Across all of movie history, it is hard to think of a collection of films more eclectic than those that make up the Matrix series. It remains a powerful vision from Lana and Lilly Wachowski whose work across multiple films proved to be ambitious and creative in ways that no one had ever experienced anything like up until then. They challenged the form and created a cinematic language all their own. Full of experimentation and storytelling that captured the imagination of audiences, there has never been a series quite like it and likely never will be.

Continuing in that tradition is the newest film, The Matrix Resurrections, which sees Lana going solo as director to revisit the world more than 20 years after it began. Initial reactions have already praised the film and provided a unique opportunity to see where it all fits in with the rest of the series. While no Matrix film is quite the same as the other and all have something unique about them, there are still ones that work better than others. This ranking will break down those high and low points, ranking the series from worst to best.

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5. The Matrix Revolutions

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Image via Warner Bros.

We must begin where the original series ended with The Matrix Revolutions. By no means a bad movie, it still is the weakest entry that never quite is able to hold itself together. Much of this is not the film’s fault as it had a lot of build-up; with those high expectations came a mountain of pressure to finish strong. After all, there were two films prior that established a strong yet weighty trajectory of events that made us all want to see how it would manage to successfully come to a conclusion.

Regrettably, this conclusion is not wholly successful. Picking up right where the prior film left off, it sees Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) going on a separate mission to Machine City while the last human city of Zion tries to defend itself from an impending attack by the Sentinels. While certainly noteworthy for being the most unabashedly bombastic and chaotic of the films, it also is reduced to being the most shallow when it comes to character and emotional investment. The spectacle of the fights and the battles subsume almost all of what made the prior entries compelling in favor of going bigger.

With that being said, there are still interesting threads that get explored. The final confrontation with Agent Smith and the stakes of what it means for humanity is unshakeably engaging. The fate of Neo and Trinity, a heartfelt romantic core, is one that we deeply care about. There are many good moving parts within it, though it unfortunately got far too caught up in grandiosity rather than doing the smaller parts well. Thankfully, it wasn’t the end of the series and redemption will be found later in this ranking.

4. The Animatrix

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Image via Warner Bros.

The Animatrix is a series of animated shorts that were released between the second and third films in the series. It builds on much of the main story, filling in gaps and history of how the world became the way it was. However, there are also shorts that go in their own direction and expand the story outward in order to deepen the narrative. There is everything from samurai simulations to detective noir, creating a series of experiences that are also able to stand on their own two feet by carving out their own vibrant independent visions.

Much of this is due to the fact that there is an assortment of animation styles that create variety and depth of vision. In particular, Part I and Part II of The Second Renaissance short have some of the most arresting visuals as they explore the events that led up to the war. Often graphic, they still help to explain what led to humanity’s downfall in haunting fashion. There also is the standout short Program that delves into some of the deeper questions about what is lost when leaving the simulation and the impact that can have on you. The shorts aren’t afraid to tackle these more weighty themes, ensuring they remain worth watching.

With that being said, there are still some shorts that are not quite as good as the others. In particular, the Final Flight of the Osiris shows that not every short is successful in what it was trying to. This short has animation that is the least aesthetically dynamic and often appears stiff, even clunky. Beyond that, the short is one that charts a narrative path that is quite tame and uncertain compared to many of the others. However, missteps like these still represent a low point compared to the rest of the mostly great shorts.

3. The Matrix Reloaded

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Image via Warner Bros.

The second entry in the series, The Matrix Reloaded is the film that gets the most undue hate for how good it really is. Much of the reason for this seems to be that it delves into more of the heady ideas bouncing around the first film, a narrative choice that left some feeling cold. However, the film looking inward as well as outward is what makes it all work. The series has always been about the inner mind and the film’s grappling with more of what is going on underneath the surface still draws you in. The uncertainty about what the cost will be of Neo continuing on his path is undeniably intriguing.

