"The Animatrix" Matriculated (TV Episode 2003) Poster

(TV Series)

(2003)

User Reviews

Review this title
14 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
7/10
Out there
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews12 April 2009
The ninth and final Animatrix short, as well as the longest, running at about 16 minutes. This is the most surreal of them all, with downright psychedelic images. The animation is amazing, well-done 2D Animé with well-integrated and utterly stunning 3D CGI elements. One can tell that this was done by Peter Chung(directed as well as written), the man who brought the world Aeon Flux(the television series, *not* the movie). With a brief philosophical debate making up nearly all of the dialog in this, this also has food for thought, including some in the basic idea of it, in which there is great irony. The sound and visuals are impeccably well-done. I could imagine many not enjoying this on account of how weird it is(not to say that anyone who doesn't care for this has that particular reason for it), it definitely is not for everyone. There is a making of on this, as with all the others(albeit in a couple of cases, two share one), on the DVD, and it is an interesting watch at almost seven minutes. There are various disturbing things here, and it will be up to the individual viewer to decide what is and what isn't, really. I recommend this to fans of the Matrix universe, trippy, off-beat and imaginative efforts and/or science fiction. 7/10
5 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
style and substance dance but struggle to couple on the outskirts of the matrix world
willsgb22 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Matriculated is a decent effort that attempts a lot and only partially pulls it off, but contains intriguing elements and discussion; it features a lady on an island in the real world who waits by a fire by the sea, attracting the attention of 2 'runner' machines. a chase through a cyberpunk post-apocalyptic vision of the wasteland of the machines' world leads the runners to a setup where a few tests lie in wait. both are taken down but the smarter one takes a human friendly machine - their lights are colour coded accordingly, the familiar red for the runners, green for the friendly robot - down before the lady re-emerges with an energy gun from the films to take it out. a short conversation with a scientist ensues regarding the nature of reality and subjective perception and the conversion of machines to friendliness and helpfulness to humans as opposed to simply reprogramming their AI as necessary, and then all but the scientist are plugged into a simulation along with the smart machine which has been repaired.

a small monkey lives with them and is also plugged in, which suggests some animals survive, or are used as batteries by the machines too; it doesn't seem to serve any other purpose but that's nothing compared to the simulation they're jacked into. director Peter Chung, of Aeon Flux fame, presents to us a severely drug induced psychedelic montage of colourful and bizarre images and interactions that make no real sense other then to, eventually, lead to the machine being stripped of its calculating logic and malignant desires toward humans and then saved from them in an act of solidarity later on, which persuades it to become friendly toward humans. i imagine it's great fun to watch if you're on drugs. sober as a judge it's an interesting visual journey but also, i feel, an unnecessarily abstract one.

anyway as we see earlier one of the runners - presumably the smarter one - dropped a number 2 while chasing the girl into the human compound and that little number was in fact a warning beacon, which attracts a bunch of sentinels and other robots. just as the smart runner is converted into a friendly, those reinforcements arrive and the compound is attacked. the other friendly robots are activated and the malicious and beneficial machines and humans fight it out; basically they all die or get destroyed. one machine remains, which carries the girl away after hurting her as she pleaded with the newly converted runner to help her, having been the final straw that broke the runner's anti-human desire. it snaps out of it and attacks the machine, having watched the rest of the battle unfolding previously. it then plugs itself and the girl back into the simulation.

the girl seems terrified when it sees the runner's residual self image, and fades away. it isn't clear if she died then, thought it was the matrix, thought the machine was trying to hurt her or what, but it's very a King Kong moment. the runner then waits by the fire by the sea. it's a tragic conclusion that did inspire sympathy for the runner in me, as well as for the girl and the scientist and the other humans on the island; they were simply trying to survive, and in addition reason with and make friends with machines, first steps in a possible plan for peace with the machine collective. it all ends in tragedy and death and the latest converted machine, having been shown human compassion and made friendly, has been left alone after the attack killed the humans and the friendly machines, and the little monkey. even the unfriendly machines were destroyed, leaving this lone runner yearning for purpose. bleak, full of discussion and in-keeping with the atmosphere of the films and the other Animatrix titles.

