The Second Renaissance, Part 1

And so it begins.Nine animated short films from various directors, eachwith the aim of adding layers to the mythology of The Matrix trilogy onthe eve of The Matrix Reloaded’s release this Summer.

The Second Renaissance: Part 1 is a prequel to The Matrix that shedslight on exactly how humanity became enslaved by robot overlords andplaced inside the virtual-reality world of ‘The Matrix’. The style ofthe short is of traditionally drawn 2D anime, replete with cutesy robotsand bug-eyed Japanese people. The short also looks to have been aided bycomputer graphics in some sequences (as with TV’s Futurama or The IronGiant).

As an opener, the animation is strong and the story moderatelyinvolving, but this is still quite a disappointment for those wanting aquick fix of what made The Matrix movie so appealing: visual dexterityand high-octane action. The Renaissance storyline is interesting, yetultimately a riff on numerous science fiction movies (most notably TheTerminator), mixed with elements of AI: Artificial Intelligence.

It doesn’t help that the download is just Part 1 of 2, meaning asatisfying conclusion is never reached. But this is still a well-madeand intriguing piece of animation that, while lacking originality andthe expected visual thrills, is still an effective enough short.

Not perhaps a great choice for a premiering episode so highlyanticipated by fans, but this should perhaps gain more plaudits onceseen together with its conclusion episode – which should be availableonline very soon.