The Matrix: Resurrections is right around the corner and guess what? We’ll actually be seeing Agent Smith again. I think that’s a good move, because this villain is the arch-enemy of the trilogy’s main protagonist. From the very beginning, Keanu Reeves’ Neo was constantly being tormented by the Matrix’s top programed enforcer. And when Neo did have to face him physically, it turned into a super awesome power struggle in a wire Kung-Fu fight that every movie lover will remember forever. And then, Neo seemingly killed his arch-enemy, but that wasn’t the end of him. Agent Smith returned to challenge Neo once again in the sequel, Reloaded, and one more time in the third movie, Revolutions. With Revolutions, Agent Smith finally met his end, but not before he did severe damage to Neo and to the Matrix itself. This is certainly a villain who made for a real pain in the rear end for our guy Neo and with the announcement of Resurrections, I would hope that Agent Smith would return. Before I go any further, I just have to say that this character would never have become so popular if Hugo Weaving didn’t play him. I mean, seriously, can you even go wrong with Hugo Weaving?
This guy has been in some very heavy-hitting franchises and with each role he takes, he practically becomes a different character each time. That sounds like the idea when it comes to acting, but Hugo Weaving is just on a different level. Just try comparing his performance of Agent Smith to that of Elrond or the Red Skull. You can’t. It’s a totally different character each time. And if that’s not enough for you, just remember that he also voiced Megatron in Michael Bay’s Transformers movies. Quite a resume, isn’t it? Needless to say, the stellar performance of Hugo Weaving is what kept us all interested in Agent Smith. With that in mind, it’s pretty obvious how many Matrix fans are disappointed by the fact that Hugo Weaving won’t be in Resurrections. Just like Laurence Fishburne, this Matrix veteran is not going to reprise his role, but his character will be in the movie. Wait, how does that even work? For the case of Morpheus, this other version is a younger variant of the Laurence Fishburne version we all know and adore. We’ll take that, but what about Agent Smith? It turns out, he’s coming back, but Hugo Weaving won’t be playing him. Yes, old news, but if the character is coming back, then who will be the actor behind him?
If you watch the second trailer, it looks like Jonathan Groff will be the new Agent Smith. He’s taking over for Hugo Weaving, which I find to be a rather monumental task. Even in the second trailer, you can tell just how much Groff is trying to convey the tone of Weaving. Understandable, since that intimidation is what made Agent Smith a menacing villain. But if you ask me, that’s something Hugo Weaving did, because only he could pull that off for that particular character. I have a feeling that Agent Smith will not work without Hugo Weaving. Hey, I could be wrong and I hope that I am. Based on what I’ve seen in the trailer, Jonathan Groff seems to be comfortable with carrying on the character, but personally, I will be convinced when I watch the movie. I seriously think having the character in the movie without having the original actor involved is a risky move. Even if Groff is really great, it still won’t feel the same without the magnificent Hugo Weaving.
And should we even hurt our brains by thinking about how Agent Smith is even coming back? I think we should just boil it down to the complex logic of the Matrix. It really doesn’t make much sense, but that’s all crazy science fiction stuff that we shouldn’t dwell on. For Resurrections, Agent Smith has a new form and it’s the form of Thomas Anderson’s business partner. Does this make sense? We need to remember that the villain is a program and “died” once before. He didn’t stay dead because he wasn’t really dead, but rather just refused to be deleted from the Matrix. That’s why he came back to fight Neo and was more powerful than ever. If he’s back now, it’s really no surprise, because he’s still a program that was stuck in the database of the Matrix. Once again, he’s out for Neo’s head, but for some reason, he’s waiting to make his move while Neo is again idly living in the Matrix. This new form is his cover and he’s fully aware of the danger Thomas Anderson can pose if he remembers his past as Neo. We’re going to find out why this new version of Agent Smith is taking this approach, so again, let’s not think too hard about it. I’m just still disappointed with the absence of Hugo Weaving, but that only makes me curious. I still don’t think Jonathan Groff will have the same impact as Hugo Weaving’s performance. However, this provides a new opportunity to give us a new take on the character and show us how wacky the Matrix can really get. But hey, at least we can look forward to another epic Agent Smith and Neo wire Kung Fu showdown. How can you possibly say no to that?Keanu Reeves
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