The Best Matrix Movie Isn’t On Netflix
If you’re a fan of The Matrix, you don’t have to send out an army of squid robots trying to find your favorite films…as of this writing, all of this franchise’s live-action entries can be found on Netflix. However, in a twist that would confuse even the all-knowing Oracle, that streaming service doesn’t have the absolute best film set in the world of Neo and Trinity. The film I’m talking about is, of course, The Animatrix, the cartoon anthology film that is currently only available from Amazon via Video On Demand.
A Cinematic Buffet Of The Highest Order
What is The Animatrix about, though? In many ways, it’s about a little bit of everything: as an anthology, this movie has eight different tales set in the world of The Matrix. These stories feature different characters and animation styles, making it the equivalent of a cinematic buffet that has something for everyone.
For example, if you are interested in the deep lore of this complex franchise, you’ll likely enjoy both parts of “The Second Renaissance.” This two-parter details how the relationship between humanity and the machines deteriorated to the sad state that we see in The Matrix.
A “Neo” Noir Experience
If you like standalone stories or just enjoy the occasional bit of film noir, then your favorite Animatrix tale will likely be “A Detective Story.” It follows a hard-boiled detective who, like Neo before him, is trying to meet up with Trinity. However, he soon discovers that even the best detective in the world may be doomed when the world itself is rigged against humanity at every turn.
Expands On Lore In The Most Impressive Ways
Are you more interested in stories that help further your understanding of other Matrix media? Perhaps the most visually impressive Animatrix entry is “Final Flight of the Osiris,” a sad story detailing the last adventure of the titular ship and its crew. It’s tough to be that sad, though, when the characters are this charming and the CGI animation is this beautiful.
Plus, all of this helps to set up the events of the Enter the Matrix video game. If you’ve never played it, this was a surprisingly great bullet-time adventure that helped tide fans over until the release of the superior game The Matrix: Path of Neo.
Amazing Voice Talent All Around
As an animated anthology, part of what makes The Animatrix so great is its killer voice cast. You’ll hear familiar voices like Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss reprise their famous roles from this franchise, but the different stories are filled with other great actors arguably best known for their voice work. This includes Phil LaMarr, Tara Strong, and John DiMaggio.
An Understated Critical Hit
When The Animatrix came out direct to video, it made a big splash with critics: the film currently has a critical rating of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics generally lauding the ambitious animation and the world-class world-building. In this respect, I have to agree with the critical consensus. Not every anthology story is a winner (for example, “Kid’s Story” really bored me to death), but taken as a whole, this is an insanely impressive collection of animated adventures.
Watching The Animatrix
GFR SCORE
Now that The Matrix films may have finally come to an end, The Animatrix may very well be the best entry in this groundbreaking franchise. Considering how much anime influenced the creation of the original Matrix film, it’s only fitting that this story achieved its ultimate form via top-notch animation. Forget Keanu Reeves…this film is “the One” you’ve been looking for, but you won’t be able to stream it unless you snag it via Amazon’s Video On Demand Service.
