Keanu Reeves might appear in every movie, but the real Neo only truly appears in the Matrix movie franchise proved such a mixed bag, with the sequels struggling to recapture what made the original fresh. The sequels offered incredible action and some great performances, but the stories were muddled, and the existential speeches came off as perplexing word salads.
the new "The One." Thinking back on the saga, I've come to realize that Neo is only truly The One in the 2003 sequels, and not so much in the original or The Matrix Resurrections.
The Real Neo Only Appears In Keanu Reeves' Second & Third Matrix Movies
The One figures himself out in the Matrix follow-ups
The Matrix Reloaded displays The One's powers inside the matrix to full effect, including flight, superhuman strength, and - most shocking of all - the ability to destroy sentinels in the real world. By the end of Revolutions, Neo brought the Machine War to an end - even if it came at the cost of his life. Now, it could be argued that the real "One" is the regular old Neo living his life in Zion with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). Neo is shy around the other inhabitants of the underground city and uncomfortable with the "saving the world" expectations weighing on his shoulders.
In the first Matrix, Neo spends the bulk of the story just trying to understand what's going on, and he only gains his powers at the very end. Reloaded and Revolutions see Neo owning his abilities and destiny, even if he's not entirely comfortable with either. He gives the sense that he'd rather not be the messiah and would be happier just hanging out with Trinity and his pals, but he isn't going to shrink from his responsibility either.
A fifth Matrix is in development with Drew Goddard directing, though a release date has yet to be confirmed.
Whatever their flaws, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions do a good job of keeping Neo human and relatable, even if he has become a Jesus Christ metaphor. Again, this version of the character only appears in the 2003 sequels, as Resurrections is essentially another "awakening" story like the first entry. That version of Neo feels like a different character too, especially after he spent so many years as "Thomas Anderson," the world-weary creator of the fictional Matrix video games.
Why The Real Neo Is The Zion Version, Not The In-Matrix Version
Neo is a very human messiah
The Neo seen inside the matrix is styled as a superhero who is going to bring the system crashing down, but this is all revealed to be an elaborate drama orchestrated by the machines themselves. Neo is really the sixth "The One," and every version of his arc ends the same - the destruction of Zion and The One's code being reinserted into the matrix. Neo is the first version to break that narrative, refusing to give in to The Architect's (Helmut Bakaitis) demands and instead vowing to find a way to bring about a truce between mankind and the machines.
... the real-world Neo in Resurrections lacks the ability to use his matrix powers offline, which only underscores that the true "One" only appeared in the second and third movies.
It's only after this meeting in Reloaded that Neo discovers his real-world abilities, which include being able to machine code even after being blinded. This confirms he's brought some of his abilities into reality, and that the real Neo is the Zion version. Curiously, the real-world Neo in Resurrections lacks the ability to use his matrix powers offline, which again only underscores that the true "One" only appeared in the second and third Matrix movies.
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The Matrix Reloaded
- Release Date
- May 15, 2003
- Runtime
- 138 Minutes
- Director
- Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Cast
Laurence Fishburne
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYThe Matrix Reloaded is the second film in the Matrix trilogy directed by the Wachowskis. The movie follows Keanu Reeves as Neo, who continues his quest to free humanity from the oppressive control of intelligent machines. Laurence Fishburne returns as Morpheus, along with Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, as they lead their rebellion against the system while uncovering deeper layers of the Matrix.
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The Matrix Revolutions
3/10- Release Date
- November 5, 2003
- Runtime
- 129 Minutes
- Director
- Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Cast
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Laurence Fishburne
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYThe Matrix Revolutions is the third installment of the Wachowskis' famous sci-fi saga. The movie picks up where the previous film "The Matrix Reloaded" left off, with Neo (Keanu Reeves) trapped in between the simulation and the real world. Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Monica Bellucci, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Lambert Wilson reprise their roles once again for the threequel.
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- Movie(s)
- The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Resurrections, The Matrix 5
- First Film
- The Matrix
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, Harold Perrineau, Gina Torres, Collin Chou, Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra Jonas
- Character(s)
- Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Agent Smith, Niobe, The Merovingian, The Oracle, The Architect, Seraph, Persephone, Ramachandra, Sati, The Analyst, Bugs, The Keymaker
- Video Game(s)
- Enter the Matrix (2003), The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005), The Matrix Online (2005)
- Comic Release Date
- 213024,213027
The Matrix is a sci-fi action franchise that launched with the Wachowskis' 1999 film. It depicts a dystopian future where humanity is unknowingly trapped in a simulated reality by sentient machines. The protagonist, Neo, discovers this truth and that he is "The One," a being that will lead a rebellion against the machines and restore freedom to humanity.
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