Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Perception: Our day-in, day-out world is real. Reality: That world is a hoax, an elaborate deception spun by all-powerful machines of artificial intelligence that control us. Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne lead the fight to free humankind in the see-and-see-again cyberthriller written and directed by the Wachowski brothers.

Has it already been a decade since this one hit the big screen? I can’t believe it has been that long! There is no denying the impact this film had on cinema. Whether it’s story, visuals or style, The Matrix has been one of the most profound pieces of science fiction cinema ever. Warner has already released this one before in the trilogy set on Blu-ray but now fans can have just the original by itself.

The presentation is identical to the previous Blu-ray release, which is excellent. This film uses the newer print of the film which included a complete re-do in color grading so that it matches the follow up films. This provided a cleaner look with more obvious stylings and color. The transfer is rich in detail and boasts incredible contrast and black levels. I love the dimensionality and depth and this film is just as striking visually today as it was a decade ago.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix is a sonic assault with spectacular sound design. This film does a great job with the surround paradigm and offers a rich sonic atmosphere with outstanding panning and directional effects littered throughout. Dynamic range is of reference quality and low bass extension is incredible. This is still a great film for demonstration material!

Warner gives this one the digi-book treatment and includes cast and crew profiles along with a written introduction to the film from the directors. The pictures are interesting and so is the insight. The rest of the extras are identical to the boxset release for this film and include everything that was previously released on DVD as well. Warner has included an in-movie experience that allows you to go back and forth between the film and relevant supplements while you watch. There are also four separate audio commentaries that span a multitude of different perspectives on the film including critics, philosophers, the cast and crew and the composer. You also get a feature length documentary on the film including a look at its popularity and production. There are tons of production features that dissect every facet of this film and its soundtrack. You can even check out all of the film’s music individually. A digital copy is also included.

If you have the Matrix Trilogy boxset I can’t think of any reason to pick this one up unless you want the digi-book aspects of the release. The A/V presentation is outstanding and I can’t imagine a more thorough special edition treatment. Highly recommended.