The Matrix Resurrections

 The Matrix Resurrections

A Review in Writing (Spoilers so please be warned)

So, where to begin with this one. There was a lot of high expectations coming off of the back of two things, time, and ability. 

For those that remember sitting in the cinema, watching the first matrix unfold through a gritty green lens. This outing held a lot of promise for the veterans of the series. Now before we get started, this is going to be a review in writing. By this I mean, given all of the material, and all of the places that this movie could have gone. Where did the writing takes us. 

So lets just throw it out there, from the supporting roles and old characters brought back for nothing but dialog or pointless monologues. To the plain fact that everything scene felt like a studio set, or at best, the inside of a Starbucks coffee shop. This may have been deliberate, the opening sequence out side the heart of the city, which felt faker than fake. Lets just call it. Resurrections is a bad movie. Which is criminal because it had all of the potential to be great. I am not just talking about leaning into nostalgia. it had time on its side, and an audience that would have been receptive to a movie come back. even the stars were on board. However, whilst we talk about that side of things, where was the original two blatant missing leads. Replacing Morpheus and Smith, was just pure pointless. They were staple DNA of the franchise, so either bring them back or remove them all together. A half way house just added to the dilution of the issue with this movie. 

From the opening dialog between the two observers it was clear that spoon feeding was on the cards. Have we really reached that point in todays society where if it is not obvious then people will just not get it. This seems to be a reoccurring theme. Here, look at this. To stop the masses saying 'I don't get it'. 

Fight scenes felt fake and at best bad. There are several points where punches are mistimed and where CGI was needed, the film opted for live action. Why, the whole point of the Matrix is to be impossible. So lean into it, embrace it, but just not to the extent they did in Matrix Reloaded. 

One of my pet hates with the original two movies was the move away form the Matrix itself. In episodes 2&3, humanity and those still help captive diverged to a point where Neo just did not get enough exposure to what he once was a part of. Here again, we see the same mistake all over again. 

To sum it up, 'Look my life is weird. I find out I am special. I discover a new world. I fight for my old world, but I never connect with it again.'

Neil Patrick Harris, puts in a good performance, but when compared to the original Smith character or even the architect it falls short. 

The Merovingian was great to see, and then launches into nothing but a pointless monologue over the top of a dead and lifeless fight scene. During which we see Neo and Smith fight, flatly and without any emotion or indeed danger for what loss would mean to the story line. 

There are so many more fulfilling directions this movie could have gone. So many paths that would have echoed what we all wanted and pulled on the nostalgia heart stings in a more rewarding way. 

My personal problem with the movie in general, the direction felt flat. Staged to a point where I just did not care for it. The fight seems were weak and just sloppy in places. The writing on dialog was bad. Yep, called it. Take a look at the first 10 minutes, speaks volumes. The cast did a good job with what they had but those first 10 minutes shows you how the rest of the movie is going to pan out. 

Finally, never trust a movie with so many flash backs, rewinds, and loops. Editing could have brought the movie down by at least 20 minutes shorter on the runtime, and made it punchier for the viewer. 

Now that I feel I have gone too far into the bad, lets talk about the good. Trinity and Neo are good enjoyable characters to invest in, but their story had been told. Their sacrifice had been made. 

I would have loved to see the Matrix opening sequence return. Streams of data, perhaps showing each of the instance building up then falling down. Maybe even early, machine code building up after the end of the great war. This would have been great from a time dilated point of view culminating in each pervious version of Neo and their events leading to the reset of the Matrix. I know its not easy but not everything needs to be obvious. It played out like a bad book, telling me what to look at and think. I think it was maybe 5 mins in where the two observing characters to Trin's loop call it for what is exactly is. Why? 

Anyway, enough is enough. There is too much to talk about here, and so much that could have been great. I am sure it will get its moment as a movie. People will either love it or hate it, as always with films that are sugar and salt. 

I will leave the comment field open, so tell me what you think. Good or bad, what were you thoughts.

31-27

42 - 15 = 27

Twenty-seven years of storytelling.
Twenty-seven years of getting the timelines right.
Twenty-seven years of ordering the chaos in my head.
Twenty-seven years of manuscripts.
Twenty-seven years of finding a new keyboard, a new notebook, a new way of recording the madness in my head. 
Twenty-seven books all set in the same scape.

31-27 = 4

Four years left to go.
Four more books before it is all done.
Four more times.

Book 2 - Too much info (Problem Statement)

So, this is another one of those blogs where I discuss my writing issues in the attempt to shed some light on my writing process, with the slim chance that someone might find it helpful.

Question: Where do you go when you have the whole story mapped out on paper, and in your head, but you cannot seem to get started on the keyboard?
 
To put this into context, book one of #T2B landed at around 120k words. It took around 3 months of actual writing time. OK, so around a year in total, but to be honest, I only took approximately 9-12 weeks to get the first draft out. Another month to get the edit through the team.

So what's the problem I hear you yell?

Well, the problem is simple. When you land a good story, sink all your efforts into a great (well I think it's excellent) plot. You want to make sure it keeps flowing, keeps moving forward. 

There are many problems which come with writing a sequel.

• You can fracture too quickly.
• You can deviate from the characters original core.
• You can spin in all the wrong directions with characters that your readers have come to love, and fear.

So you have to be careful. You cannot betray the trust you have built up with the reader.

So where do I find myself? 

