Blu-ray Movie Reviews

" The Ultimate Matrix Collection" features all three films in the trilogy together for the first time ever with newly remastered picture and sound. Also included is the companion piece "The Matrix Revisited" and the best-selling "The Animatrix", plus brand-new supplemental materials that encompass every aspect of the "Matrix" universe.

One of the most groundbreaking sci-fi trilogies of all time finally finds its way to Blu. While there are mixed opinions on the follow ups to the original classic, I am a huge fan of the trilogy as a whole and am overjoyed to finally see it on the Blu-ray format. This ultimate collection features all three films including the update look of the first one plus The Animatrix, which is a compilation of anime works from several directors that gives a back story on the world of the Matrix along with some precursor events to the sequel. Despite having seen these films several times each they just never seem to get old with me.

Warner appears to have recycled the HD transfers done for the original HD DVD release with the exception of The Animatrix, which features a new HD transfer as opposed to the original SD version included in that set. For the most part these are excellent HD presentations but they give up that finest level of detail in most medium shots that the best on Blu-ray display. Fine object detail in close ups is excellent but medium shots tend to look slightly softer which makes for an inconsistent experience at times. Dimensionality is strong throughout the films and depth of image is outstanding. These films have always had a strong stylistic color palette and I loved the strong contrast ratios, deep blacks and superb color rendition. The Animatrix does suffer from some slight banding at times and I even saw some mild blocking on occasion but the improvements from the SD presentation is quite obvious and a nice step up for fans of the short films. Overall this is still a spectacular looking set, but I think detail overall could be improved from time to time.

All of the films in this set feature Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtracks and these remain some of the best sounding films to date. Sound design is spectacular in every chapter and the level of spatial design and dynamics is staggering. Infrasonic response is incredible with deep, deep extension in bass that had my walls and wife complaining more often than I’d like. Panning effects in the surround channels lend to a perfectly seamless soundstage that puts you right in the action with pin point placement of discrete effects. Honestly, reference soundtracks just don’t get much better than these.

This set is one of the most exhaustive special editions to hit the Blu-ray format yet. Each film features multiple commentary tracks from cast and crew along with a staggering amount of production features and picture-in-picture interviews and insight into the films. The first film is also available as a digital copy for portable devices. Then there is a 2-disc databank that goes into exhaustive detail on the creation of these films from the philosophy behind the films to the creation of the ground breaking special effects. Everything you could possibly want to know about these films and their universe is covered in great detail in multiple documentaries. You also get all the trailers, music videos and TV spots associated with the films. You could spend days going through all these extras.

Warner has done a terrific job with this boxset and continues to shine as one of the leaders of special editions. Any fan of this series will be more than satisfied with the level of extras provided and the A/V presentations are outstanding with reference audio presentations that truly showcase the best of the format. No collection should be without this set.