Final Flight of the Osiris (2003)

How sad is this?

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

This is one of several animated short films that are based on the Wachowskis' "Matrix" movie. The director actually worked on special effects for several very famous films such as "Titanic". However, I have to say neither the characters nor the action made this really look like it belongs to the series except the fight in the first 2-3 minutes maybe. This fight sequence also includes the shot of the Asisn girl of which we only see one eye that was used for the Animatrix cover. This lack of Matrix connection is not necessarily a criticism on these 10 minutes as the animation is fine and the story isn't too bad either. The action didn't do a whole lot for me though, so i wouldn't recommend it. but then again, I am not a great Matrix fan anyway, at least this is a common denominator.

Awing the world with the graphics of SPIRITS WITHIN, OSIRIS bycomparison is a step back, or rather, it really is a job done on theside as all energy was being poured into FF. The clunkymovements of the characters, especially noticeable in the openingsimulation scene, are subpar those of the 2001 box-office flop.SPOILER: The actual sequences inside the Matrix involve anextended jump, flat jogging, and a casual conversation with an oldlady who decided for once that she should not turn into an Agentand stop Jue from informing Zionites about the attack of theSentinels. Maybe Jue wasn't such a hot face among the Agent'smost wanted list. Maybe it's a big PLOT HOLE. But, there ismouthfuls of butt, and that alone must make OSIRIS the topfavorite of pseudo fans of the Matrix.

The Final Flight of the Osiris is referenced in "The Matrix: Reloaded" although only briefly. That makes it one of the two short movies in the Animatrix which are, the other being the incredible "Kid's Story" which actually gives that annoying sidekick from Reloaded an amazing new dimension that I had never expected.Back to Osiris. The movie starts with some nice training fight sequence that seems to be the Wachowski's wet dream: Kung Fu + Anime + Eroticism. Seriously, I felt slightly disconcerted at enjoying the sexiness of it all. I suppose they wanted to make a point: Computer generated animation can be sexy. They made their point a little too well for my liking. Anyway, after the strip-fight, the story begins, but to be honest, the fight took up so much of the time of this short that the rest seems oddly rushed through. Of all the shorts, this is the one that felt like it simply wasn't meant to be short, and had to be rushed too much for its own good. It's about sentinels, the discovery of the premise of Reloaded (Zion is threatened) and a desperate attempt to save the world, martyr-style.Visually, it is stunning throughout. This left Final Fantasy (made by the same people) out in the cold, it looked so much better, especially the skins of the main protagonists. If being able to photorender people was sufficient to make a movie for humans, we'd be nearly there. Unfortunately, the animation of the mouths when talking is still not quite perfect, but everything else nearly is. But it's all style and little substance. That's why this is definitely not my favourite short, although it is very interesting to watch.7/10

Some SpoilersI stayed up 'till about 1 a.m., after "The Matrix," to see this. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't think the animation, voices or action was all that great. It's essentially an eight-minute-long advertising campaign for the upcoming movies, and the beginning "fight" sequence is about five minutes of sensual fighting that doesn't fit into something like "The Matrix" at all. Fighting, yes. But the entire scene keeps leading to them shredding their clothes off in the sword fight. Please.I don't know why, but I expected something clever from this. I thought it was going to be a half hour long at least, and be a bit of a prequel to "The Matrix." But it's just a long commercial, kinda like BMW's with Clive Owen. Only one difference: BMW knows how to both advertise and entertain at the same time. "The Animatrix," apparently, does not.When the credits rolled, I felt cheated. Let's re-cap, shall we? One five-minute-long sensual fight, leading to an attack on the ship, "The Osiris." This beginning sequence is basically one long advertising scheme, and the whole Countdown to Nudity was something teenage boys would come up with.After that a woman from The Osiris goes into The Matrix to deliver a package. This takes up about two minutes, and while it is the most visually enchanting scene in the commercial - err, film - it feels rushed. After she delivers the package, the ship is destroyed (in another rushed sequence) and she is killed inside The Matrix, plopping dead on the street. Booooring.At least the Wachowski Brothers realized this doesn't fit into an entire movie, but I really wanted a prequel to "The Matrix." How about a look at the man who freed Morpheus from The Matrix; the man who was the first to realize The Matrix was a computer-generated illusion?Or what about showing some of Morpheus' adventures with Trinity before Neo came into the picture? I suppose because the actors wouldn't lend their voices - but then again, I'm kind of surprised they wouldn't, seeing how it would be a continuation of their characters.I hate to be a damper on everyone's fun, but an eight-minute-rip-off of "The Matrix" with so-so animation just isn't my piece of cake.Worth seeing if there's nothing else on.2/5 stars -John Ulmer