When it comes to additional content surrounding The Matrix, the quality is a mixed bag, to say the least. The original film broke new ground for thought-provoking sci-fi and contained a fine balance of depth and action. The sequels, along with its animated spin-off The Animatrix, relied more on flashy visuals that didn’t leave as much of an impression.
Still, there are some finer points to both of these projects, though it boils down to preference. There are elements to The Animatrix that resonate with certain fans while other are simply more interested in the mainline story which Reloaded and Revolutions focus on. With this list, we’ll try to make sense of it all as we go over the parts that make The Animatrix the better supporting Matrix story, as well as elements which the live-action sequels do better.
Why It’s Worse: Too Short
Obviously, the term “animated short” itself implies we’re dealing with a pretty slim runtime. Yet, it does seem that most of these stories could have been better served if they were a bit longer rather than being confined to the dozen-or-so minutes that make up each piece.
It’s difficult to tell a grandiose dystopian sci-fi tale in such short doses, which The Animatrix centers around. The creators work around this by focusing on smaller, fringe stories featuring minor characters as part of a much larger narrative. This is effective to a degree, but its narrative and emotional impact can be limited as a result.
Why It’s Better: A Variety Of Stories
The flipside of The Animatrix’s myriad of separate tales is that they all offer a fresh take on Matrix lore, while giving fans a richer perspective of the dynamics of this strange new world. You’ve got a fun diversity of material, which is distinct enough feel authentic while still tying into the overarching plot, even if it’s on a tiny level. In terms of the visuals, tone, characters, and plot, each piece does something different from one another.
Final Flight of the Osiris, Matriculated, and Kid’s Story couldn’t be more different, yet they share a unifying theme of a sci-fi version of David vs Goliath.
Why It’s Worse: Lack Of Relevancy With The Main Plot
While there are a few shorts that tie directly into the main plot of the film trilogy - Kid’s Story and The Last Reinassaince being key examples - most of these tales feel pretty inconsequential.
Don’t get us wrong; in terms of the visuals and action, most of The Animatrix shorts are exciting to watch. But on a narrative level, it’s difficult trying to care about what happens. It’s tough to get too invested in a couple of characters we never met before, such as warriors dueling in a simulation or a jaded detective who evades capture from the Agents, because they have no bearing on the main story.
Why It’s Better: More Details On The Lore And History
What The Animatrix does pull off quite well is its ability to “fill in the gaps” and paint a richer picture of the film trilogy’s backstory. This is especially true when it comes to the Renaissance and Osiris shorts. It’s also neat to see the origins of Popper in Kid’s Story, who plays a significant role in the sequels.
Taking a look at the pre-machine era of society as it spirals into a chaotic, gloomy dystopia and learning about the origins and workings of the Matrix is fascinating viewing for dedicated fans. It’s no coincidence that the Wachowskis were directly involved with these 4 shorts.
Why It’s Worse: Few Characters From The Films
Although most of the Animatrix shorts are interesting in their own right, it’s tough for die-hard Matrix fans to get invested when the characters they’ve grown to love are mostly absent.
Most of the trilogy’s prominent characters like Morpheus, Tank, Link, Cypher, Smith, and The Architect are nowhere to be found. Even the premiere protagonist, Neo, only makes a brief appearance through a blurry lens at the tail-end of one short, while Trinity shows up for a bit in A Detective Story. At least many of the new characters are well-written, but it would have been cooler to tie a few more of them into the film sequels.
Why It’s Better: Rich Artistic Design
The Animatrix plays with a combination of recognizable and innovative styles, ranging from anime in Program to hand-drawn sketches in Kid’s Story to a grainy black and white film noir for A Detective’s Story.
While the original Matrix certainly broke new ground with bullet time and unique cinematography, its sequels didn’t do much to expand upon this. The Animatrix, on the other hand, recaptures this ingenuity with most of its visually appealing shorts. There aren’t too many animated anthologies out there that feature such a vast array of different art styles, which makes The Animatrix more compelling and detailed than it already is.
Why It’s Worse: Lack Of A Centralized Focus
With a total of 9 distinct shorts, most of which feature self-contained stories, watching this entire anthology can feel somewhat disjointed and sporadic. While the narratives usually make it clear that these mostly take place in between the original film and the sequels, there’s no clear chronology that links most of the pieces to each other.
The unique aesthetics and settings help keep the experience fresh, yet they sometimes feel so separate from one another that they feel like they belong in different film/show universes altogether.
Why It’s Better: Terrific Performances
Ask a Matrix fan what they like most about the films and you’ll almost never get the response “The acting!” Even in the more beloved original film, the acting was… questionable at best. At the very least, there was a prominent lack of emotion or expression throughout the mainline trilogy.
This anthology of animations, on the other hand, contains some impressively well-acted performances, especially in Program, World Record, and Kid’s Story. These particular shorts rely on emotional depth for much of their intrigue, which the versatility in the animation helps convey.
Why It’s Worse: Inferior Action Scenes
This is partly the fault of the’s animations’ short length, as there’s only so much you can do in the limited runtime. Yet, given the nearly limitless medium of animation, you’d think we’d have more enthralling action sequences in The Animatrix. Sure, there are some “edge of your seat” moments but let’s face it: the films easily outshine the anthology when it comes to dazzling action - even the sequels.
From the iconic building gunfight to the Neo-Smith faceoff to that thrilling Reloaded highway chase, these films are still the gold standard when it comes to cool, elaborate action scenes.
Why It’s Better: Freedom Allowed In Animation
It’s difficult to imagine the surreal imagery of Matriculated or the detailed visuals of The Second Renaissance in live-action. The magic of animation is that you can convey loads of rich detail and creative settings to convey an epic story. The only limit is your imagination. This is terrifically illustrated in The Animatrix.
Of course, special effects have made great strides in recent years and decades and yet , The Animatrix captivates with truly gorgeous aesthetics that draw from various influences while remaining distinct. From the lavish The Second Renaissance to the neo-noir grit of A Detective’s Story, there’s something for just about all consumers of art and entertainment to appreciate.
Next: The Matrix 4: 5 Fan Theories That Are Too Crazy To Work (& 5 That Could Actually Happen)