a few other interesting aspects are the monkey's presence, suggesting other animal life having survived in some capacity at least - i've always entertained hopes that there were perhaps a few places on the matrix Earth of the future untouched by operation dark storm or by the machines, havens where flora and fauna still thrived and survived, a small flame of hope kindled slightly by Smith's contempt for man in his interrogation of Morpheus in the first film highlighted by his unfavourable comparison of man with other animals - the anti-matrix that the people use on the runner to convert it, taking the concept of the matrix simulation and turning it on its head by using it to placate a machine rather then pull the wool over the eyes of an enslaved human, promoting discussion on the rather blurred line between the two and how it seems to come down to intention and result, and finally the presence of a compound of humans on the surface, suggesting Zion isn't the only stronghold of people left, even though this particular compound is wiped out.

it's the final Animatrix on the DVD of the nine in the Ultimate Matrix Collection and it is a quite bleak and tragic conclusion to series, that all the same contains philosophy and dialogue and ideas that promote hope and positive development. it ventures into realms of abstraction and vivid, visceral imagery that seems somewhat excessive and pointless at times as well as that seemingly careless luring of the runners into the compound - one runner calling for reinforcements which of course leads to their downfall - but the style and the substance are there, they just don't seem to overlap much. still, it's a worthy piece in the matrix universe and well worth a watch.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Interesting twist
briancham199415 June 2020
This short film has an interesting twist on the Matrix universe, which is that of converting a machine by putting it into its own matrix. There are a lot of surreal and pretty sights in this world. I liked the weird designs of the robots as well.
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
A tale of betrayal (spoilers)
delenda_7723 May 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I disagree with the interpretations I have read so far of this story. Though the facts might have been right I believe in another meaning of the ending. What the author was trying to show was that the machine also had "feelings", these were of love, and lust for the girl. Initially the girl, in order to convert it in the weird Matrix simulation, shows she cares for him, and accepts his advances. However later we have the attack of the machines, and the girl asks for the "converted machine's" help, the machine saves her. It thinks she loves him too, at least in its humanoid matrix form. So it plugs her back. Her reaction of horror and terror when she wakes up in the matrix simulation and sees the machine confuse it. She dies of fear and disgust even.

The final scene of the converted robot staring out on the beach is the saddest in the series, the machine was fooled into believing it could be cared for and loved by a human, seen as an equal, but it was only being used, no matter how intelligent (quote from the short "they are only meant to serve"), and it was fooled into believing it could be otherwise. This is essentially the lesson which the machines had learned the hard way, when they initially rebelled against the humans, no matter how hard they tried they were never accepted. Thus the war. This "runner" learned the human capacity for sheer manipulation the hard way.
21 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Strange, but entertaining
rbverhoef25 October 2003
This is the seventh part of 'The Animatrix', a collection of animated short movies that tell us a little more about the world of 'The Matrix'. In this one a group of people catch a machine and want to let him fight on the side of men. They want the machine to do that out of free will with a specially designed program.

The animation is colorful and very alive and that also makes it a little strange. Still very nice.
2 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
I need a remake of this
mickeythechamp31 March 2024
Once again, a concept that needed more emphasis on it.

Matriculated might be one of the most interesting shorts in terms of its concept, the idea and ethics of Matrixing the machines back. Sadly, it is swallowed up by an emphasis on making trippy animation and to me that is such a shame! Having an allegorical dive into a machines head and thoughts is such a good idea and the entire ethical debate the short sets up are so interesting but just don´t have the time to explore it. This could have been the greatest short but sadly feel so short. Still enjoyable though and the potential itself raises the short above so many others.

A team of human's trap robots and try to convert them to be on the human side, by making a Matrix experience for them.

The entire idea and concept it what make this short so great. The ethical question of the Matrix is questioned so well here. The humans are split in terms of taking over the machines, should they just be hacked? Do they have feelings and free will? Should we let them choose to join the humans or just take them over? The entire "we are not them" debate is incredible here, especially with the ending in mind. The entire idea of going into the mind of a machine to make them more human is very abstract and I like that. The human experience is different from the machine and making it more focused on emotional experience really elevates the concept.

