DVD When Richard Martin buys a robot to serve his family, no-one expects that it will slowly become much more than a household machine.
Details
When the Martin family purchase a domestic robot known simply as an NDR-114, they expect nothing more than an obedient household appliance. However, the robot - soon named Andrew by the youngest daughter, affectionately called "Little Miss" - begins to demonstrate unexpected behaviour. Small moments of curiosity and creativity suggest that Andrew may be developing something far beyond his original programming.
After accidentally breaking one of Little Miss's treasured possessions, Andrew attempts to replace it by carving a delicate wooden figure from driftwood. This act of creativity surprises the Martin family and marks the beginning of a long and extraordinary journey. As the years pass Andrew continues to evolve, discovering music, art and eventually emotions - qualities that blur the line between machine and human.
Spanning decades, the story follows Andrew as he watches generations of the Martin family grow older while he remains unchanged. Determined to be recognised as more than a machine, Andrew begins modifying his own body with increasingly human characteristics. His ultimate goal becomes acceptance by society as a real person, even if achieving that dream comes at a considerable cost.
Picture & Sound
Picture quality is generally very good, with no obvious signs of artifacting or outlining and colours that remain bright and vibrant throughout. The bit-rate is also comfortably above average - something that has pleasantly surprised this reviewer more than once recently (the excellent transfer on Mission: Impossible being another example).
The soundtrack is clean and well balanced. The surround channels are not used excessively, but this suits the gentle and reflective tone of the film. Rather than relying on aggressive effects, the mix focuses on clarity of dialogue and atmosphere, which works well for a story that is driven more by emotion than spectacle.
Menu & Extras
The extras are reasonable without being particularly extensive. The included featurette provides some behind-the-scenes material, although it does feel a little brief and ends somewhat abruptly. Still, it is a welcome addition and certainly better than the completely bare-bones treatment some films receive.
Overall
The critics were not particularly kind to Bicentennial Man, which is something of a surprise because the film has a great deal more heart than many of the big-budget productions released around the same time. While other films throw enormous sums of money at spectacle and still fall flat, this one manages to tell a thoughtful and surprisingly moving story about identity, love and what it really means to be human.
Robin Williams delivers an excellent performance as Andrew, balancing gentle humour with genuine emotional depth as the character slowly evolves over the course of two centuries. By the time the film reaches its final act it is difficult not to feel invested in his journey. It is the kind of film that quietly grows on you, leaving you with a warm feeling at the end and the realisation that the two hours have slipped by almost unnoticed.
Special features
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- Filmographies
- Isolated Music Score
- Theatrical Trailer
- Trailers for Hook and Jumanji
