Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition)
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DVD details
Actor: Edward James OlmosBrand: Universal Studios
Performer: Katee Sackhoff
Performer: Tricia Helfer
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 101 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-01-06
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition)
DVD Review: Oh My Gods! They Got the Quality Back Up; Better Than Most of Season 3
Summary: 4 Stars
Just finished watching the entire DVD, 'extras' and all, and I was moderately impressed. It's not quite up to par with the best of the new Galactica (the Miniseries, '33', 'Home', 'Scar'), but it's a lot better than most of the terribly mediocre Season 3, which gives me hope.
Before I go on, let me say that the above point is important because Galactica has been in a downward quality spiral ever since they switched from 13 episode seasons to 20 episode seasons. As showrunner Ronald Moore said once, when you have so much less time, it's harder to make each episode special, and that's exactly what happened when the new production schedule started to catch up to Galactica late in Season 2.
Thus we had such memorably mediocre episodes as "Black Market" and "Sacrifice", and BSG fans started to wonder what the heck had happened, when such a great show had seemingly become so hit-or-miss from episode to episode.
Season 3 unfortunately confirmed our worst fears. BSG's creators worried that putting everyone on a planet (New Caprica) would be a leap too far, but really, the idea was fine. It was the EXECUTION of that idea that was lacking. Honestly, if it wasn't for the uber-cool way they got off New Caprica (burning Battlestars and such), it would have been a total wash.
Then we got a bunch of mostly filler episodes (anyone remember 'The Woman King'? Bad, huh?), and then, FINALLY, a good story arc in the middle of the season with the 'Eye of Jupiter' two-parter. Then back to bunch of mostly filler/bad episodes, until the courtroom season finale, which was a lot less cool and a lot more forced/contrived than we'd like to remember (Galactica REALLY needs to get away from the idea that one of the 'Big Three'- Apollo, Starbuck, Adama- has to be front and center in EVERY subplot. Apollo as a lawyer in a key trial is even more silly/out of place than Starbuck as a sniper/SWAT team member, as she has been at times. If you need a central marine character for some episodes, make one. New characters are good.
What's next, Adama elbowing Doc Codell aside to perform open-heart surgery? Yeesh.)
Then there was Starbuck coming back from the dead, which was great, except that we kinda all saw it coming, and we, sadly, didn't care that much when she died in the first place, because the character had been allowed to degenerate so much since her glory days in Seasons 1 and 2.
Whew! Sorry about all that, but it helps put my comments on 'Razor' into context.
For example, if you've had to suffer through the crappy, childish, unsympathetic dud of a Starbuck that was Season 3 Kara Thrace (and we all have), then watching 'Razor' will be a revelation. "Ohhh-hhh!", you'll go. "That's the OLD Kara, the one I actually LIKED! Why the FRAK did they stop writing her like that?!?".
There's also a certain increase in the passion and energy level in general. I dunno, it's hard to put one's finger on it, but watching most of Season 3, you get the feeling sometimes that everyone was sort of going through the motions... the writers, directors, producers, some of the actors, the crew, the entire food chain from top to bottom in general, not because they're bad at what they do (on the contrary, they're some of the best), but because they were being pushed along at an unreasonable pace, and just had to get the damn episode DONE.
For what it's worth, this was a huge problem on the original Battlestar Galactica as well, with, in some cases, actors having to read lines off of cue cards. I doubt things got quite THAT bad with the new series, but you can definitely feel the energy/sharpness difference between Season 3 and S1/early-mid S2.
Doesn't hurt that Michelle Forbes is back as Cain, and as good as ever. The backstory on her and her rationale for what she does and how she does it is important, as it was too easy to see Cain as simply an over-zealous nutjob before, in the Season 2 Pegasus two-parter (and I think it says a lot about Michelle Forbes' ability that we mostly DIDN'T dismiss her as such back then, even without backstory, but it was close).
You can actually understand why Kendra Shaw becomes her protege. Cain is strong, and there is no doubt, remorse, or second-guessing in her world. So when the Apocalypse hits and your entire civilization has been wiped out, who's more charismatic, and who are you more likely to follow... a strong, decisive leader, a 'razor', even if they have huge flaws; or someone who's merely human and let's you see it?
We'd all LIKE to believe that we'd still choose the latter, but I have my doubts. There are parallels to 9/11 and a certain President I could name.
Of course, if there is a flaw in 'Razor' (aside from the slightly confusing back-and-forth jumps in time between plotlines, as others have mentioned), it's that we aren't given quite backstory ENOUGH on Cain and the Pegasus' travails to fully come to see why she does some of the things she does. Her attack and pyrrhic victory over a Cylon base doesn't make much sense and needed a better explanation, as did her stripping of the civilian fleet for spare parts, food, fuel, and skilled personnel. Yeah, I suppose I can fill in the blanks on my own, but a couple of brief scenes along those lines would've made a big difference, and I sense I'm far from alone on this.
And it would've helped 'Razor' actually EARN it's ending, where Adama basically says if he had had to walk a mile in Cain's moccasins, perhaps he would've done the things she did. It's a nice try, but it doesn't quite ring true, for the reasons I mention above.
Another, though more minor, disappointment is that the extent of Cain and Gina's personal relationship is only touched on very briefly. There should've been at least one scene between the two of them as (no other way to put it) lovers, so that the extent of Gina's betrayal and Cain's horrifyingly brutal reaction would've had more power behind it.
I'm making it sound like I don't like 'Razor', but actually I do. It's great to see Kara and Cain chew up the scenery like there's no tomorrow, the special effects budget was given a BIG boost (and boy does it show), the return of the original series Cylon centurions and raiders was a nice touch, and there's just more energy, grittiness, passion, and sharpness all around. Plus, the guy they have playing young Bill Adama in one of the flashbacks positively NAILS the role! (hope we see more of Adama's past in Season 4).
In any case, THIS is the Galactica I've been missing since late Season 2, and if I'm pointing out weaknesses, its only out of frustration due to the fact that they were so CLOSE to knocking it out of the park on this one. This one's more like a solid ground-rule double.
In the end, 4 stars out of 5 (didn't help that the DVD extras were so skimpy). I'm really REALLY hoping Season 4 is five stars... Ronnie D, don't get distracted by your other projects, the show needs you to have a tight hand on the rudder for Galactica to truly go out with the bang it deserves.
So say we all.
Description of Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition)
Explosive, Unrated Extended Edition with exclusive footage and more action!On the eve of a devastating Cylon attack, officer Kendra Shaw reports for duty on the battlestar Pegasus. When mankind's future is forever changed on that fateful day, Kendra is reshaped into a "razor"?a tool of war?under the ruthless guidance of her commander, Admiral Cain. Battlestar Galactica: Razor tells the untold story of Pegasus and provides chilling clues to the fate of humanity as the final chapters of the Battlestar Galactica story unfold.
The Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition) DVD contains an extended version of the explosive two-hour broadcast event that includes all-new characters and more action and visual effects than any previous episode in the popular series, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with the series' creators. As an indispensable backdrop to events that take place in the Fourth Season of Battlestar Galactica, the DVD is a must-own for fans of the series.
Special Features On The DVD
? Deleted Scenes
? The Look of Battlestar Galactica
? My Favorite Episode So Far
? Season 4 Sneak Peek
? Season 4 Trailer
? Minisodes (x7)
? Commentary to the Unrated Extended Version with Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and Writer Michael Taylor
AUDIO: English Dolby Digital 5.1
SUBTITLES: English SDH, Spanish
PICTURE: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) RUNTIME: 1 hour 28 minutes
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