“What is the Matrix?”
Twenty years removed from erupting onto screens and carving its rightful place in cinematic history, this question at the heart of Lana and Lily Wachowski’s reality-bending trailblazer begs to be reappraised. Unlike Thomas “Neo” Anderson, dimly aware that something was wrong with his world but not quite sure what, we’re obviously familiar with the concepts and semiotics behind the Matrix by now. So here’s a better question:
What is the legacy of The Matrix?
After the rapturous acclaim of The Matrix followed by the far more muted reception towards both The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, the reputation of this series overall may be as complicated and divisive as, well, the sequels themselves. However, fans have since become primed and ready for the recently announced fourth Matrix installment, which will see the return of Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and others. Though long rumored, frustratingly little about this sequel has been revealed so far.