Fans of the original Matrix trilogy might worry that this is just 'The Matrix Cartoon'
thankfully it isn't; it may be animated but it isn't cartoony. The nine short serve to add to the original films; showing us more of life in The Matrix and explaining its origins.
Each of the stories is animated in a different style; the first is CGI that one could almost mistake for live action at times and the next seven are anime; their style will be familiar to fans of Japanese animation although each story has its own distinct look. The final story was created Korean; not a source of animation I'm familiar with; I don't know how typical this was but it was certainly interesting if a little bit trippy!
The stories are short but satisfying. There is no connection between them, with the exception of 'The Second Renaissance Pts. I and II. Most are fairly dark in tone but not all; 'Beyond' was quite delightful as a group of children played an a faulty area of the town where glitches in the Matrix enabled them to do amazing things.
The styles of animation may have been highly varied but it was all of a high quality as was the voice work. I suspect it would be less enjoyable if one hadn't first seen 'The Matrix' although 'The Second Renaissance' serves to explain the origins of the Matrix in a way that adds nicely to the original and 'Last Flight of the Osiris' is a fine introduction to the events seen in the final two parts of the trilogy.
Each of the stories is animated in a different style; the first is CGI that one could almost mistake for live action at times and the next seven are anime; their style will be familiar to fans of Japanese animation although each story has its own distinct look. The final story was created Korean; not a source of animation I'm familiar with; I don't know how typical this was but it was certainly interesting if a little bit trippy!
The stories are short but satisfying. There is no connection between them, with the exception of 'The Second Renaissance Pts. I and II. Most are fairly dark in tone but not all; 'Beyond' was quite delightful as a group of children played an a faulty area of the town where glitches in the Matrix enabled them to do amazing things.
The styles of animation may have been highly varied but it was all of a high quality as was the voice work. I suspect it would be less enjoyable if one hadn't first seen 'The Matrix' although 'The Second Renaissance' serves to explain the origins of the Matrix in a way that adds nicely to the original and 'Last Flight of the Osiris' is a fine introduction to the events seen in the final two parts of the trilogy.