Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Before starting the current season of Battlestar Galactica, I had to get caught up on what's come before. And that includes "Razor." Broadcast in two parts, the hour-and-forty-five minutes movie fills in some gaps, and raises some questions, and gets us inside the hearts and minds of this desperate group of people, voyaging towards Earth. Now available on DVD, I watched it yesterday and was impressed at the depth of emotion found in the film. Much more than just a two-parter television episode, it dealt with issues of politics, the military, religion, and the role each has to play in the lives of people. Like the best of "Galactica," its able to deal with powerful themes while exploring the intimacies of the characters we've come to know and love.

Unlike most of "Battlestar Galactica," very little of "Razor" actually takes place on the "Galactica," a sort of aircraft carrier in space. Instead, we get the story of the "Pegasus," another survivor of the initial Cylon attack that devastated humanity in the opening episodes of the epic series. Cylons, once stompy robots, now look just like you and me...but are just as ambitious and evil as before. Now as then, their goal is to exterminate the human race. And they're coming close.

The tale of the Pegasus is told in two times: ten months ago, under the leadership of Admiral Helena Cain, and the current storyline, under Lee Adama, also known as "Apollo" to his crewmates. Both stories converge in the life and story of Kendra Shaw, a new recruit who makes it onto the Pegasus just before the Cylon attack. At first, she sees Cain as a brutal despot, but as she grows more and more dependent on the admiral for her survival, she gets more brutal herself. The moral dilemmas she faces aren't easy ones, and although I didn't know Shaw before "Razor," her story is effectively told and moving. A great deal of that is due to the writing and direction of the movie, but much credit should be given to actress Stephanie Jacobsen.

The character of Admiral Cain, played by nerd favorite Michelle Forbes, has always been a compelling one, and it's interesting to see more of her here. We find out more about what shaped her, and made her into the ruthless commander we met in Season Two. We get flashbacks to what she was doing during the First Cylon War, and see a direct line to what she's doing as an Admiral commanding a Battlestar.

We get a parallel look at Admiral Adama, and his own command decisions. We get a flashback of several decades to his own life as a hotshot fighter pilot during the First Cylon War, with a younger actor who's a dead ringer for Edward James Olmos. We see how his own choices have shaped the man he became--ultimately the last hope of humanity.

With a focus on the Pegasus and Kendra Shaw, we don't get nearly enough of some of my favorite "Battlestar Galactica" characters--Dr. Baltar, Boomer, President Roslin, and Col. Tigh all get short shrift here, but that's okay. The story is a tight one, and does fine without their presence.

For a longtime nerd--er, fan, like myself, "Razor" does a fantastic job of connecting story threads that have been separate for some time. We get to see spaceships and Cylons we haven't seen since the 1970's series, and the way they're included is logical and exciting. It also expands the current storyline, moving forward the story of Starbuck, Apollo, and other key characters.

If you're a fan of "Battlestar Galactica," you've probably seen "Razor" already. With the final season starting on SciFi Network last week, I'm in a complete Galactica kind of mood. And this just polished it off. Great writing, outstanding acting, and enough action to keep me excited. This is a great addition to the "Galactica" universe, and if you haven't seen it, you need to. They might get to Earth someday, and you want to be there for it.

MORE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1

Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0

Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older