Animatrix, The

An unprecedented fusion of CG-animation and Japanese animé, "The Animatrix" is a collection of nine original short films conceived by The Matrix creators, the Wachowski Brothers. Inspired by the visionary action and innovate storytelling that power the trilogy, this spectacularly visual short film series (which can be viewed individually or sequentially to form a complete movie) delves deeper into the mind-bending world of The Matrix. Created in the animé style pioneered by Japanese artists and helmed by world-renowned animé directors, The Animatrix also features the voices of actors Keanu Reeves (Neo) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity) in two of the shorts. (Suzanne Hodges)

"The Ultimate Matrix Collection" is a seven-disc compilation packaged in a box containing the three movies in the Blu-ray Disc format: "The Matrix," "The Matrix Reloaded," and "The Matrix Revolutions," plus "The Animatrix." Two other discs in DVD format contain the special features. Special features include a written introduction by the Wachowski Brothers; commentaries by philosophers Dr. Correl West and Ken Wilber, critics Todd McCarthy, John Powers, and David Thomson, cast and crew members Carrie-Anne Moss, Zach Staenberg, and John Gaeta for "The Matrix," and composer Don Davis with a music-only track for "The Matrix"; the feature-length documentary "The Matrix Revisited"; "Behind The Matrix" documentary gallery: 83 featurettes with "The MTV Movie Awards Reloaded" and "3-D Evolutions" stills gallery; "The Matrix Revisited"—a 41-track audio selection of nearly three hours of music; music videos: Marilyn Manson's "Rock Is Dead" and "P.O.D.'s Sleeping Awake"; "Enter The Matrix: The Game" documentary; "Enter The Matrix" to view 23 live-action scenes shot for the video game that plug into the action of "The Matrix Reloaded"; four director commentaries; and eight documentaries on "The Animatrix," including "Scrolls To Screen: The History And Culture Of Animé"; "The Burly Man Chronicles," which probe the society of actors, craftspeople, and filmmakers who shaped the movie trilogy; and the "Enter The Matrix" console game in 21 featurettes and a feature-length documentary; "The Roots Of The Matrix," which explores the historical, philosophical, and technological inspirations in insightful documentaries; "The Zion Archive" of production assets developed for "The Matrix" universe, including concept art, storyboards, drawings, music videos, a music rave reel, and "The Matrix" online; and theatrical trailers and TV spots. Alll this, and WHV's In-Movie Bonus View experience, plus a digital copy of "The Matrix."

The 2.35:1 1080p VC-1 picture exhibits a variety of animation styles throughout the nine short segments. The imagery and color stylizations are reminiscent to the live action Matrix movie, with lots of greens and dark blues. For the computer animated segment, The Final Flight Of The Osiris, the picture can be dark but "shadow delineation" is excellent. The animation can have a three-dimensional appearance that is captivating, and the images are solid and smooth. (Gary Reber/Suzanne Hodges)

The Dolby® TrueHD 5.1-channel soundtrack is excellent, with clean, well-produced sound of impeccable audio quality and remarkable dimensionality. The spatial soundstage is prominently and very effectively engaged throughout, really placing you into the midst of a very active sonic landscape at times. Sound effects actively and consistently engage you with both ambience and acute directionality. There's also abundant doses of low-end energy, not necessarily overpowering, but articulate and with extension below 25 Hz in all channels, including the LFE. The imaging imparted by the surrounds is really convincing in terms of the holosonic® immersion, and if you elect to use back surround processing, you'll more than likely be pleased with the results. Other standout attributes include dynamic range and very well-recorded music with exemplary spatial distribution. The dialogue for both has been produced to satisfaction, with natural-sounding voices and reasonably compelling spatial integration. This is motion picture sound that is significantly distinguished. (Gary Reber/Perry Sun)