The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance Part II

Of the Animatrix shorts, this is the third, and, obviously, of The Second Renaissance, it is the second part. After the first one(which perhaps had more to say, but that is debatable) told us the events leading up to the war, this shows just that: The stand-off between the two forces. We already know the final result, so this is not about the destination, but the journey. The depiction is very dark, bleak and apocalyptic, and it achieves what was obviously one of the things they went for: It is not a pleasant sight. The irony is bitter and arguably cruel. The story-telling is similar. The animation is nice, with a well-integrated mix of 2D and 3D. Very effective direction and choice of color schemes. This has nudity or what comes very close to it, and definitely violent and disturbing images, and is not for the faint of heart. This is controversial, just as the one before it. On the DVD, there is a making of that goes over both, and is very informative and well-done, and a commentary track, not in English but with subtitles, and it is definitely worth taking in. I recommend this to any fan of the Matrix franchise, Part I of these(watching it is a must for the experience of this one) and/or science fiction in general. 8/10

This is the third part of 'The Animatrix', a collection of animated short movies that tell us a little more about the world of 'The Matrix'. It is part 2 of 'The Second Renaissance' and this part tells us how men tried to wipe out the machines but were wiped out themselves. We see how the machines use the energy from the human bodies in their own benefit. We see what was told in 'The Matrix'. Again a little history from the world of 'The Matrix'.

There is no comparison to this short film. While it is the bloodiest and possibly has the least amount of plot, the idea and brutality of this story brings about a side of the Matrix that no one could ever have dreamed of. The eventual taking over of mankind was rather interesting, but the thing that was missing was the beginning of the human revolution and the first tests of the actual Matrix. But then again, this film did just fine without those two little plot points, considering the story moved along quite nicely. The only other question I have though is, why weren't the two stories combined for the sake of continuity?

In part 2 of The Second Renaissance the trade war between the humans and the machines which began in part 1 now escalates into a shooting war. The war scenes are excellent and shown in a frantic pace with a heavy techno beat, not unlike the one we hear during the lobby-scene in "The Matrix", along side. The movie (part 1+2) answers many of the questions you are left with after seeing "The Matrix" regarding the development from our time to the time when "The Matrix" takes place, such as who started the war, how man scorched the sky, and how the surface war between man and machine went. For anyone who wants to learn more about the whole Matrix-universe The Second Renaissance is highly recommendable and for others I can only say that the movie is highly entertaining. 9/10 May there be mercy on man and machine for their sins

In no way as strong as part one, but still has some breathtaking moments. The second renaissance part 2 has its moments and concludes what you need to know before the Matrix. It presents itself with great action, interesting lore and a clashing art style that doesn't always work here. While this is still a good short it doesn't hold a candle to part 1 in my opinion, nevertheless you are still having a fun time.

The second half of the second renaissance explained! After the machines take over huge parts of the world, the humans plan to fight back.

What I like about this short is its explanation, to most of, why the machines are doing what they are doing in the Matrix movies. We are told a lot of interesting lore and shown how mankind was more or less their own killers from the get go. The idea that humans come up with seem smart, but it is also to show the hubris of humans by us thinking well always get the upper hand.

Like the short before it, this short has a lot of real world parallels, this time with focus on the near religiousness of war. It is a sad statement that rings true even to this day.

The animation is pretty good here but uses a lot of different styles. The previous part did that too, but here it feels more noticeable and distracting. It doesn't change some of the iconic imagery spawned from this short, such as the machine riding on the machine horse or the closing frames. Very strong visuals there

The action is pretty good here but take up too much of the short. This makes part 2 seem less impactful than part 1, and it doesn't have as much to say, sadly.

While I still like this short, it seems a bit too numbing compared to the predecessor. While it has some really strong parts, it just left me a bit more emotionless.