Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4523 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-06-02
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: German, English, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish
• Dubbed in: English, French, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Animatrix is a series of nine stories by different directors set in the Matrix universe, all of them conceived and commissioned by the Wachowski brothers. They demonstrate an eclectic mix of anime animation styles, stories and characters, most of which intertwine with the narrative of the first sequel, The Matrix Reloaded.

The first and most impressive is the Final Flight of the Osiris (from the director of Final Fantasy). In a breathtaking computer-generated short that would have worked well as a pre-title sequence for the second film, the crew of the ill-fated Osiris discover the sentinel army and the machines drilling towards Zion. This most filmic of the offerings guides fans into the more individualistic animated styles of the subsequent features.

The second and third instalments, The Second Renaissance, Parts 1 & 2, turn the tables on the man vs. machines battle by telling the story of the emergence of artificial intelligence and the ensuing (mostly human instigated) carnage leading up to the subjugation of the human race. The remaining features are: Kid's Story (directed by anime supreme Shinichiro Watanabe), which introduces us to the Kid, who also features in Reloaded; Program and World Record, written by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, better known for schlock horror anime Vampire Hunter B; Beyond, which tells what happens when ordinary people discover bugs in the system; A Detective Story, a homage to film noir as PI Ash is hired to track Trinity; and the distinctly psychedelic Matriculated.

The standard of animation is high throughout, even where the storylines are confused (and in one or two cases little more than conceptual). This is a fascinating collection of shorts that will appeal to Matrix and anime fans alike, as well as shedding light on some of the more obtuse plot machinations of Reloaded.

On the DVD: The Animatrix is primarily a visual offering, so it's good to see that this anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 video transfer is near-perfect, with CGI extravaganza signature short The Final Flight of the Osiris being about as stunning as is possible on a small screen. Extras are plentiful: the commentaries for The Second Renaissance Parts 1 & 2 are in Japanese with English subtitles; there are two more commentaries, for Program and World Record. There are also some features, including one on the history of anime and seven on the individual films in the series; the best of the latter is the featurette for Osiris, which goes into detail on the CGI and contains a "square celebrity death match" sequence of a modified Aki (from the Final Fantasy film) battling a sentinel. --Kristen Bowditch

Special Features
"Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime" documentary
Seven featurettes with director profiles, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of each of the films
Four audio commentaries
"Enter the Matrix" videogame trailer
Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio
Widescreen 16x9 2.35:1
Languages: English, Japanese
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Synopsis
A collection of short films which explain the story of the 'Matrix' universe.

Customer Reviews

not what i expected
very deep in anime stylised cartoons in this and quite graphic . great little stories to the main film, which actually as one reviewer said before "the 9 minutes of each clip is better that the movie" .true true true

FANTASTIC
The Animatrix is perfect in my opinion. It is a superb series of animated shorts that are a must have for any 'true' fan of The Matrix trilogy and is a brilliant exploration of what is without doubt the best movie universe created. All the shorts have something to recommend them and all are fantastically animated.

For me this is my introduction to the world of anime. The animation technique is wonderful and it makes for a fantastic beginners guide to what I am constantly told is the finest piece of animation in the world today. The Animatrix works for everyone. Matrix fans and animation fans in general will find much to enjoy here.

The shorts are all brilliant. Final Flight Of The Osiris features some quality sequences and animation and successfully sets up the events for The Matrix Reloaded and Enter The Matrix. The Second Renaissance is a frightening and disturbing look at how the matrix was built and how the machines came to dominate the planet. Featuring staggering animation, grotesque images and presented in a faux newsreel, along with Osiris it is the finest segment on the series. Kid's Story is a beautiful tale and like Osiris paves the way for a plot thread in Reloaded, while Detective's Story is a wonderful mix of anime and American film noir. Beyond is a delightful tale in which a bunch of kids discover a hunted house which is in fact a glitch in the matrix while Program is a fantastic story set inside a training program which has a great pay off. If any of the shorts are problematic it is Matriculated which is trippy and surreal but which works too thanks to the fantastic animation and down beat conclusion.

The Animatrix is a very impressive package is undoubtedly a must have, especially with Osiris, Renaissance and Kid's Story here and is a beautiful exploration of the Wachowski's brothers fantastic universe.

Not for idiots
I first watched this genius creation around about 3 years ago. I watched it yesterday and i am still utterly moved by its brilliance. Anyone who doesn't appreciate these fabulous, deeply intriguing works of art, I would say, just doesn't have the intelligence to understand exactly what is happening.

Final flight of the Osiris was, at its release, astounding CGI, but because of its usage of technology would never stand the test of time. Although a great story, this to me was perhaps the least imaginative of the stories, but cracking nonetheless. (when she lands in the alley after her free fall we all burst into fits of hysteria)

Kids Story, World Record, and distinctly Matriculated are sheer breath-taking awe. The way the intense depth of these stories is portrayed had me totally entranced, and after a joint was on the edge of tears.

The Second Renaissance was a brutal and, to me, clear representation of what would happen, and involves possibly the greatest scenes i have ever seen in any film, let alone an animation. (that robot, to me, is a real woman)

Totally and completely astounding work.

Not for idiots.