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Anamorphic
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Dolby Digital
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DTS |
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Trailer(s) |
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Featurette(s) |
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Documentary |
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Audio commentary
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Deleted scenes
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Concept art
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Multi-angle
feature |
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Zion Archives: In the beginning
there was man, and for a time it was good.
A collection of 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.
 In
a year so saturated with Matrix-related advertising, merchandising,
discussions and spin-offs, it is with more than a little trepidation
that one approaches this collection of animation films that allegedly
'flesh out and enhance the fascinating Matrix universe'.
The release is of course geared first and foremost
towards the unrelented milking of a new studio cash cow that grew
out of
an
unexpected
hit movie that built its reputation mostly on strong word-of-mouth.
Thankfully, this mixed bag of Japanese-produced animation segments
is overall more interesting than the verbose, hamfisted sequel
that opened so strongly but saw enormous interest drop-off after
its first week. Apparently, the all-out media saturation is starting
to turn popular opinion against the dark horse that became a studio
franchise.
The story material in these nine short subjects is almost as diverse
as the various styles of animation, with narratives ranging from
an unsettling history of the war on machines (in The Second
Renaissance) to playful examinations of loopholes in the virtual
world of the Matrix (Beyond), Japan's top animation talents
have produced a gripping, fast-moving collection of intriguing
work, some of which stands up well to repeat viewings even for
non-fans. |
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Identical releases are available
for Region 1 and Region 2. A deluxe gift set edition, also
available for both regions, includes the techno-driven soundtrrack
CD as a bonus disc.
The anamorphic widescreen
image for each segment is framed at an aspect ratio of approx.
2.35:1. Color pallettes for the various animation subjects
range from saturated primary colors to the near-monochromatic,
but all are presented with striking sharpness and exceptional
detail. There is no trace of video noise, compression artifacting
or edge enhancement in any of the segments, making selected
shorts in this collection perfect demo material.
The Dolby
Digital 5.1 sound mix is similarly reference-level,
with a wide variety of sound designs ranging from assaultive
symphonic mixes similar to the live-action films all the
way to eerily subdued ambient sounds clad in silence.
Four of the nine segments
(to wit: Program, World
Record, and
both parts of The Second Renaissance) offer audio
commentaries by the director
and/or producer in Japanese
with subtitles. The
segments' backgrounds and production are discussed thoroughly
and accessibly by the filmmakers.
The 22-minute featurette Scrolls to the Screen takes
us through the origins and development of manga and anime,
and the prominent place these forms occupy
in Japanese culture. Individual Animatrix segments
are discussed, as well as milestone productions like Speed
Racer and
Akira. The Executions section comprises
seven featurettes, presented as if they relate directly to
indiviual
segments. This doesn't always turn out to be the case, as
they occasionally take you behind the scenes of an individual
production and in others take a much broader view of the
project in general. The 'Play All' option offers the best
way of enjoying this solid collection of background, running
a total of 55 minutes.
Other supplements include text screens with biographical
notes about the filmmakers and a game preview for
the Wachowski-produced multi-platform computer game released
to coincide with the first Matrix sequel. As an
extra addition in the gift set box, a CD soundtrack with
surprisingly subdued electronic music inspired by the segments
is included. Cleverly
designed, if extraordinarily overcrowded, menu screens offer fairly
intuitive access to the various areas on the disc.
Dan
Hassler-Forest
Reviewed:
June 21, 2003
Click
here for IMDB info on The
Animatrix.
Click here
to return to the front page.
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