This was published 2 years ago
Opinion
More than a kickass film, Matrix Resurrections celebrates trans lives
Naja Later
ContributorThose willing to go to the public space of movie theatres in these uncertain times might have already seen The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth film in the groundbreaking sci-fi franchise, directed by Lana Wachowski.
Keanu Reeves is back as Neo, trapped in the miserable life of Thomas Anderson and pining for a woman who reminds him of Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss). With the help of Bugs (Jessica Henwick) and Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), Neo rediscovers the “real world” and fights back against the virtual prison of the Matrix.
Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Resurrections.Credit: Warner Bros
Many fans will be going to see Reeves kick ass again, but for trans audiences, it’s also thrilling to see a blockbuster with a trans storyteller at the helm.
Rich in symbolism, The Matrix films have always been open to different interpretations, but it’s undeniably refreshing to see how Wachowski – one of the only openly trans directors in Hollywood (along with her sister Lilly, who co-directed the original Matrix trilogy) – celebrates trans experiences.
I’m cautious of interpreting films only through a director’s personal life, especially when there are no openly trans characters in Resurrections. But I was delighted at how the film subverted expectations, including expectations of a neatly packaged trans allegory.
Trans experiences in film often explore the problem of gender dysphoria: the struggle of being misgendered by the law and loved ones, the wrongness of our bodies, the dangers of transphobia. Films like The Danish Girl and Boys Don’t Cry foreground dysphoria to make transness a tragedy. Sometimes this is necessary to highlight the importance of medical treatment and legal rights.
There are dysphoric themes in the first half of the film: Neo’s fruitless therapy mirrors the medical hurdles we must leap to access hormones and surgery. Morpheus tells Neo: “They taught you good. Made you believe their world was all you deserved.” It’s a complex expression of dysphoria: not a recognisable, sharp pain inside yourself, but a subtle disappointment with a life that seems inevitable.
But rather than framing transness only through negativity, many people in the trans community embrace gender euphoria: the feeling of being affirmed, joyful, and comfortable. It describes the excitement of the trans journey, the happiness when you’re understood by people who love you, and the feeling of finally coming home to yourself.
This can be a private moment, like trying on different clothes or hearing your voice change. More often, it’s shared with a community, like when someone describes a feeling you recognise in yourself.
Part of gender euphoria is celebrating difference in oneself and others, laughing at the surprises and encouraging growth at any age, in any direction. This is what The Matrix Resurrections does especially well.
Resurrections reframes the popular narratives of transness away from tragedy and internal struggles. Neo and Trinity, whose palpable chemistry continues to carry the franchise, see the truth in each other and decide that even with the world against them, that truth is worth fighting for.
The film makes space for characters at different stages of their journeys. In a conversation like many trans youth have with elders, Bugs tells Neo about how he inspired her liberation – even when he’s hesitant to embrace the truth himself. Supporting character Lexy (Eréndira Ibarra) idolises Trinity – like real trans fans have.
The original Matrix film, made before directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski came out as trans, often felt like a puzzle, its cryptic clues at trans allegory – the red pill as hormones, the sinister agents symbolising systematic discrimination – shaped by the meticulous caution of being trapped in the closet.
The Matrix Resurrections wears its heart, and its transness, on its sleeve. The film feels like the exuberance of being true to yourself, and coming home to people who know you. It’s a creative, messy, and unapologetic film, and that’s what makes it a beautiful piece of trans storytelling.