Plot: What’s it about?
The steam pipes buried under New York City have been around for a long time and of course, that means some of them are in need of repairs, if not replacements. In fact, some pipes even burst and cause massive damage, in terms of monetary, property, and in some cases, even lives are lost in these accidents. In these cases, teams tear up the streets and fix what they can, all the while stopping traffic and such, all at great expense. In an effort to decrease accidents and increase efficiency in the pipe systems, Honeybee Robotics has been called in to create a specialized robot to overhaul the system, from underground. This kind of robot has never been made before and will be a long, arduous project, but if anyone could do it, Honeybee Robotics is that firm. The project is named W.I.S.O.R. and a team of skilled engineers works around the clock, for months and months, trying to iron out the various issues. As the time passes and the project falls a thousand hours behind schedule, the workers begin to discuss all sorts of topics, but never lose sight of their goal, even as arguments and doubts set in…
I like to watch documentary features, but W.I.S.O.R. seemed to be even more interesting than most, due to the complex nature of the circumstances. A lot of documentaries deal with real people and issues, but W.I.S.O.R. traces a need back to the very source, as well as looking at the solution as it is being created. We’re taken back to the start of New York City’s underground steam pipes, as well as the gradual success of the system and of course, how it has started to break down and is in need of serious attention. So as time passes, the pressure builds on the team behind W.I.S.O.R., because the pipes continue to explode and cause more damage. The frustration from the team members is obvious here, from the small setbacks to the total failures, but they always stick with the program, never once turning back even for a second. It is very cool to see them in such trying times, as they really push themselves, as well as each other. I liked this piece a lot and while the subject of a robotic welder might seem dull, that simply isn’t the case with this one. I recommend this release to all those interested, as it contains a lot of insight, but is also quite entertaining.
Video: How does it look?
W.I.S.O.R. is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. This is look about as good as can be expected, given the documentary nature of the feature. It lacks the shine of a typical film of course, but still looks terrific here, much better than expected. I saw no compression errors and the print used looks clean, which gets us off on the right foot, to be sure. The colors look natural, flesh tones are correct, and contrast is smooth as silk throughout. Some small flaws do surface, but nothing you don’t see in all documentaries, so I see no need to raise much of a fuss. In the end, this is a more than adequate visual effort, very solid work from Docurama.
Audio: How does it sound?
A basic stereo option is used, which proves to be more than enough, given the limited audio needs of this material. The track seems clean and clear, free from any real issues to bring down the experience. The nature of the feature means that some dialogue is hard to hear, but this is excusable, as this is a documentary film, not a normal picture. The sound effects are on the mark, while dialogue is crisp and sounds as good as possible. This is by no means a reference level audio effort, but this is as good as W.I.S.O.R. can sound, I think.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes filmmaker Michel Negroponte’s filmography, some detailed robot photos, and a brief interview with artificial intelligence pioneer Marvin Minsky.