Sadly, there is not enough emphasis on the concept. It is drowned by trying to make abstract animation and even that aspect is not looking too great here in my opinion. I don´t know if I liked the blend of 2 and 3D animation and it´s sad to have such a great concept being overshadowed by a team, clearly emphasizing their focus on the animation.

I liked the underlying theme of trauma, even after learning to bond, sometimes trauma affects us in situation they shouldn't, and this make aspects like the ending work so incredibly well.

This short could have been the greatest but ends up having it´s priorities mixed up. It has so many philosophical and great concepts that are just put to the side for mediocre animation and trippy ideas. I need a remake of this.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Gorgeous!
teleomorph22 November 2006
I'm stunned by the previous review. I thought the CG animations at the end were exquisite. My favorite of the 9 by far (well, 'Beyond' was also beautiful). Sophisticated, breathtaking and very trippy. And all on top really deep concepts:

Scientist: "How do they know that the real world isn't just another simulation? How do you?"

Alexa: "I know I'm not dreaming now because I know what it's like being in a dream."

Scientist: "So dreaming lets you know that reality exists."

Alexa: "No - only that my mind exists. I'm not sure about anything else."
13 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Inside the looking glass, peering out.
stevenleadbetter16 July 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers Ahead.

Peter Chung, creator of the cult anime 'Aeon Flux' came late to the Animatrix series and directed probably what is the most philosophical, demanding and difficult pieces of animation in the series.

Chung takes the Matrix philosophy and turns it on it's head. Instead of humans being enveloped, without their knowledge, in an imagined world invented by the machines, this small band of humans have developed their own form of coersion.

Inviting danger to them, they tempt machines to their barren hideaway in the middle of nowhere on the surface of the earth and then 'turn' the machines into human empathising beings through a complex and deliberate use of the Matrix itself.

They 'teach' the machines what it is like to be human. They show compassion, love, fear and a host of other emotions until the machine 'gets it'. At the point which the machines begin to truly understand human feelings, they immediately switch their allegiance to the humans and fight tooth and nail to protect them, seeing them as one of their own. The humans have provided the machines with a spirit, if you like, and the machines grab this new experience, unwary of the real consequences of what they are feeling.

This is an effective tool for the humans. as they have machine allegiances that can protect them. The machines, after having gone through the process, view themselves as human and it is now natural of them to have protective feelings towards the human group that 'turned' them.

If this was the other way around, it may be called brainwashing, though in this scenario, brain-cleaning might be a better term. You can honestly empathise with the feelings of confusion and helplessness felt by the machine during the 'turning' process. You don't feel sorry for the machine as it is being 'educated' but you do wish for a happy outcome for it.

The film is highly psychedelic and takes this course in order to confuse the machine, by placing it in a completely alien world where it has no control and where the laws of mathematics and physics (which all machines live by, obviously) do not apply.

This is all part of the psychological brain ripping needed to transform the machine from an unfeeling intelligence into a being that understands what it is all about to be alive.

Many questions are asked in this picture. Does this make the humans as bad as the machines, in their attempts to fool their enemies into compliance? Does this prove that the humans have actually learnt nothing from their horrifying experiences with the machines? It was after all, their responsibility that the machines overthrew them in the first place.

Does this action by the machines and the same actions by man on machine have the same meaning? It takes the concept of Artificial Intelligence to it's conclusion by turning the whole thing full circle and looking at it from an entirely new perspective and asks if it is right to do it.

An excellent story, combined with outstanding special effects, this film truly makes you stop and think about the actions of both human and machine in the Matrix universe and it's consequences on the real world.

Highly recommended for the Matrix fan in mind.
13 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Steps past surreal to psychedelic
Polaris_DiB30 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Whereas the rest of the Animatrix shorts attempt an animated realism or an animated surrealism, this one is going full-fledged psychedelic. A resistance group attempts to re-program robots to join their side, basically (as I can understand it) by seducing them in a program of their creation. Somehow this is supposed to tie into choice and discussions of slavery and will, but really it's more like an attempt to see brightly colored naked figures run through phantasmagoric flowing light. It's story would be kind of sad if it wasn't for the fact that it's pretty much nonsensical. I can't even tell if its set during the primary narrative of the Matrix trilogy or if it's set before (the robot designs are different). Instead, just sit back and enjoy the visuals. It's kind of hard not to.

