The Matrix DVD > Reviews > Matrix Revisited .....

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
Soundtrack	Outstanding

Advantages:	New re - relase with all new documentary making this a must buy DVD .
Disadvantages:	Some may find the film a little slow to get going but not me .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The original Matrix DVD was the title that almost single-handedly brought DVD into the mainstream. Now re-released in a special Collectors edition and coupled with another excellent disc, containing "The Matrix Revisited" a documentary charting the production of the first film, with many sneak previews of the second and third film which are currently being filmed back to back and should see the light of day sometime later on this year.

The Matrix is the story of Thomas Anderson, a man with two lives. In the day he is Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer for a reputable software company. At night he is Neo, he doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat. He spends his time hacking, making money from illegal software and basically breaking just about every computer crime that there is a law for. Neo is searching for the answer, the to the question that has haunted him for two years; what is the matrix?

The matrix is the story of how he finds the answer and the group of rebels who help him along the way, it leads you on a journey into a future where true Artificial Intelligence has been developed. Where a war has broken out between man and the machines and the machines won. As a final last gasp attempt to win the humans blacked out the sky to remove the power supply that the machines relied upon totally, the sun. This wasn't a success and the machines found a way around it by cultivating humans and storing them in huge towers like batteries. All connected and serving them as a power source with the heat that they produce.

The machines made early tests and found that the best method of keeping the humans alive for the longest was to envelope them in a world, which they believed to be real. By using a highly advanced form of VR where the sounds, sights and smells of the 20th Century were re-produced to entertain the minds of the billions of humans unknowingly powering the machines. This world, this VR prison that unknowingly holds billions and billions of people is known as the Matrix.

Morpheus is the leader of the main rebel group of purebred real old-fashioned humans and those who have managed to escape the confines of the matrix. His sole purpose in life is to find the one who can defeat the machines and control the matrix. To do this would signal a revolution and allow the humans to escape the matrix and re-capture the planet.

The film follows the story of how Morpheus finds Neo and how he believes he is the one. The one who can save the humans. With fantastic action sequences along the way, including amazing Kung-Fu scenes, which took the actors 8 months to train for, the Matrix is an incredible experience and is definitely the best Science- Fiction film of recent times. It is an experience more than a film as the story gradually brings you in deeper into the world of the matrix as you follow Neo on his quest for knowledge and discovery.

This film would not have been anywhere near as successful without the excellent performances of Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishbourne who really do hold the film together. The interplay between them when they are in the dojo scene fighting or even just the general dialogue of the film shows a fantastic chemistry which is not common at all in science-fiction and often leads to wooden performances across the board. Brilliantly supported by Carrie-Anne Moss the acting in the matrix is of an excellent standard.

The Music in the matrix is understated but still very effective with tracks such as "Rob D - Clubbed to death" and the infamous "Rage against the machine" track, which closes the movie. The score itself is reflective of the overall atmosphere of the film with the synths representing the machines and the stringed orchestra playing the part of the humans. When the two collide so does the music producing some excellent atmospheric music that binds the film together and leads you further into the matrix.

Brilliantly directed by the Wachowski brothers on only their second film they take us on a journey to the film that they themselves would want to watch. Comic book style action and incredible attention to detail means that the hard work that they put in, in the early stages really pays off for the final product.

Other than the feature film the Matrix was the first film to really introduce all of the extra features that DVD has become so popular for. This is of course one of the main advantages that DVD has over VHS other than the general poor quality of VHS and crystal clear images of DVD the extras are what swung the balance to DVD. Included on the disc are Screenplay, Storyboard and Genre essays, and HBO first look special, Filmographies and much, much more.

On the second disc there is a documentary containing the making of the first film in fantastic detail. Over 2 hours long this documentary takes you by the hand and leads you through the development of the film right from the insanely detailed artists drawing through to the final compositing of special effects onto the film. The documentary is a must for any Matrix fan as not only do you get brilliant coverage of the making of the first film there are numerous sneaky peaks at the second and third films and you can see the actors training for the sequels in the background when others are being interviewed.

This boxed set is an excellent purchase containing the film and documentary as well as loads of extras. The film is high quality as is the documentary and this is a classic film that has defined a genre. Buy this now!