Review for

Animatrix, The
http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies/matrix.html

/Animatrix/ is a far better film than the sequel to /the Matrix/. Even though it is presented as a prequel, it sets up some of the plot development necessary to understand some of the events in /The Matrix Reloaded/.

The film features nine short animated sequences: /Final Flight of the Osiris/ describes how the humans discover that the machines were planning to dig towards Zion; /The Second Renaissance/ in two parts showcases how the war between the machines and the humans started, and how the need for the Matrix arose in the first place; /Kid's Story/ tells the story of how the boy who followed around Neo /The Matrix Reloaded/ escapes; /Program/ illustrates the conflicts humans released from the Matrix face in light of newfound knowledge ("is ignorance bliss?"); /World Record/ tells us that some extraordinary people realise that the limitations of the Matrix are only in their heads; /Beyond/ describes how kids become consumed by a glitch in the Matrix as a form of entertainment; /Detective Story/ tells the story of a detective hired to tracked down Trinity but finally senses the truth of the Matrix; and /Matriculated/ teaches us that humans haven't really learnt their lessons from the rise of the machines.

The biggest problem I have with /the Matrix/ mythology is that humans scorched the sky to get rid of the machines that depended on solar power, and therefore the machines used humans as batteries. Given the huge holes this story has, I had hoped that it would be explained better here. Unfortunately, /The Second Renaissance/ only exacerbates the problem.

That said, some of the shorts are deep and invoke a strong sense of empathy and/or introspection. The music and the varied styles keep one's interest level high. /Animatrix/ is definitely worth checking out.

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