THE ULTIMATE MATRIX

Well, you already have the special edition Gold and Platinum Collection DVDs of all three MATRIX movies, including the REVISITED extras discs, plus the ANIMATRIX anime anthology, and you've even downloaded a bunch of stuff from the internet. Why should you buy this ten disc box set? What enticements could this pretty box possibly hold for you, aside from yet another trophy for the "serious collector" to file away? Surprisingly, the answer is "quite a few". No - before you ask the Wachowski Brothers haven't come out from behind their velvet curtain to provide commentraks for their trilogy. In the text introduction that appears both on the first disc and in the set's booklet, the brothers explain that they've noted that every time they start to talk about their work, others tend to stop talking, as if their words preclude discussion. This is entirely contrary to their motivations in making these films. Their purpose was to prove that action flicks didn't have to be mindless, that the sci-fi action genre could be used to expand your thinking instead of just serve as a means of escape.

So what they've done is something almost as nervy and unusual as their original concept: two commentraks for each film in the trilogy that purposely offered opposing views. One track is provided by honored philosophers Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilbur (Google these cats to dig what they're up to), who are big fans of the films, and another is provided by critics Todd McCarthy (Variety), John Powers (Vogue) and David Thomson (New York Times), who are decidedly not fans. The idea is not to be divisive, but to keep discussion open. After all, if you want commentary from the cast all of whom have expressed repeatedly how much they enjoyed their work you've already heard it on previous editions.

Despite the buildup, the Critics can't really come up with much very negative to say, and are actually quite complimentary throughout, especially on their first track, though predictably, they feel more sure of themselves as the trilogy unfolds. Sure, they pick out some nits that could easily be explained by any fan, stretch a few points in attempts to make tiny plot holes into caverns, and have no patience for anything too complicated to be easily taken in. They just don't seem to get it, complaining that the first film was brilliant because they understood it easily and could talk about it easily, but complaining that the sequels narrowed the themes, while the complete opposite is true (translation: "you're stupid because I don't understand you"). But they're not even as close to as mean to the movies as they could be, and worse, they're boring to listen to. It's not that they don't bring up some valid points (feel free to check out my own individual reviews elsewhere look under 'M'), but the trio of critics come off as such killjoys that the tendency is to dismiss them. Warner Bros. would have done much better by hiring Crow and Tom Servo from MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 to make wisecracks.

The philosophers both seem a lot smarter than the tweedy critics, and also a lot more fun to be with, which probably should be obvious. After all, when you go to an action movie, it's a lot more fun to go with folks that enjoy action movies than to go with some sourpuss that will surely piss in the punch. But beyond that, it's a real hoot to hear these two learned gentlemen appreciate the simple rush of a good fight scene, then riff deep into all sorts of philosophical touchstones and iconography that's way over my head.

To the credit of all three films, both teams tend to clam up anytime anything cool starts to go down. And with these three films, that happens often. But when the critics get quiet, you're relieved, and when the philosophers disappear, they're missed. Though the Wachowskis say they'd have given us several more tracks with different viewpoints, the philosophers so overpower the critics that it can't help but feel like a set-up. Whatever the result, it's an interesting experiment, and a gutsy move for the WB to take with such a pricey project.

What other new goodies are buried in the Green Box that you may not have seen before? Well, THE MATRIX is given a sharper new transfer not possible even a couple years ago. There's the set's graphics, which goes beyond the pretty Green Box to feature production art and images throughout. Disc 2 has 41 audio tracks nearly three hours worth of obscure electronica that the Wachowskis picked out as their personal Matrix mix disc. There's all the video segments filmed for the Matrix console games. Then there's the entire 5^th volume three discs of Matrixiana. One disc has two documentaries that further explore the philosophical roots of the trilogy and the technological speculations it puts forth. The second disc is entitled "Burly Man Chronicles", a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes. The third disc is called "Zion Archive", a library of galleries, music videos, trailers, etc. Some of this stuff may have appeared on previous DVDs forgive me if I can't catalogue every clip - but even if they are, they're organized better here.

The entire ten disc set is packaged in a shiny box, beautifully decorated with the Matrix Code package, and only takes up as much room as four regular DVD keepcases. Sweet. THE ULTIMATE MATRIX also comes in a limited edition collector's set that includes a little bust of Keanu and a book, all housed in some sort of Plexiglas tower. But are you really geek enough to display something like that in your home? Yeah, I'm talking to you there in the Star Fleet uniform.

Surely, even the standard edition is beyond even a lot of fans of these movies, who are already more than satisfied with the VHS tapes they copied off of cable. But then, choice seems to be a recurring theme in the MATRIX, and as the Wachowskis put it in their intro, "...we ask the curious to make up their own damn mind."