The Animatrix

First off, the Animatrix is not a movie, but a collection of nine animated shorts (one being CGI based) which basically delves into the world that is The Matrix. Animators come from Japan, Korea and the US and include many world renouned animators (the first animation, Final Flight of the Osiris, was made by the same team who created the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie). Below is an outline of each animated short and what relevance it has in the Matrix world.

1. The Final Flight of the Osiris: CGI based animated short involving the discovery of the machine army and the delivery of the evidence to the drop point noted in the Enter The Matrix video game.

2. The Second Renaissance Part 1: One of four of the nine animated shorts written by the Wachowski Brothers and details the creation of artificial intelligence and the rise of the machines

3. The Second Renaissance Part 2: Continuation of the previous short film based on the war against the machines and the enslaving of the human race.

4. Kid's Story: Remember the Kid in Reloaded and Revolutions? this animated short is about how he came to be in the real world, including his encounter with Neo.

5. Program: This animated short is set in a training simulation and focuses on betrayal and escaping the real world back into the matrix, just like Cypher tried to do in the original Matrix movie.

6. World Record: Based on the idea that exceptional people with exceptional skills can in effect wake themselves up without being unplugged from the matrix, this short focuses on an American sprinter who runs so fast he escapes the rules of space and time and sees the real world.

7. Beyond: A glitch occurs in the Matrix and weird things starts to happen, time slows down and one girl is caught in the middle of it.

8. Detective Story: A private investigator is hired by Agents to track down Trinity, but he soon realises that he is a pawn in a conspiracy which ultimatly will lead him to see the truth.

9, Matrixulated: This animated short is about a team of human resistance which captures sentinals and uses the sentinals to fight for them. They, however, do not reprogram the sentinals but mearly show them an alternative choice and let the sentinals make up their own minds.

Every animated short is well made and really pushes the boundary of animation. Also, the script for each one is great and the whole experience really does make you feel part of the Matrix World and does answer questions as well as raise some more. But, does it infact help the understanding of the Matrix Trilogy? Basically, yes it does, however, not all the animated shorts do, only a few. The rest are just extra stories, opening up a whole new can of worms and filled with philosophy which made the original Matrix great, but are still worth seeing. The Animatrix develops the story of the Kid in Reloaded and Revolutions and Morpheus' speach about the human/machine war in the original Matrix movie. So, only very slightly does it actually alter your view or answer any questions on the Matrix Trilogy, but that is not the reason why you should see the Animatrix, see it because it is simply an amazing ride through the Matrix and should be watched by fans of the Matrix and animation alike.

Having never seen the Matrix, but being a loyal anime collector, I came across this high ranked animated feature.

Never in my life has I seen something as close as brilliant and poetically nightmarish that Ghost in the Shell has delivered, bringing the Matrix franchise closer to "art and soul" than "blockbuster".

Some of the amazingly dramatic episodes in this feature may make Animatrix a parallel brother to Ghost in the Shell itself. And the animation is very dreamy and expertly crafted, the second best thing that this feature will bring you.

If anime is your thing, or the matrix, or getting started to both, I couldn't recommend this higher.

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

After loving the original "Matrix" film and hating the recent "Reloaded," my enthusiasm for "Animatrix" was somewhere between curiosity and contempt. "Reloaded" was so slow and empty I hesitated to explore the "Matrix" concept any further as a possible waste of time. Well, the good news is that "Animatrix," while far from perfect, is much more interesting than "Reloaded" as it explores the original concept rather than try to act as a sequel.

"The Animatrix" is a collection of animated short stories, each one independent of the others. Each tale has its own interesting twist and can be enjoyed in any order (except for the two-part episode, obviously). The stories are based on the original "Matrix" film so if you haven't seen the sequel(s), don't worry. The segments are (in no particular order):

"Final Flight of the Osiris" This is a CGI animated story that is a prelude to the story of "Reloaded." While I'm not a big fan of 3D computer animation, it was actually quite good and I think it should have been filmed and included in "Reloaded." It would have made a much more exciting introduction.

"Program" This was a very brief but an exciting battle between two humans in the Matrix. As they fight they argue over the merits of the fight against the Machines. The ending is a bit of a cop-out but the story is still cool.

"The Second Renaissance" This is a two-part story that explains the war between Man and the Machines. Morpheus gives a brief overview of this story in the original "Matrix" film but "Renaissance" actually details why the war began. This was my favorite part of the "Animatrix," although its armageddon-like tale is a little depressing. It also features GRAPHIC VIOLENCE which will shock most viewers, so be prepared. Still, it is a fascinating explanation.

"World Record" This was a fun idea but artistically I was unimpressed. The characters' features and motions were so wildly exaggerated that it feels ridiculous. Could have been better.

"Kid's Story" This is another story which sets up an element of "Reloaded." It is brief and fun to watch, but not much goes on here.

"Detective Story" I would have enjoyed this piece a lot more if it hadn't been so rushed. The story is interesting but it begins and ends so quickly it's actually not that good. A shame.

"Beyond" This was a cool idea and I enjoyed it. It didn't have much to say but as a short film it was good.

"Matriculation" This is probably the weakest segment as it serves up mostly eye candy and little content. There is an interesting concept behind the action but most of the time you're just staring at wild colors and patterns.

While inconsistent I enjoyed "The Animatrix" and I recommend it. I would have liked to see "The Second Renaissance" and "Detective Story" expanded into feature length films (or at least hour-long OVAs).

Art is beautiful, beautiful as the world outside and the world inside. Such is the case with movies, which is has excelled at a purely imaginative and visual level. A concept is born, yes, but what is more important is that it is fleshed out in grand and spectacular form in uniqueness and inspiration. Art is what an individual expresses in pictures and ideas and imagination. If art is to be fully realized in a bold and grand vision, the creator must take many steps to make sure that it is unique and impressive. It must break new ground with originality and ingenuity, a long and quite arduous task, but grants rewarding results. And with that, a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction is felt heartily within the soul of the creator and as well in the viewer.

Movies are an expression and also an art medium, spanning decades from the 18th century and now in the 21st century. But another medium exists, born from distant lands with a different culture and different view on the take of art. In Japan, anime was born. Anime are cartoons or drawings told in Japanese style with deep and compelling story lines. Since then its popularity has exploded with Western audiences and worldwide. Unlike traditional animation, which caters to American audiences, anime is culturally different in that its characters and style is more centered on drama and dialog rather than on pure action and one-liners.

1999. A year that a remarkable science fiction film graced American and world audiences. That film was The Matrix. Directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski, the film was a box-office smash hit and became the most successful film in the genre. It was influenced by anime and comic books as well as philosophy. The nature of the film deals with perceptions of reality and the role in discovering the true nature of the "world". It also spawned two sequels which expanded the storyline of the Matrix, but never explored the Matrix itself; leading to some criticism from moviegoers and critics alike. However, the Animatrix is a cool gem in itself that more than garners interest in the world of the Matrix.

Told in a series of 9 vignettes, the Animatrix is a new take on the Matrix concept as it explores the back stories of the first film and features new exciting tales for fans of the films and anime lovers. As in the case of the other reviews on this site, no details will be revealed. Just like in the original film, you have to see it for yourself.

To see the Matrix universe in film version is great but to see it expanded in anime form is simply breathtaking. The visuals are so out of this world and engrossing that you can't help but be immersed in its world. It is truly something to experience and a sight to behold.

A marvelous way to tell a story from a different artistic perspective. Check it out for yourself and appreciate it all over.