The Matrix Resurrections: 10 Mistakes From The Original Trilogy It Needs To Avoid
5. Don't Focus On Style Over Substance
When it was released in 1999, The Matrix proved so technologically and aesthetically revolutionary that a host of parodies and knock-offs followed. Everything from Scary Movie to Charlie's Angels aped or paid homage to The Matrix's look and effects. The Matrix set such a high bar that audiences expected the Wachowski's to blow everyone's collective minds with the follow-up.
This pressure led the Wachowskis to double down on the style and CGI that made the first film so remarkable, often at the expense of the story. Reloaded contains bloated and seemingly endless fight sequences that serve only to distract from the overall story and dilute the impact of what's happening onscreen while the ubiquitous leather and sunglasses bordered on self-parody.
This reliance on style to paper over narrative flaws barely passed muster in 2003; nearly 20 years on, the shades and leather dusters that gave the franchise its distinctive look are beyond tired. Lana Wachowski needs to tone down the gimmicky look of the Matrix's characters if she wants to appeal to modern audiences that now find the Matrix's style quaint.