Watching The Matrix For The First Time in 2024

So, I finally watched The Matrix movies, all four of them, including the newest one, for the very first time at the end of last year.

Somehow, I still have Netflix despite not much good stuff being available to watch there. But they still do have some classics that I never caught, either because I was too young when they were all the rage or because they simply didn't interest me. The Matrix Franchise falls into both categories.

I should start by saying that I'm not a huge Sci-fi fan or anything futuristic—I'm a medieval girl, for sure. But do you know what I'm a fan of? Keanu Reeves. That, and watching the classics (some, at least) just to be able to say I watched them.

As such, I combined these two factors and sat on my reclining chair in the living room to watch these movies. And you know what? I liked them; I enjoyed myself. Is Matrix my new favourite franchise now? Are they Oscar-worthy movies in my opinion? No, and no. But they're a whole of a good time.

In case you're like me and didn't know and still don't know anything about this Franchise, allow me to give you a very brief rundown.

Thomas A. Anderson, our protagonist, lives a double life, he's a programmer for a software company by day, and a hacker, by the name of Neo, by night. He's been trying to track down this "terrorist" called Morpheus in the hacking world. Unbeknownst to him, Morpheus has been observing him for quite some time. When Morpheus finally contacts Neo, the latter is attacked by these powerful agents in back suits. Soon, Neo is contacted by another hacker, Trinity, who offers to help him and tell him the truth about the Matrix, something Neo has been questioning himself about.

He accepts it, and we see him waking up from a pod where he was being held, and then transported to a completely different place where Morpheus, Trinity and their crew await. They immediately tell him that the world he knows doesn't exist, it's all part of a simulation The Machines run to keep humans trapped there while they harvest energy from their bodies. From there, they devise a plan to stand up against the machines and take back Humanity.

That's about the gist of the first movie and the premise for the whole franchise, and I think it's pretty cool. It's a solid and very interesting plot line that makes way for a strong story. What I liked most about the first movie especially, while they're telling you and showing you the world and its plot, was that the movie didn't spoon-feed you all the information, it gave you enough details so you could piece the whole thing together, and use your imagination a little bit.

In that sense, I think the first movie is the strongest one, and I think the ratings, both from critics and the audience, agree with me.

The characters themselves are well-constructed and interesting. Morpheus is an absolute legend, Mr. Smith is delightful every time he's on screen, you can't help but feel involved in his relentless pursuit and vengeance against Neo. And yes, I even enjoyed the romance between Neo and Trinity; granted, it's not the most developed romance in cinema history, and they don't know each other for very long when they start to fall in love, but for the setting of the movie it works, and it is compelling enough to root for them.

Now, I do have something I need to get out of my chest, and this pains me to say, and maybe it's going to upset some people, but keep in mind that this complaint comes from a place of love. I love Keanu Reeves, I think he's a great and kind man, and if only there were more Keanu Reeves on this Earth. However, he did come a looooong way with his acting. I mean, I have to say he was by far the weakest of the whole Matrix cast - in conveying the emotion and depth needed for the plot, for his own character, especially since he's the main one, for the romance with Trinity. I think he just about managed to convey just enough for the movie to work, but with a better actor in his role, the whole thing would have been stronger.

He pales in comparison to the performances of Laurence Fishburne or Hugo Weaving, and this is so apparent every time he's on-screen with either of them. You feel the aura emanating from Fishburne as Morpheus, like I said before, he's cool as heck! And Weaving just crushes it as Mr Smith, the way he delivers the lines, his facial expressions; and if only Keanu had been a bit stronger as an actor, it would have been a true clash of titans on screen, especially between him and Weaving, in their relentless beef with each other.

I know, I know, I apologize, and I'm not saying I'm not happy he got the part, became famous and we know the amazing person he is, and I do think he deserves everything he has; I'm just saying that with a stronger performance, the movie would have benefited from it by a long shot.

All things considered, I like it, I liked watching The Matrix franchise, and I enjoyed watching it after the whole world has probably watched it by now. It truly felt like I was escaping the matrix alongside Neo, discovering the plot of a major franchise that millions already knew by heart, while I remained in the dark.

Thank you for reading! This was my first story ever written here, if you liked it, I'd appreciate any likes or comments you feel like sharing! And I do intend to write more media reviews/opinions here!