowing to weirdly pedestrian. It's a slippery mish-mash- entertaining in big bursts but ultimately a little hollow.”

One of the more negative reviews comes courtesy of Amelia Emberwing at IGN, who sadly concluded, “The Matrix Resurrections is a bunch of really good ideas stacked together to make a bad — and sometimes ugly — film.”

Finally, our own Julian Roman found a lot to enjoy in The Matrix Resurrections, paying particular attention to the chemistry of returning stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss.

“Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are electric together on screen. The fire that burned between them is reignited with rocket fuel. Some may find fault in the new characters, recasting of old favorites, and the radical shift in storyline. But no one can say that Neo and Trinity together again isn’t spectacular.”

The Matrix Resurrections, which is currently sitting at a respectable 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, is due to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 22, 2021, and will also be available for streaming digitally on HBO Max.