The Animatrix

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it sounds / looks
Review: This DVD consists of short anime clips that are joined together.

It scores well on artistic content and quality of anime.

What it fails badly in is the storyline.

Viewers are given a sneak peek into a little bit of this and that, without much of a storyline to join it all up.

Seperately, there is also a short clip on a teenage boy committing suicide in the belief that it will get him out of the matrix. I find this disturbing. Whether this will inspire copycats can lead to an endless tirade. I certainly will not be letting any impressionable kid watch this.

As with the 2nd installment of the matrix, this comes across as quite a disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: some of it's cool, some of it sucks
Review: out of all of the parts of this DVD I liked about half of it. I am a fan of Anime, but some of this was like the worst of anime. It was hard to find a coherent story in most of them, and some of the visuals were erratic. Final flight of the osiris was Beautifully rendered CGI, making me sad that there won't be another Square feature, whereas world record made no sense and could've been easily omitted to bring up the average score.

I know some people out there will find virtues in all of these episodes, but I stick to a score of 3 meets expectations.

Rating:
Summary: Another side of The Matrix
Review: I was blown away by this one. I passed over it many a time in the video store. It was fantastic. It does reveal some depth and insight to The Matrix story but this one almost stands alone. The interviews uncover just how the directors of The Matrix have been influenced by Japanese anime. The brief history of anime and its intertwining with Japanese culture is quite an interesting sidebar. It ain't just for kids anymore.

It's got a bumping soundtrack and it is visually stylish. Some of the stories are more relevant than others to the original film but overall the animation, the music and the flow are fantastic.

As for its connection to The Matrix, several of the clips are definitely attached to adding some details to lingering questions from The Matrix. I suppose I was tremendously excited when some of my questions were answered by one of the cartoons included here. Some of the other stories have a thread that connects them to the movie but most of them are really a world unto themselves.

If you liked the original film, you'll definitely want to check this one out. If you love animation, you'll also want to check this one out. There's a historical thread to it that may come as a surprise. As a kid I used to watch Speed Racer and G-Force. Anime has come a long, long way.

Rating:
Summary: For Matrix and Anime fans alike.
Review: I love the Matrix stroryline and Animatrix helps flesh it out a little more. Plus the anime on this DVD is just amazing. You get a CG scene and 6 other short clips that feature different anime styles by legendary directors. A definite must-bye if your a fan of either.

Rating:
Summary: Robot Carnival part 2
Review: This DVD is like a redone, more modern version of Robot Carnival, tailored to suit the tastes of American anime consumers. Never heard of Robot Carnival? Check the official Amazon review of Animatrix. Robot Carnival is, like Animatrix, a collection of anime shorts by different distinguished directors--but it's on the subject of robots and artificial intelligence, whereas Animatrix is about the nature of reality, and, well, Buddhist philosophy. (There are PLENTY of subtle and not-so-subtle references to Buddhism, visually, in Animatrix. For example: What does the Zion mainframe look like to you?)

Of course, the fact that Animatrix feels like an imitation of an earlier anime work doesn't bother me--I really enjoyed it. But I have a tip for you, to get the most out of it: Pay attention, and be really sure that you understand what the Matrix movies are about. If you've bought into the ridiculous convoluted theories posed in current magazines or on TV about where the philosophy comes from, you'll miss out on a lot of what these short films have to say.

What it comes down to is that the entire Matrix saga, along with Animatrix, relies on most Americans having no familiarity at all with Eastern religions and very little familiarity with classic anime, and so those things are exotic, mysterious, and new in this market. Anyway, if you want a copy of Robot Carnival, it hasn't been released yet on DVD in the US, and the US VHS release is impossible to find. Personally, I bought mine (with English subtitles) on DVD in a ZShop from a seller in Singapore.

Rating:
Summary: Three and 1/2
Review: FINAL FLIGHT OF THE OSIRIS: ** out of 5

Brainless [fluff]. Starts with completely pointless foreplay scene, then sentinels attack, then the chick goes into the Matrix and does some unnecessary acrobatics, then everyone dies. The vocal actors sound as if they'll die from boredom. We didn't have to see this; the hint they made in "Reloaded" is enough for me. Two stars because, admittedly, it looked pretty cool.

