Movies The Matrix Resurrections first reactions are a mixed bag of red and blue pills Some loved the new take while others were longing for the original. By Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives, and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext, Queerty, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once. EW's editorial guidelines Published on December 16, 2021 11:57PM EST The Matrix is one of those movies that define a generation — for better or for worse. Action movies, sci-fi movies, and black leather have never been the same since the original 1999 blockbuster. So it's with a world of expectation that The Matrix Resurrections enters into the waning days of 2021. First reactions have been mixed with references to how meta the film is—self-referential to the point, for some, of distraction. New additions to the cast including Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II were generally praised: As were returning Matrix vets Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, whose chemistry survived the reboot: In fact, Matrix Resurrections sounds like it might be more of a love story than anything else according to EW's own Digital Night Editor: The first act seems to be the unanimous favorite, though from there is anyone's guess. But perhaps everyone can agree that the movie is quite nice to look at: Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss resurrect a 20-year love story with The Matrix 4.0 What even is The Matrix? Lana Wachowski and her stars address decades of theories Jonathan Groff was 'there to throw it down' in The Matrix Resurrections