Keanu Reeves is known for pulling off insane action sequences in his movies. The 58-year-old turned into a household name after being a part of some iconic franchises like Matrix and John Wick. When the iconic Matrix saga brought its fourth installment, Reeves was once again sent to pull off another exhilarating stunt sequence, he didn’t hesitate to do it with absolute ease.
The Matrix Resurrections was the fourth installment to the sci-fi franchise starring Keanu Reeves which started in 1999. Although the 2021 movie was a financial disappointment, it received praise for its performances as well as the action sequences. It can be said that the Neo star’s dedication to action made it more special.
Keanu Reeves did the unthinkable in his Matrix 4
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix Resurrections
Keanu Reeves has repeatedly stated his love for action in several places. The 58-year-old star loves to perform his stunts without any external help from CGI. This also led him to risk his life by jumping off a 46-storeyed building at least 20 times for The Matrix Resurrections.
The story was revealed when the John Wick actor visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote The Matrix Resurrections. When the host asked him about his craziest experience, he was quick to reveal the following incident- “Jump off a building… I’m going to guess around 46 stories”. Stating the reason for it, Keanu Reeves said:
“Because it’s Lana Wachowski and it’s ‘The Matrix’ and you need natural light and you want to do it real. I mean, there’s wires. Carrie-Anne and I grabbed hands and leapt off the building. We wanted to do it in the perfect light in the morning, so we did it around 19, 20 times.”
Watch the full interview here:
In many ways, the sequel was different from its predecessors. It is the only movie in the franchise directed solely by Lana Wachowski as Lily Wachowski didn’t want the franchise to proceed beyond the trilogy. The cast was also not the same as the original trilogy after Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving were replaced. All of it collectively caused the movie to not have a reception like the former Matrix films.
But it can be said that Keanu Reeves’ urge to do his actions as realistically as possible adds another level of charm to his movies.
What motivates Keanu Reeves to do his stunts by himself?
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
The recently released John Wick: Chapter 4 had a lasting impression on the fans of the action hero. It showcased how the Canadian actor always tries to push his limits. He is often asked why he always tries to pull off his sequences by himself and if it is for the thrill.
According to Keanu Reeves, it is not for the thrill but he tries to add more realism and to establish a connection with the audience.
“I do all of the action. I’m 90 percent of what’s happening there. I’m maintaining the connection with the audience and with the story. If it’s wacky/crazy stuff, you’re just like, ‘Oh my god, what did I just see?’”
Even though there are no plans for a Matrix sequel in the recent future, the Speed star is expected to return in John Wick 5. But as per Chad Stahelski, we have to also wait for that. However, on the positive side, John Wick will be seen in a cameo appearance in the spin-off Ballerina starring Ana de Armas slated to release in June 2024.
All the movies of The Matrix franchise can be streamed on Max.
Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