There also is the best action sequence in the series, a statement that is truly saying something when considering what company it is in. The chase scene where Trinity and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) break their only rule by going onto the dangerous setting of the highway is truly outstanding. The Wachowskis spared no expense, wrecking hundreds of cars and shooting on a 1.4-mile three-lane highway that production actually built. The work paid off as it still holds up incredibly well due to its commitment to using a lot of practical effects. The fact that Neo is not there for most of it makes it much more dire as both Trinity and Morpheus must hold their own against overwhelming odds.

It is the highest point in the film as there are some parts that aren’t quite as well-executed. Neo’s fight with the swarm of Agent Smiths has the potential to really be great though it is hard not to see the silliness and cracks in the effects that were available at the time. However, the film makes up for it in other sequences, like Neo and Morpheus trapped in a hallway, a litany of Smiths attacking them. Through strategic cuts and construction of the scene, the film does a far better job of crafting a convincing illusion. While not the very height of the series, it more than earns its place in the top three.

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2. The Matrix Resurrections

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Image via WB

That brings us to the long-awaited and newest entry in the series, The Matrix Resurrections. Much of the strengths of the film lie in the first act where we see Reeves revisiting a character and situation that all feels oddly familiar. Without giving too much away, the film takes a refreshing approach to making a sequel by weaving in both reflection and playfulness in equal measure. It is a deeply meta experience, though not in a way that exists solely to wink to the camera. While still being incredibly funny in how it breaks down the barriers between fiction and reality, a fitting thing for a Matrix film to do, it also allows director Lana Wachowski to reflect on the legacy of her own work.

The film creates a clever yet cheeky narrative reason to acknowledge the existence of a fictional story that Reeves’ character must now make a sequel to. The scenes where a room bounces around ideas and throws out all the different thoughts about what the original must have meant is a way for the film to deconstruct what makes it all tick. It is irreverent and playful while establishing a more measured meditation on what it means for Lana herself to take up this story again. It is here that the film finds trepidation, excitement, and ultimately peace with what the material all means. It is a moving personal work that is surprisingly emotional in how it speaks to what it means to be a creator.

There are certainly some worthy criticisms. Much of the action is less noteworthy than in the previous films and there are some big moments of exposition that drag things down. However, the performances of the new and old cast are all outstanding as they take the story on as their own. There are breathtaking visuals that make the series as imaginative as it has ever been since the original. The care built for the characters and their world is what still holds it together, helping to smooth over any struggles the narrative may have. It is most certainly not going to work for everyone, though it never tries to as it follows its own path as only a Matrix film can. It sets a high bar for what a sequel can do, outdone only by the one that started it all.

1. The Matrix

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There could only be one pick for this top spot and it always had to go to the original The Matrix. Even after all these years, it still is impossible not to appreciate how groundbreaking and inventive this film was. It remains an expansive piece of cinema that redefined what was possible for filmmakers when it came out and beyond. In the history of the film, it marks a dividing line where everything changed after its release. It isn’t just that it introduced us to the world and the characters, it is that it did it so well. It is tightly constructed and meticulous while also still being incredibly enjoyable to watch. It does everything that it needs to by making the most of all the resources available at the time.

It isn’t just one thing that makes it so comprehensively great. It's all of it: the narrative about questioning our own existence that upends our notions of reality, the use of slow-motion to capture stunning scenes, the incredibly well-constructed sense of scope in every frame, and the action that blew us away by breaking all the rules. Even the moments that feel cheesy are far from dated, carried by a cast who give their all and completely draw you into the story. There isn’t a single wrong step as it remains the best film of its era to which all cinema owes a debt.

Even as many of the successive entries have done a solid job of capturing the look and feel of it, there will never be as pure a vision as this original film. The multiple readings and analysis that keeps bringing viewers back is a testament to this as it takes quite a remarkable work to impact people so thoroughly. It is overflowing with entertainment and excitement while still packing a deeper emotional landscape that will forever resonate with those feeling lost in their own world. There aren’t many films that remain perfect in every single way imaginable, but The Matrix can count itself as one of those few that genuinely is.