The Matrix Resurrections: 10 Mistakes From The Original Trilogy It Needs To Avoid
The Matrix Resurrections should not follow the sequels down the rabbit hole.
We're back in the Matrix people. After nearly 20 years, Lana Wachowski has revived the beloved franchise she created with her sister. The trailer for Matrix Resurrections is chock-a-block with eye-popping visuals, pulse-pounding action, and, most importantly, an aura of mystery that already has fans throwing out wild theories about what the belated sequel has in store.
This is all great, but Matrix fans have been down this road before. The first film's massive success made a sequel inevitable, and the Matrix: Reloaded had a lot to live up to when it debuted in 2003. Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, it didn't live up to the hype. The Matrix: Revolutions proved even more disappointing.
Instead of inspiring fans to speculate on the mysteries of the larger Matrix universe like the first film did, the sequels made the story a slog. By the time the credits rolled on the third film, many fans just felt glad the whole thing was finally over .
Now, Lana has an opportunity to give Matrix fans the sequel they've always dreamed of. If she wants to make this reboot a success, she needs to steer clear of the missteps the original sequels made or else risk souring fans' opinion of the franchise permanently. Here is a list of ten groan-inducing moments from the Matrix sequels we hope don't find their way into Resurrections.
10. No More Oracle
The first Matrix film follows a quintessential hero's journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. George Lucas modelled the journey Luke Skywalker takes in Star Wars after Campbell's text, which helped popularize the tome with screenwriters to this day. The Wachowski's first Matrix film followed this formula to a tee.
One important archetype Joseph Campbell elaborated on, was the Guardian figure who warns the hero of impending danger and tries to dissuade them from their journey. In the first Matrix, the Oracle played this role with aplomb, convincing Neo he was the not the One, but only as part of an elaborate test to see if he was worthy of the title.
However, once she served her purpose, there was really no reason to keep the character around. Unfortunately, since the Oracle stole her scenes in the first film, the Wachowskis brought her back in both sequels, rendering her as nothing more than a mouthpiece to spout tedious exposition.
Fans complained about the reams of exposition present in both Matrix sequels, which got in the way of the action and drama. Bringing the Oracle back yet again would only repeat the mistakes of the past. Lana Wachowski should make the hard call to leave the Oracle out of Resurrections, even if the sage was a fan favorite character.