The Matrix sequels usually hog the limelight when it comes to discussing supporting material for the ‘99 classic - usually of a negative bent. Yet, The Animatrix, a collaboration created by practiced American, Japanese, and Korean animators, tends to get overlooked. It’s a shame, as this underrated anthology of animated shorts contains some truly interesting visuals and terrific storytelling to boot.
Each short is only around a dozen minutes apiece, and most take a minimalistic approach in their narratives. Yet, each short conveys a rich, distinct sense of character, and most do well to fill in some world-building gaps for the Matrix saga. They achieve this arguably better than the film sequels themselves.
Still, more than a few of these shorts come with their blemishes and oddities; and some will resonate more than others, depending on personal taste.
With that said, let’s plug back into the Matrix as we rank each of the animated shorts in the Animatrix compilation.
Matriculated
For the record, “Matriculated” isn’t a bad animation by any stretch of the imagination - none of these really are. But comparatively speaking? There are certainly better, more interesting pieces.
This surrealistic, nearly silent film was created by Peter Chung, most known for Aeon Flux; and it’s apparent, given the visual similarities between the two. This piece does manage to play with some neat concepts that reside in the imaginative Matrix world by utilizing a sort of human-machine role-reversal. A group of human rebels hiding out in the real world ruins manage to capture a machine. After this, they put it through a series of bizarre simulations to mentally “turn it.” It’s interesting on a visual level, but the lack of events that transpire make “Matriculated” feel hollow at times.
A Detective Story
Much like our previous entry, Shinichiro Watanabe’s “A Detective Story” excels in its style far more than its substance; in this case, a gritty, black and white film noir theme. It’s a strange choice for a futuristic dystopian story, but it does make for a unique and gripping viewing.
This Matrix prequel stars a jaded private detective named Ash, who receives a call to seek out the notorious hacker, which happens to be Trinity. At this point, the story sort of devolves into a fairly typical “flee from the agents” sequence on a train. While the visuals and tone are distinctly cool, the plot arch largely just parallels the first half of the Matrix film, along with The Animatrix’s own “Kid’s Story.”
Program
While most of the shorts of The Animatrix inject distinct imagery on some level, Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s “Program” is the closest to being considered “traditional,” running with a pretty standard anime style. Still, there’s plenty of exciting action to be had here, and even some cool, flashy visuals.
The story - what little exists - takes place in a simulation designed to resemble feudal Japan, where our protagonist, Cis, spars in an impressive fight scene with a samurai named Duo. In a sort of “Cypher” moment of betrayal, Duo implored Cis to join him in plugging back into the Matrix. She resists, both physically and mentally, defeating him in combat, before being jolted awake and realizing it was all a test. It’s a neat little philosophical piece, dressed with some fun anime-style action.
World Record
It’s not easy to allocate most of your film’s action to what’s basically a drawn-out running animation and make it exciting. Yet, that’s mostly what Takeshi Koike and Madhouse have managed to do here.
This story is largely delt in flashbacks, as a man contemplates the events leading to his taking part in a record-breaking running event as he sprints. What makes this story neat is that it toys with the idea of pushing the boundaries of human limits in a physical sense, rather than a mental one as most of The Matrix saga does. It runs with - no pun intended - the concept of a mind breaking free of the Matrix simply by exerting tons of physical force. For this alone, “World Record” stands as an intriguing short; with plenty of heart-pumping intensity to boot.
Final Flight Of The Osiris
This is the one short that relies on the flashy, glossy muscle of CG rather than stylistic visuals; and it mostly works, despite the slightly drawn-out sword fight that kicks it off. While it can feel pretty standard at times, this more direct Matrix callback helps round out this otherwise experimental anthology and offers a bit of backstory.
The plot proves integral to the events that open The Matrix Reloaded, as it follows a ship crew in a desperate attempt to deliver word that a machine army has assembled above Zion. It somewhat boils down to yet another chase scene as their ship, The Osiris, flees sentinels, but it’s conveyed in an exciting way. “Final Flight of the Osiris” is impressive on a visual level, feeling akin to the opening scene of an epic movie rather than an animated short.
Kid’s Story
Rounding out the vast array of artistic styles is “Kid’s Story,” a humble tale that’s complemented well by its crude, hand-drawn animation. Like “Osiris,” this short is interwoven directly into The Matrix sequels themselves, featuring a protagonist who winds up in Zion during Reloaded, as well as cameos by Neo and Trinity.
The story largely resembles Neo’s attempt to evade agents, but the way it’s shown is effective and fun to watch. A boy is attending class when he gets an anonymous call telling him to flee, before realizing he’s being pursued by a group of agents. The rest of the short conveys a sort of exhilarating sense of desperation with the free-flowing animation, as the boy makes a mad dash out of the building. It all builds up to an emotional climax, culminating with the boy’s desperate, unorthodox means of “awakening.”
Beyond
Taking its place as the most entertainingly trippy piece, “Beyond” quite literally plays with the cool concept of warped forces that ensue from a “Matrix glitch.” This results in some fun and imaginative visual shots, and one of the most memorable Animatrix shorts.
It follows a young girl named Yoko who stumbles upon an apparently haunted house as she sets out to find her missing cat. Along with a group of children, the girl quickly realizes this is no ordinary house, as a series of wonky “happenings” take place. This includes an area that slows and freezes time, disappearing and reappearing objects, and a door that leads to the black abyss of nowhere. This short combines surrealism and philosophical food for thought with a neat paranormal overlay that makes for a captivating watch.
The Second Renaissance Part II
The two-part animated short, “The Second Renaissance,” is so rich and compelling that it can almost stand as its own prequel film if it was only extended in length. The Wachowskis were directly involved with these, and it shows.
The films play like a historical narrative illustrating the chaotic and violent events that lead up to the ruins of the modern dystopia of The Matrix. It invokes emotion by drawing from real historical events like Tiananmen Square and the Civil Rights movement, adding a realistic sensibility to the bombastic sci-fi overlay.
This second part of this piece goes full-out insane warfare almost to the point of being a bit excessive. But in doing so, it creates a visual ride that’s both thrilling and gutwrenching.
The Second Renaissance Part I
While “Renaissance Part II” goes full-throttle with action-packed battle scenes, the first part of this origin story is even more interesting thanks to its focus on world-building and a gripping plot.
The story acts as a sort of bridge leading from the early 21st century to the chaos and carnage that the real world becomes in the films. It shows how the mistreatment of one simple android, known as B1-66ER, helped set off the cataclysmic chain of events that eventually mushroomed out of control for humankind. The visuals are gorgeously detailed, the action is thrilling, and the emotional plot-points are endlessly captivating.
Next: 5 Ways The Matrix Holds Up (& 5 Ways It Doesn’t)
