THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on HBO Max and in theatres from director Lana Wachowski and Warner Bros. Pictures is the revival and reveals with THE MATRIX RESSURECTIONS.

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is living in San Francisco working on making video games with partner Smith (Jonathan Groff). Feeling like there is something out of sync with him, Anderson sees an Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris) to keep things on an even keel while taking medication.

What he does not know is that Bugs (Jessica Henwick) is the captain of the Mnemosyne and feels it is on her to find The One – find Neo. Unexpectedly, she finds a changed Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) and is surprised to learn what he has been doing. Along with her crew Shepherd (Max Riemelt), Berg (Brian J. Smith), Lexy (Erendira Ibarra), and Freya (Telma Hopkins), the find Neo.

Anderson has a difficult time accepting everything, especially when Bugs and Morpheus show up with a red pill and blue pill. Anderson remembers Neo but especially remembers his love Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). Seeing her in a coffee shop, he is upset to learn that the woman’s name is Tiffany, and she is married with children.

Neo decides it is time to follow what has been plaguing him and discovers the deception that has been happening in his life for over sixty years. Seeing Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), it all begins to come together as it is time to discover the changes in the Matrix. A woman named Sati (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) has a plan and what it means for Neo, Trinity and all those living in reality.

Reeves as Anderson/Neo is just so damn cool its ridiculous. Returning to his life as Thomas Anderson, he becomes wealthy by creating a video game based on the Matrix. People eat it up but now, Warner Bros. wants more! Not sure he wants to have anything to do with more, Anderson becomes unsure of what is happening to him. Reeves gives us that uncertainty and feeling that there is something else out there. He is and will also be associated with Neo and I am pretty darn okay with that.

Moss as Tiffany/Trinity has the same itch that Anderson/Neo does about something just not being right with their world. The conversation between the two in the coffee shop is just so amazing as it feels like no time has passed between these two characters and their acting to one another. Trinity was already a bad-ass, but now she gets to step up her game.

Henwick as Bugs starts looking for Neo even though she has no permission to do so. Of course, Neo is a legend but that is not why she is trying to find him. Something is wrong and she wants to make sure they find him before he becomes just a memory. Henwick gives her character a strength and tenacity to bring Neo back to ‘us’.

Abdul-Mateen as Morpheus has some of the original Fishburne characteristics but as a changed and younger version, he handles this role with care. It has to be difficult to follow in someone elses’ role but Abdul-Matten slides right in and still gives us Morpheus but with an upgrade as it were. Jonas as Sati gives us another look down matrix-memory lane and has a reason for wanting to help Neo find answers and well as Trinity. She handles this role with grace.

Smith as Niobe brought her game and I still do not like this character and for all the same reasons. That’s not a bad that, it just shows that Smith could slide back into a role and not skip a beat. Older and still a non-believer, everyone just goes around her orders to do what needs doing until she realizes it better to go along to get along. Groff as Smith is a happy ex-agent who is living in the matrix and enjoying getting to do whatever he wants for who ever he wants. I sort of enjoy that!

Harris as The Analyst wants Anderson to focus on trying to forget about the memories he has and what brought him to therapy in the first place. The problem is that the medications are not working and there is a reason for that. You have to discover that for yourself. I truly enjoyed Harris’ performance and he made it look like so much fun.

Other cast include Christina Ricci as Gwyn de Vere, Toby Onwumere as Sequoia, Michael X. Sommers as Skroce, L. Trey Wilson as Hanno, Chad Stahelski as Chad and Lambert Wilson as The Merovingian and appearances by Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, Hugo Weaving as Smith, and Tanveer K. Atwal as Sati.

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THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS gives us a bit of the past with Neo and the present with a possibility of the future of franchise. Just seeing the journey Anderson must go through to believe he is Neo (not so much The One as just Neo) is also a chance for Reeves to expand on his character. When we are introduced to his character in 1999 but it slams into the Matrix pretty quick without us knowing a lot about Thomas Anderson. It is interesting to see him in the un-real world.

