The Animatrix (2003)

The Animatrix is a collection of several animated short films, detailing the backstory of the "Matrix" universe, and the original war between man and machines which led to the creation of the Matrix.

Directors:

Peter Chung, Andrew R. Jones

Writers:

Lilly Wachowski (screenplay "The Matrix") (as The Wachowski Brothers), Lana Wachowski (screenplay "The Matrix") (as The Wachowski Brothers)

Stars:

Kevin Michael Richardson, Pamela Adlon, John DiMaggio

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Thadeus (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Cop (segment "Kid's Story") / Agent #2 (segment "World Record") (voice)
Pamela Adlon	...	Jue (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Manabu (segment "Beyond") (voice)
John DiMaggio	...	Crew Man (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Kaiser (segment "Program") (voice)
Tom Kenny	...	Operator (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Rick Gomez	...	Pilot (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Crew Woman (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Nurse (segment "World Record") / Misha (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Bette Ford	...	Old Woman (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Julia Fletcher	...	The Instructor (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II") / Narrator (segment "World Record") / Townsperson (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Dane A. Davis	...	01 Versatran Spokesman (segment "The Second Renaissance, Part II") (voice) (as Dane Davis)
Debi Derryberry	...	Kid (segment "The Second Renaissance, Part II") (voice)
Jill Talley	...	Mother (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II") / Townsperson (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Dwight Schultz	...	Townspeople / Policeman / Exterminators (segment "Beyond") / Nonaka (segment "Matriculated") (segments "The Second Renaissance, Part I & II") (voice)
James Arnold Taylor	...	Ash (segment "A Detective Story") / Raul (segment "Matriculated") / Miscellaneous Voices (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II" - "Kid's Story") (voice)
Clayton Watson	...	Michael Karl 'The Kid' Popper (segment "Kid's Story") (voice)
Keanu Reeves	...	Neo (segment "Kid's Story") (voice)

Storyline

Anthology of nine short anime (Japanese animation) films tied in to the 1999 blockbuster "The Matrix" and its sequels. "Final Flight of the Osiris": The crew of the hovercraft Osiris attempt to warn their city of an imminent attack. "The Second Renaissance, Parts 1 & 2": The story behind the war between man and the machines, how mankind scorched the sky, and the creation of the Matrix. "Kid's Story": A teenager is contacted by Neo, and manages to escape the Matrix. "Program": Two warriors battle in a samurai training simulation when one decides to betray his crewmates and re-enter the Matrix. "World Record": A champion sprinter manages to break free of the Matrix by sheer physical effort during a record attempt. "Beyond": A young girl searching for her cat discovers a haunted house caused by a glitch in the system. "A Detective Story": Private investigator Ash tracks a hacker named Trinity through the looking glass. "Matriculated": A group of humans capture a machine scout and insert ...

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Plot Keywords:

anime | supernatural power | anthology film | portmanteau film | omnibus film | 

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Taglines:

Free your mind.

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

In The Second Renaissance Part 1, the robot who first rebelled against humans is designated as "BI-66ER," a reference to Bigger Thomas, the protagonist of the 1939 novel Native Son, giving the rise of the machines a backdrop in historical race relations. In the novel, Thomas is a black teenager who comes from a poor, working-class upbringing and goes to work as a butler for an affluent white family until he accidentally murders his employers' daughter and ultimately receives a life sentence for his crimes.

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Goofs

When Washington D.C. is shown the first time in "the second renaissance", you see that directly behind the capitol, there are enormous skyscrapers, but the second time they show the capitol (in the riot scene), you can see the sky behind it.

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Quotes

The Instructor: In the beginning, there was man. And for a time, it was good. But humanity's so-called civil societies soon fell victim to vanity and corruption. Then man made the machine in his own likeness. Thus did man become the architect of his own demise.

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Connections

Referenced in Shameful Sequels: Matrix Reloaded: Part 1 (2011)

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Soundtracks

UNDER THE GUN
Written by Ramin Sakurai, Kirin Shahani, Geri Soriano Lightwood, Rick Torres
Performed by Supreme Beings of Leisure
Courtesy of Palm Pictures LLC
(segment "A Detective Story")

User Reviews

If you want to understand "The Matrix" you don't want to miss this

Born from the directors(Larry and Andy Wachowski)of "The Matrix" ,this 9 part great animated movie tell's the story of what happened whit mankind before the time that "The Matrix" takes place.

Here are the titles of the nine part of The Animatrix: 1.Final Flight of the Osiris 2.Kid's Story 3.The Second Renaissance Part I 4.The Second Renaissance Part II 5.Beyond 6.A Detective Story 7.Program 8.World Record 9.Matriculated

In the first part of The Animatrix "Final Flight of the Osiris" we find out that the Osiris is the ship who informs Zion that the machines are digging direct to it.

If you don't watch the "Kid's story" you will not be able to understand what does the kid is talking about to Neo in "The Matrix Reloaded"

But the most important parts of The Animatrix are the The Second Renaissance Part's in which is told the story between man and machine.

The movie is the necessary introduction of "The Matrix", don't miss it

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

3 June 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Animatrix

Company Credits

Production Co:

DNA Productions, Madhouse, Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1