I was pretty harsh on Revolutions for changing the visual style of The Matrix and Reloaded, but I'm not going to say that about this. Each part had its own distinct feel, which I appreciated. But this one really expands on the history of the Matrix universe. It’s as if the creators—who were a couple back then—saw how much science fiction fans were enjoying the films and felt they needed to flesh out a backstory so that people like me would have something to discuss at the comic book shop during our weekly visits. Then, with The Animatrix, they delivered... and I'm grateful.

Source on TMDB