It is also cool that they chose to expand Trinity’s storyline as it becomes a huge reason for Anderson to reconnect with Neo. The always were better together than they were apart, so it makes sense. That being said, the twists and turns and unexpected character returns had me pointing and kind of smiling because getting rid of everyone would have really irked me.

In the end – it has been another life beyond The One!

ANGEL HAS FALLEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from writer/director Ric Roman Waugh and Lionsgate is the return of an agent who is set up with ANGEL HAS FALLEN.

Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is once again guarding a President, this time its President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman). Now a family man, he begins to think it may be time to take a higher position in the agency that affords him less danger. Even military friend Danny Huston (Wade Jennings) offers him a position with his company.

On a fishing trip with President Trumbull, Banning briefly discussed his options and is told to think about what he wants to do. Changing shifts with another agent, Banning heads towards shore but notices something odd coming their way. That’s when all hell breaks loose and he must turn around to save the President.

Waking up in the hospital he is told the President’s condition is serious and that he is considered the prime suspect in an assassination attempt. Vice President Kirby (Tim Nelson) has taken the oath to temporarily become the President. Assigned to investigate the attack is FBI Agent’s Thompson (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Ramirez (Joseph Millson).

Banning knows that he can not stay handcuffed to the hospital bed if he is to discover who is after President Trumbull and when they will strike next. He turns to the only person he can trust but the history between them is sketchy at best. Clay (Nick Nolte) isn’t a fan of the government and sure knows how to protect himself which is what Banning counts on.

As the truth comes to the surface, and it is brutal, Banning isn’t about to let anyone get their hands on the President and he’ll bulldoze through anyone who tries!

Butler as Banning once again dons a suite and tie to begin with but ends up dirty and beat by the end. It’s what happens in between that makes Butler a perfect Banning. Not afraid in any way to get his hands, or anything else, dirty to make this film as action packed as it is. He’s not so much as a one-liner guy, more like a few questions and then an ass-kicking kind of agent.

Nolte as Clay is absolutely killer – literally and figuratively – and he brought cheers from the audience. This character is perfect for Nolte and the scenes with Butler are gems. Jennings as Houston once again plays the role he was born to play, a man with a mission who, like a dog with a bone, isn’t about to stop until he gets what he wants.

Smith as Thompson throws her tiny weight around and along with her partner Ramirez are also on a mission – to capture Banning (good luck with that!). Nelson as Kirby takes over while Turnbull is in the hospital. Keeping the country running is his goal as he decides how to move forward in case Turnbull doesn’t come back.

Freeman as Turnbull does what he does best – act very Presidential. Lets be honest, he’s played the commander-in-chief before so we know he’s good at it. I adore Freeman so I don’t mind if he repeats a character because he does it with class.

Other cast include Michael Landes as White House Chief of Staff Sam Wilcox, Piper Perabo as Leah Banning, Lance Reddick as Secret Service Director David Gentry, Mark Arnold as CIA Director James Haskell and Frederick Schmidt as Travis Cole.

ANGEL HAS FALLEN is an action packed film from beginning to end with a lot of twists and turns. That makes writing about it a little difficult but I’m not about to give anything away.

The audience I screened with was applauding, hollering, cheering and more than happy with the film. Alright, I’ll admit I was having a good time as well. This is the kind of film that cries out ACTION and delivers every bit of it. This film isn’t rocket science or trying to reinvent the wheel.

Instead, it does exactly what I go see action films for – twists, turns, chases, slips and oh so much more. Butler makes sure we get that because, as with the previous FALLEN films, it is what drew us all into the theatres in 2013 with OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN. The story brought us in again in 2016 with LONDON HAS FALLEN.

ANGEL HAS FALLEN falls into line and makes me wonder, what will Mike Banning bring us in 2022?

In the end – loyalty has fallen under fire!