SECOND RENAISSANCE PARTS 1 AND 2: both * out of 5

Attempt to make a solid background story to the enslavement of humans in the matrix turns out laughable, lost amidst the super-pretentious narrative of the shiny program chick with the English accent (you know, cuz it's more intellectual that way), and a plethora of self important biblical references ("Man made machine, and for a time, it was good...UGH!) Also gives us no reason to root for the humans, as they're a bunch of reactionary slobs with no sense of pity or remorse. Reign On, O Noble Machines!

KID'S STORY: ****1/2 out of 5

Finally, some good stuff! Fascinating animation and story about the annoying kid from "Reloaded." Beautiful visuals and music.

PROGRAM: **1/2 out of 5

Nice swordfighting sequences, otherwise pretty ho-hum (And talk about a nasty trick...)

WORLD RECORD: ****1/2 out of 5

This seems to be the one all those cyber-pricks who can't stop raving about "Final Flight" have a problem with. Apparently "Abstract" isn't part of your vocabulary. Primitive but powerful, with a knockout ending; it's just that the agents look a little too much like vampires...

BEYOND: ***1/2 out of 5

A glitch in the Matrix as seen through kids' eyes. Engrossing, with some lovely imagery; haunting.

DETECTIVE STORY: *** out of 5

Excellent atmosphere, though a pedestrian story, from the makers of COWBOY BEBOP; nice "Beginning is the End" narration

MATRICULATED: ***** out of 5

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Thought provoking story; beautiful, surreal visions; a perfect example of how stupid dialogue and narrative don't need to be incorporated to make a truly excellent piece of film.

Rating:
Summary: Fills in alot of back story
Review: This fills in alot of holes that the matrix had left open until now. Including the kid in the reloaded that neo supposedly set free, and how the machines came to rise.

Rating:
Summary: A good tie in
Review: The animation on some of these shorts is simply awesome. Some of this stuff seems to have absolutly nothing to do with 'The Matrix' But over all a good DVD. Find a used copy if you can since new this comes with those cheap cardboard cases.

Rating:
Summary: A must for any Matrix fan
Review: If you enjoy the Matrix and ever thought about the details of the story, this DVD is for you. The story comes across the way it was meant to be told and it clearly states the IDEA of what the Matrix is and what could happen in it day to day.

Although most reviewers did not seem to like World Record (the one about the sprinter), it is my my favorite. It was very engrossing and takes the whole idea of mind over matter to the Matrix realm with some VERY poignant parts.

For pure intensity, Second Renaissance 1 and 2 won with some jaw dropping scenes that may make you consider turning away from the screen.

For just a good story, Beyond was very entertaining.

In terms of darkness, Matriculated was the most dark with a slight Kubrick 2001 Space Odyssey feel.

The rest is all very good, but those stick out in my head the most. In conclusion, if you like the Matrix and the ideas behind it, it is extremely likely that you will immensely enjoy The Animatrix.

Rating:
Summary: Content-heavy but poorly-engineered
Review: Animatrix, as others have noted, is a series of Japanese-animated prequels to the Matrix series of movies. The stories on the DVD range from pure anime to computer-generated super-realistic figures. Story-wise, it's a fun watch; it's always pleasing to see more to a fun film universe than just the film(s) and any book tie-ins.

That said--the DVD is one of the most poorly-engineered ones out there. Any other multilanguage DVD will allow you to choose (on the fly) between language tracks and subtitle tracks (including turning them on or off at a whim, something useful in environments where sound levels vary). This DVD prevents that; if you want to watch the movies in Japanese with English subtitles, you have to choose that _before_ watching--and if you change your mind later, you have to go back and start all over again. Skip to Beginning (of Chapter) doesn't work at all; so much for a quick restart. Choosing a very prominent link on most of the menu pages takes you to an all-but-inescapable copyright page.

So--if you're after content and nothing else, this is a definite must-have for a Matrix fan. If you like your DVDs well-crafted and a pleasure to use, just spring for the videotape version; no one expects navigation from a videotape. :)

Dj