 A&E Video // Buy from Amazon.comIt's one of the most perilous roads in the world, a strip of ice built on frozen lakes that connects remote billion-dollar mining outposts in northern Canada with civilization 350 miles away. In the brief two months a year that the road is passable, ten thousand loads, some weighing as much as twenty-two tons, will travel over the highway in an urgent race to provide critical supplies to the camps before the ice melts. ICE ROAD TRUCKERS follows the competition and camaraderie of six truckers over a season on the ice road, as they brave white-outs, thin ice, and the deadly cold to perform one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. From the construction of this massive frozen highway and the preparation of the truck fleet, to the risky final days when the melting highway grows dangerously unreliable, THE HISTORY CHANNEL takes viewers on a thrilling, adrenaline-pumping ride. Ok, quick check: anyone reading my reviews on the mighty DVDschlock.com not aware that I hail from northern Canada? Well, as it is, my hometown is the very town that the series "Ice Road Truckers" is based out of - in fact, I know many, and recognize most, of the people who appear in this series! That may not seem like a huge deal to most people, but when you're from the arctic, to see your hometown on TV is beyond strange, and to see people you know and grew up with on TV (including my sister's ex-boyfriend!) is surreal beyond belief. This is a really well done series - it's quite fair in its depiction of the perils of ice road trucking (although I will grant that it's a tad-bit embellished - how many times do we need to see the truck going through the ice?), and the cinematography is fantastic. Both the harshness of the elements, as well sa the mind-numbing repeat trips these truckers endure, is conveyed in very realistic light. While I may be biased (given my hometown roots), my wife - who hails from California - found herself drawn into this series (despite her hatred of the bitterly-cold Canadian arctic) and the very engaging, personable characters who motor across that ice road for 2 months of the year. Great series, well worth checking out. Video Presented in its original fullscreen aspect ratio (1.33:1), every episode looks clean & crisp, with nice coloring and sharp detail, with nary a defect. Audio The included Dolby 2.0 stereo mix is perfect for the episodes, as it's all dialogue and narration here, so no need for any surrounds. Extras Closing Thoughts Gripping, uber-real and very entertaining reality series + fascinating extras = definitely recommended for something different from the standard TV fare Labels: review |