• I cannot just cut the same story, and send it out with the #2 on the front. 
• This is too dangerous, although the reader will be safe in the knowledge that they will be up for mark 2, you as a writer will be following the same old motion. 

This is not a good place to be. 

Five in Five

Book two is going well, so just as I was gearing up to punch into act two, I received a challenge to undertake the following. 

Five stories in five days. They are ranging from two thousand words all the way to five thousand. Yes, the writing competition season is upon us. So my editor and longtime writing buddy wants a backlog for possible submissions. 

That said, he also does not want me to take my foot of book two. So, with all that in mind. Here we go.

Five stories, five days. #5in5Writing

For those that have read my blog before or for that matter my twitter feed. Will know that sleep, or my lack of it, has enabled me to generate ideas pretty quickly and abundantly.

So let's put that statement to the test shall we, and see if we can produce five fully formed short stories in just five days. The genre's and size will be set by the other half of the Richards&Howell101 team. 

Check back to see how we are getting on. The official start date will be Monday the 4th, for those that want to join us. Please feel free to drop me a line, and we can do it together.

Book Two

There are so many times in life when as a writer you sit and stare at a blank screen and wonder why. So why bother.

It's writing advice time, yet again.

Having put the last word to a 100K+ project, it was a little daunting when the other half of the writing team said. 'Let's do another.'

I was not quite sure whether or not I should laugh, get excited or hang my head in desperation. I'm sure you've all felt this way, you get to the end of a substantial project, only to realise its not really the end. There more to come, and your proofreaders want it now.

So, good feedback aside. That pressure of people wanting more is good, right? You've created colourful characters that people care about, have invested in, and desperately want to read more of.

Yet when the time comes, and you sit there in front of that huge screen of white nothingness. We find ourselves doubting. The usual questions come to mind, list time:

• What happens if I mess it up?
• Should I kill off a main character?
• Should I take it in a different direction?
• What happens if I go too far?
• ,,,
• ..

You know what I mean, the list expands. Before you know it you are doing more procrastinating but not in a good way. This is in self-doubt, too nervous to start, too worried to end.

So how do I get over it? Well the above counts for all of us. I would loop back to my default here, and remind everyone that I do not sleep. Which always comes in handy when you need to write to a deadline. Yet I can offer a bit of advice.

Leave the PC alone, step away from the keyboard. Grab a notebook and a pen. Yes, a good old paper writing session. Firstly it takes longer to write longhand, your brain can often work quicker then you can scribble. This is the opposite to when you type, when you feel that words are flowing 1:1.

So the first bit of advice is, grab a pen and slow down a bit. Take time to plot, and to think. it can really help.

The second bit of advice is this. Take pride in the pen. Yes, love that notebook. Rinse and repeat. Keep coming back to the one book. Build it over the years, full of anything and everything. The next time you get stuck, flip it open and read some of your past entries. You'll be surprised how a blank spell can be unstuck by your past version of yourself.

So do future you a favour and keep scribbling, even when you are prolific.

Anyway, I hope this helps somebody, somewhere.

For me and the rest of the team (you know who you are). It's onto book two. The notebook method really worked this time, a little too much I might add. Yet it served its purpose until next time its needed.

It's done. To the year (well almost)

So after a litle over 12 months, the book is almost done.

It's been a voyage of discovery as this is the first time I have written with a partner. primarily for editing but it has been great to sound ideas off of another person during the authoring process.

So the book is standing at just over 100 thousand words. Cut down from the 140k that it was originally, but I feel it makes for a better novel.

So, one more pass and then its off to the agents we go. It's an exciting time for us, and fingers crossed there is lots more in the tank.

I've said it before, but writing is not the issue. The editing, having to deal with people is. Hey, each to their own talents though.

Thanks for reading and check back soon for more updates on where we are with the publishing process, the good and the bad of it all.

How Far Is Too Far?

Well, it has been a very long and challenging week but I am here now, back in front of the keyboard and that is what counts.

So, what am I up to today? Hammering out the next chapter, chapter 29 & 30. So a few things to talk about tonight. Firstly by my calculations, I am around 30k away from finishing. This is good but leaves me with another exciting issue.

• What issue, I hear you ask.
• Well, what do I do next?
• Rinse and repeat or move onto something new and improved?

So what do I mean by rinse and repeat?

Well, that is an excellent question. Firstly, do I keep repeating the draft process or just rinse off the required number of words ready for submission then worry about the rest later?

How many times do you go through the draft process before you submit? Again, this is another excellent question, and honestly, one that I cannot answer for you. I guess you know when you know. Sometimes it's good to get it out there, and other times it's good to take more time and slow it down. Polish every word before you submit, because you only get one chance to make the right first impression.

What do I do next?

In this instance, I have left the judgement up to the editing team. They have grand plans and want to try different approaches to the submission process. Whatever that means! From the novel, to screen and graphic art. They have big plans, but as I have said in previous blogs both here and on the website. I am full of ideas, the latter stages of the process bog me down when in all honesty, I just want to keep on writing.

So what to next? I have plans. 31 of them in total. Yes, you read that correctly, not 1 but 31 new works in the pipeline. So please check back from time to time, once the first one is picked up I will be able to provide you more detail as the 'cat will be out of the bag' by then.

Rinse and repeat or move onto something new and improved?

I refer to this a few times. Rinse and repeat, by this I mean more science fiction and fantasy or something new and entirely different to my writing style. My head is hankering for the latter, but something tells me I need to do some more of the first to get through the backlog. Either way, there will be words on a page, and that is all that matters.