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55 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'The Matrix' reborn: a high-definition stunner, May 19, 2007
This review is from: The Ultimate Matrix Collection [HD DVD] (HD DVD)
"The Matrix" in high-definition video fulfils the prophecy of the A/V geek elders: this is audio and video of a higher order, a plunge into the future of home theater.
The video has little in common with some of the jacked-up, overly hot presentations of older films we've seen in high-def formats. The colors, though muted by design, feel lush and true to the theatrical vision. The experience is that of watching moving images on film, not television or DVD. (The series was produced "with future technology execution in mind," Warner points out.)
High-def has rarely delivered the stunning audio we heard about when the formats first hit the market, but here it is. The rear soundstage doesn't sound subordinated: when the audio engineers send a jolt to a specific, discrete speaker, the result is powerful and distinct. The percussive sounds of gunfire are unlike anything I've heard on disc or in theaters. Some soft-spoken dialogue sounded indistinct or muffled from the center channel, but given the overall quality this is likely in the original elements.
Flesh tones are true, but only on close-ups do you get that film-like definition. All that computer-land metal looks astounding; sharp with three-dimensional pop. When primary colors break through the algae-green atmospherics, they radiate but without the annoying signs of artificial boost.
"The Matrix" was the first DVD title to sell more than a million copies back in the launch era. This set probably won't be a breakthrough for high-def, but it most certainly is a milestone in quality. The set is available only in HD DVD. Blu-ray Disc versions of both collections will be released later this year.
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43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What it basically comes down to:, May 21, 2007
This review is from: The Ultimate Matrix Collection [HD DVD] (HD DVD)
Inside the case are five double sided discs; one disc for each of the films and the other two serving as a kind of data bank, with hours and hours of Matrix related info and behind the scenes footage and discussions.
Off the bat, the three movies look and sound absolutely fantastic in HD. The Matrix Trilogy is finally able to be seen as was intended. Special features on the film side of the discs are plentiful and easy to access. My personal favorite extra was the "In-Movie Experience", a nice little picture in picture supplement that plays over the length of the entire film and gives you just about everything you need to know in a nutshell concerning the making of the films.
The extras for the set are the exact same selection as the Ultimate Matrix Collection that was released on DVD a while back. All of these extras, including the Animatrix, are in standard 480p definition. If there is anything that keeps this set from being an instant purchase, it's this little detail. I really would've liked to have gotten the Animatrix shorts in HD as well but sometimes you have to take what they give you. Now, that's not to say that the Animatrix looks bad, it's just basically the exact same copy that was released before, even with the same menu screens.
If you are interested in the filmmaking process and want to know every little detail about what went into creating the Matrix films, then you might as well pick this set up because it has something like thirty-five hours of content that will keep even the most die hard Matrix enthusiast busy for days. It's the kind of package that most will not get to finish in it's entirety due to the sheer amount of content.
I'm a bit disappointed that the set isn't completely in HD (again, the choice to present the Animatrix in standard def is just mind boggling) but that's about the only complaint I have. I'm just glad that the Matrix Trilogy has made it to HD-DVD in pristine quality.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
However you feel about the Matrix Trilogy , THIS IS HOW TO MAKE A HD-DVD!, June 5, 2007
This review is from: The Ultimate Matrix Collection [HD DVD] (HD DVD)
My review is more centered on the technology on the discs and the extras and features, and less on the movies. Everyone heard of the Matrix, and I will leave you to your opinion. However, not everyone is familiar with the posibilities of the HD-DVD format. Frankly - to date the Matrix Trilogy is hands down THE BEST implementation of a movie using the HD-DVD format in my opinion. From the miniature overlay in the bottom corner of the making of WHILE YOU ARE WATCHING THE SCENES THEMSELVES IN THE MOVIE, to the amount of extras (not on extra discs thank you) they really took their time. The Video quality is noticeably sharper and cleaner than the DVD version. As a comparison - I have the Ultimate Neo Collection that comes with the Neo Bust and the 10-disc DVD Collection. This 4-DVD set has all the same material in a much more organized and easily viewable format and it is much easier to find and use the information. Even a casual viewer has to give credit to the ability to see the special effects in a mini-window during the movie - easily shut off is they do not want it.
Overall if you are a fan of the Matrix seris this is a no-brainer of a purchase. If not then I don't know what to tell you other than this might be worth the money just to be able to show-off what HD-DVD can do other than be more expensive than the original DVD sets of these movies.
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