Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5050 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-09-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 457 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The first film of The Matrix trilogy established the Wachowski brothers as innovative filmmakers who push the boundaries of live-action films. Like the groundbreaking Star Wars, The Matrix showcases a unique visual style, one the Wachowskis achieved through an array of techniques and digital effects, some never before seen in mainstream Hollywood films. Although computer morphing technology had been used before in The Abyss and Terminator 2, the Wachowskis were the first to use "bullet time", a time-bending digital effect that utilises both computer-generated imagery and still photography. The sequel The Matrix Reloaded showcased that visual style to further effect, with The Matrix Revolutions completing the trilogy.

DVD Description
The first film is a complex story that aspires to mythology, focusing on a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who searches for the truth behind the mysterious force known as the Matrix. He finds his answer with a group of strangers led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). What they encounter in confronting that truth makes for a lightning-paced, eye-popping thrill ride of a movie. The Matrix is packed with stunning fight scenes (choreographed by accomplished Hong Kong director Yuen Wo-Ping), astonishing visual effects, quotable lines, and a memorable supporting cast (led by Carrie-Anne Moss, in her first major Hollywood film). The Matrix Reloaded sequel delivers added amounts of everything that the first film had, with the exception of surprises. We see more of the "real world" in the last human city of Zion and we go back to the 1999-look urban virtual reality of the Matrix for more encounters with artificially intelligent baddies and--the real reason you're watching—there are a lot more martial arts superheroics. This is just part one of a story that spans two sequels, with the final film of the trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions, required to tie up the story and sort out a great deal of plot complexity.

Synopsis
Three features. With THE MATRIX, the Wachowskis have established themselves as innovative filmmakers who push the boundaries of live-action films. Like the groundbreaking STAR WARS, THE MATRIX (also the first film of a trilogy) showcases a unique visual style, one the Wachowskis achieved through an array of techniques and digital effects, some never before seen in mainstream Hollywood films. Although computer morphing technology had been used before in films such as THE ABYSS and TERMINATOR 2, the Wachowskis were the first to use 'bullet time,' a time-bending digital effect that utilises both computer-generated imagery and still photography. The film itself is a complex story that aspires to mythology, focusing on a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who searches for the truth behind the mysterious force known as the Matrix. He finds his answer with a group of strangers led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). What they encounter in confronting that truth makes for a lightning-paced, eye-popping thrill ride of a movie. Packed with stunning fight scenes (choreographed by accomplished Hong Kong director Yuen Wo-Ping), astonishing visual effects, quotable lines, and a terrific supporting cast (led by Carrie-Anne Moss, in her first major Hollywood film), THE MATRIX is a bold triumph that raises the bar for all science fiction films. Also includes THE MATRIX RELOADED and MATRIX REVOLUTIONS.

Customer Reviews

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Straight to the point:

Matrix was incredibe! The action. The philosofy. The superb effects. The captivating storyline. The compound character depth.

Matrix Reloaded: Not as good, but still a worthy sequel, promisisng answers untold and questions begged. Action equal to that of Matrix and maybe beyond; characters show new depths, and new array of personages that allude to forthcoming revelations.

Matrix Revolutions: Very poorly executed final instalment! No Matrix whatsoever - nearly - to speak of! Great war is pointless and stupid; scenes are overlong and redundant; characters stumble and Morpheus is reduced to a monosyllabic dunce; only redeeming feature is Neo vs. Smith which is excessive... Why, oh why, did thou brothers ruin a great story.

If you have not seen this story, then don't hesitate to to see it on accounts of my behalf. This is but the opion of a sorely disappointed fan left in shambles after the last chapter.

In conclusion, it is good, but not as good as the first two promised it was to be!!!!!

Awesome Sci-fi carrying a powerful metaphor
The Matrix Trilogy must be one of the most significant films of our time, and is likely to go down as an all time sci-fi classic along with the likes of Blade Runner. It is obviously laden with symbology fished from a variety of sources, but I wonder if the Watchowski brothers realised just exactly how powerful a metaphor for our reality they were creating.

The central premise that our lives are not 'real' but are steeped in illusion in order that our life force may be fed upon whilst we are enfenced unwittingly like cattle - this is a relevant and powerful message on many levels. It can easily be seen that this is true on a superficial level, with the rampant rise of ultra-aggressive capitalist consumerism, whereby everyone is 'sold a dream' in order to siphon off all income to profit the few, but it goes deeper than that, and can be used to catch a glimpse of some ideas on the true nature of reality. The overlap with material such as Castaneda is remarkable, with stories about the archetypal predator who is invisible, and feeds on us because he has 'given us his mind'. In all, it is a striking metaphor for the human condition.

Of course the great thing is that, even if you don't want to explore things to those levels, taken at surface value as a piece of entertainment, the Matrix is still a fantastic sci-fi/action trilogy, with colourful characters, awesome visuals, and a solid original plotline. Taken as a trilogy, this is a fantastic piece of film-making artwork, and this is the best way to enjoy it. For me, like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, this amazing piece of entertainment should be enjoyed whole, with the complete epic story all in one package.

This is an incredibly cheap way to get hold of all three films, but the only other thing I would say is, if you can stretch to the extra money, go for the 'Ultimate Matrix' box set, which contains many extras, but more importantly, the several mini-film 'featurettes' which flesh out the background story.

Outstanding Trilogy!
This is still my favourite movie and one that I have seen more than 10 times. It is a movie that can be seen on many levels. Some will see it just as a great action movie which it is, but there is so much more to this film. It is a fantastic depiction of the journey of the spiritual seeker and the difficulties that he encounters within himself as he starts pushing against the prisons of his own mind and the multitude of programs that operates and which keep us small.

It also neatly depicts the way humans are kept as 'food for the moon' in Gurdjieff's words or simply food for ultra terrestrials. In the film this is depicted as humans, being little less than cultivated biological batteries for the machines.

All three parts are worth watching more than once, as you will undoubtedly see new things each time. Things that start making sense only after some time of reflection and reading. In this regard I can recommend reading the book by Ouspensky called "In Search of the Miraculous", and the book by Laura Knight-Jadczyk called "The Secret History of the World".