Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Right now, no one’s having more fun gearing up for the release of one of this year’s films than Joel Silver, the Wachowskis, and everyone working on THE MATRIX websites. Take this letter, for example:
Hi Harry,
Just wanted to let everyone know that that Animatrix site you posted contains a link to a hidden "hack the matrix" site (kinda like easter eggs on DVDs). Just sweep you mouse over the bottom of the web page under the graphic content warning near the right hand side of the page and a hidden link will appear. Click on it and the site appears. There's a keyboard there. Hover your mouse over the keyboard and one of several codewords appears. Click on the keyboard and a new box opens saying ENTER CODE. type in the code word and you're sent to some hidden content. I didnt find anything earth shattering but it's bit of fun.
You can call me Cory849 - or just Cory. It's my name. ;-)
A much bigger display of the confidence that Silver feels right now was the press event held last week on the lot. I’m sure my invitation just got lost in the mail, since Warner Bros. is so fond of me. I’ll just have to settle for this review of the event and FINAL FLIGHT OF THE OSIRIS, the Animatrix short that was shown there. Warning... there are spoilers for the nine-minute short a-plenty, and if you want to go into the film in front of DREAMCATCHER without knowing anything, skip to the next story now...
Greetings Harry,
Longtime reader, first time contributor. Here’s the poop: A full nine minute episode of the Animatrix was screened last night at Warner Brothers and it kicked holy ass.
“The Final Flight Of The Osiris”
Written by The Wachowski Brothers and directed by Andy Jones (director of “Final Fantasy.”)
Animated by the good people at Square USA (who brought us Final Fantasy: The Screenplay Without)
The style was – as described by one of the animators in attendance – “a half-generation beyond Final Fantasy.” The people are a little more realistic. Pores, whiskers and the sexiest animated cheesecake butt we’ve yet seen.
The press release summary: “The crew of the hovercraft Osiris must get a message back to Zion, a message of vital importance. Easy to do, but for the armada of Sentinels between them and Zion”
If you don’t want spoilers, turn back now.
The segment opens with a Swordplay training simulation reminiscent of Neo’s first session in “The Matrix.” Superhuman abilities are shown as Thaddeus, the African-American captain of the Osiris and Joanne, his Asian female crewmate (and possible love interest) gradually slice each other’s clothing off during the well-choreographed fight sequence. Both wear blindfolds throughout. In a nice character touch, each sneaks a peek at the other as the clothing falls away. (You can find images of this episode in a gallery RIGHT HERE. It’s in the Mainframe section under Anime.)
The simulation is interrupted by an emergency message from the bridge of their ship. Other crewmates inform the Captain that *thousands* of Sentinels are closing in. The Osiris is pursued through tunnels like the ones seen in the live action film. These sequences are very nearly equal in visual quality. Just stunning. The Osiris even tries the same trick to hide from its pursuers. Finally, the ship is forced to take an unmapped passage and they break through to the surface of the ravaged Earth. To the crew’s dismay, the ruined megacity is literally swarming with what must be millions of Sentinels. This is definitely where CGI really shines. There’s just no other way to have these kinds of “money shots.”
The Osiris also detects a massive drilling platform that moves on mechanical legs. And what is two miles below its current position? Zion, of course. The Osiris must get word to Zion through a “drop point” in the Matrix. Joanne is loaded up for Matrix insertion and has a touching farewell moment with Thaddeus. Each admits that they peeked during the simulation. Their lips get closer... and Thaddeus completes her connection, plunging her into the Matrix. Joanne executes a gymnastic fall through the girders of a towering powerplant (in the Matrix world) while the Osiris is pursued by more Sentinels than you’ve ever seen. Crewmen activate big, fricken turret guns and pour bullets into their attackers as Sentinels swarm onto the surface of the ship. Joanne finally lands in an alley with a massive thud that jostles the dumpsters and she sets off through the streets in search of the “drop point.”
Meanwhile, the Osiris is being dismantled as it flies through the decayed city on Earth’s surface. Several Sentinels get inside and begin to take down the Osiris’ crew members. All the character touches ended with Joanne and Thaddeus’ goodbye. The most memorable line of dialog at this point comes from a cute female gunner to the attacking machines, “C’mon and get some!” She buys the farm a few moments later.
Joanne finally makes it to a mailbox where an old woman struggles to read the instructions with thick, tinted glasses. (Some new kind of Agent? Hmmm.) Joanne steps past her and drops a parcel into the slot. Inside, we see it tumble toward us in slow motion. The old woman apologizes to Joanne for getting in the way, “I was in my own little world...” Joanne snaps open her phone (slightly more advanced than the ones in the first film.) She says, “Thaddeus...”
On the Earth’s surface, Sentinels rip the ship apart and it crashes spectacularly, killing all aboard. In the Matrix world, Joanne falls to the pavement, dead. Fade out.
It’s a fun ride (okay, except for the fact that every human character dies.) And the Samsung product placement on Joanne’s phone at the end doesn’t bode well for the future of digital filmmaking. (Why do they do that? Did Samsung really kick in enough money to make it worthwhile for the filmmakers to compromise their artistic vision? Do they *really* need the free phones Samsung probably gave them? Sorry, just a pet peeve.) In all, it’s a solid contribution to the Matrix franchise. Heavy on action and thin on character, but enough wholesome Sci-Fi nutrients to meet your minimum daily requirements. You want character? Go see “The Hours.”
The good news? You can see this episode for yourselves on March 21st. It will be attached to the worldwide release of the supernatural thriller, “Dreamcatcher.” “The Animatrix” debuts on DVD/VHS on June 3rd. This episode is also said to be attached to “The Matrix Reloaded” when released.
Other Matrix vets involved: editor Zach Staenberg and musical score by Don Davis. (Other current electronica artists also contributed.)
At the event, some footage was also shown from the “Enter the Matrix” game. It looked pretty standard with “Bullet Time” effects galore. We’ve all seen enough of that, haven’t we? The game’s distinction seems to be that a lot of original footage with Jada Pinkett Smith and some of the other stars will be integrated. Also, it will be fun to kick Agent ass.
There you have it.
Sharing with the class, you may call me: Tsar
Thanks, man. Nice work.
"Moriarty" out.
