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Limited Edition (USA)
written by Juice / photos by Juice
The Matrix trilogy spawned a huge cult following, with it's ground-breaking visual effects and stunning ideology, it was a trilogy that was followed fanatically by many.
After several single releases of the Matrix, we collectors were anxiously awaiting a Limited Edition that we new had to be in the works. Finally, the studios released their version of a limited edition collection set.
It includes all three of the Matrix movies, 3 bonus discs per movie, the Animatrix, and 3 more bonus discs to create an even 10 DVDs in this set. Presented in a clear acrylic case housing a bust of Neo, many collectors were a tad disappointed, especially since they'd seen the press LE "briefcase" that is still available on eBay from time to time.
Let's take a closer look at this Ultimate Matrix Collection - Limited Edition and see if it belongs on our shelves!
Kudos for the presentation.
The case is clear throughout, the height and depth of a DVD case
standing vertical. Each "compartment" is a little less
wide than the typical width of a generic snapper. As you can see
in the images below, all sides of the case are clear, as are the
trays each DVD sit on. The "back" you can see is simply
a thick peice of paper that is stuck to the exterior and back of
the case using double-sided tape. Looking down on the
box, you can get a better view of the clear plastic "bumpers"
that Neo's bust sits in. There are two of these, one on top of his
head, and one that the base of the bust rests in. Each are specifically
molded to fit the bust snugly, stopping it from shifting during
shipping. The front of the
case opens like french doors, both doors are hinged on the sides
and swing open easily. They have a snap to them, so you'll need
to tug them gently to open the case. Keeping the set closed during
shipping are 4 clear plastic stickers that are placed on both doors
at the top and bottom. They remove easily and without any residue.
They are "contact" stickers, not glue based stickers.
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Since the case is clear, the designers opted to place the titles of the DVDs on the front of the door in white text. The DVDs themselves rest on clear plastic trays that slide out. In order to get the DVD, you simply pull the tray out, snap out the DVD, and slide the tray back in. |
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Lets switch over to the right side of the case, where the bust of Neo sits. He's packed in with a custom fitted plastic peice, one above and one below, that keeps his seated. Even from outside the case, you can see that he's very detailed and well painted. Pulling him out, the bust has a nice weight to it. It's made out of hard resin. The paint job is fantastic, and the small details are very nice. You can even see his eyes through his sunglasses. You all know that busts and toys really don't excite me, but this one is very well made and would look fantastic on a shelve with some spot lighting applied to it. |
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The base is felt, with the Matrix and Gentle Giant website urls posted on the bottom. It also states it is limited, and comes with an under 17 warning. The cables and coils are again painted well and to high detail, look closely and you can see that individual filaments are painted. Good stuff. |
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This set comes with ten DVDs, and each has their own tray which they rest on. I've shown them here with their tray, so you can get an idea of what the tray looks like when it's pulled free of the case itself. The graphic design of these DVDs are of course fantastic. The Matrix world lends itself to impressive visuals, and they pull specific and wonderful visuals for the covers of these DVDs. My personal favourite cover is on "The Burly Man Chronicles" DVD. It has a behind the scenes shot of Morpheus that is very stylish. |
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The 80 page booklet is interesting. Although it is full of stills and shots taken from the movies, it is really just a scene index that covers all 10 discs. The last few pages give us some factoids about the trilogy, but other than that, it's simply pictures with scene indexs and production information directly related to each DVD. The quality of the booklet itself is good, thick, nice paper stock that printed with a holographic image of the Matrix code is very cool looking. The interior is printed on a nice glossy stock as well. Be careful when opening the book wide, the glue binding can split. |
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Way to go R1! Although not spectacular, it's another nice bust LE. It reminds me a great deal of the Hellboy LE bust, except that this time they decided to spend some extra time with the case that the set came in. Good job!
- Juice's Verdict -
- Build
Quality: 8.5 -
I love acrylic, but we all know it attracts scuffs and scratches.
The hinges are built well, the trays slide well and are functionaly, and
the bust is very nice. As I said on the Hellboy review, "solid, heavy,
detailed, and well painted, it shines in this set.".
- Content
and Extras: 8 -
Only 2 extras, Neo's bust and the 80 page booklet, but the bust
is a great extra to have.
- Overall
Rating: 8 -
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