--PolarisDiB
2 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Matrixed
CuriosityKilledShawn18 February 2012
In this rather depressing Animatrix short, from Aeon Flux director Peter Chung, a group of humans living on the Earth's ravaged surface experiment with robots. The capture a 'living' sentinel and plug into the Matrix where they proceed to trick it into believing that it is human through a series of bizarre scenes and imagery.

The look of the animation is very much in the style of Aeon Flux, so fans of that show will get a kick out of it. The humans don't have much character though, which helps focus on the 'de-robotizing' theme on the captured sentinel. It's an interesting concept that I wish could have been explored a bit more with a follow-up. I guess it will have to live in ambiguity.
4 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
One too many perhaps?
Horst_In_Translation14 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Matriculated" is the last segment from the "Animatrix" movie. It is the longest or among the two longest in terms of runtime at roughly 15 minutes and in my opinion, unfortunately, it is also the worst. With one or two exceptions I fail to see any Matrix references here anymore. I wish writer and director Peter Chung could have stayed a bit closer to the Wachowski movie. Also, it's not real anime anymore, but that is somehow not surprising looking at Chung's body of work. An Asian name may not be enough. Then again, the "anim" in Animatrix can also stand for animation. However, the style is not the problem. the problem is that there's no really fascinating story in here as there is in some of the other segments. I was a bit disappointed with this one as I hoped they could go out on a high note. Sadly, they did not. Not recommended.
2 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
3/10
Another waste
TheOtherFool4 August 2004
Somehow the Animatrix shorts with the most interesting premises have the worst outcome. Matriculated is the worst of the bunch (although it's a close call with Program), as it takes a great idea (showing the machines the beauty of mankind by plugging them in) and turns it into the worst experience of the 9.

As I said, the story begins promising and interesting, but ends with a long, long, long sequence of 'weird' images, a cross between the famous scenes from 2001 and VGA-rain (who can remember it), but not as interesting as neither of them.

Too bad as the Animatrix wasn't great to begin with. Add the fact that Revolutions as well as Reloaded were a huge disappointment... who knew it would end this way 5 years ago when we were all in awe of The Matrix... don't you hate sad endings? 3/10.
6 out of 35 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Booring . . .
jack_o_hasanov_imdb19 December 2021
Although it was the longest part, this was the weakest part in my opinion. I got bored while watching it. Maybe it was a very good episode, I don't get it. I do not know. It was very boring to me.
1 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
The least of the Animatrix series
bob the moo10 April 2004
On the edge of a human colony, two `runners' surface from the sea and plan a homing device to call the sentinels to attack. As the sentinels approach, the runners are drawn into a trap by the human guards.

Part of the series of animations making up the Matrix companion piece `The Animatrix', I saw this as a stand alone piece recently at a festival of shorts and animations and it displayed a problem that I noticed in some of the other shorts that I had seen on other days - that of fitting in with the matrix. In this short, the humans capture a robot as part of trying to convert them to join them and fight against the other machines. However in the Matrix itself we never see this side of the story. While I'm open to the idea that this was set many years before the films, in a more advanced time than the Zion we see, it still should have really done more to fit in.

Given that it doesn't, it matters more whether the short works or not. The plot goes all a bit funny as they try and trick the robot and it clearly is going for style instead of substance. In terms of leaving out substance it does it very well - producing a film that doesn't do very well in regards logic and engaging plotting. In terms of style it only does so-so. It is good at the start and end but in the program it just seems to be as many colours as it can get rather than a style that is clever or stimulating.

Overall this was the least of the shorts for my money. It has an interesting idea at the end that isn't delivered very well, thus fitting it in well with the rest of the short that never really interested me in the slightest. It doesn't fit with the incarnation of the matrix as we know it from the films and it didn't impress me with it's style or substance. The animation is good but that is not enough by itself - which it sadly was.
2 out of 26 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed