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

With the end of the re-invented series Battlestar Galactica, neither the Sci-Fi Channel nor the series producers wanted to let the franchise die.  The result was going back to the time before series events took place and showing what life was like for the citizens of the Twelve Colonies as well as watching the creation and evolution of the Cylons.

Set fifty year before the events in the series Battlestar Galactica, Caprica follows the story of the somewhat inadvertent creation of the Cylons by wealthy businessman Daniel Graystone (portrayed by Eric Stoltz).

Caprica City appears similar to many of our own urban areas.  One day paths cross of Daniel Graystone's daughter, Zoe (portrayed by Alessandra Torresani) and friend, Ben (portrayed by Avan Jogia) who are attempting to run away as well as the wife and daughter of Joseph Adama (portrayed by Esai Morales).  Zoe is killed on a transport, as are Adama's family, leaving him alone to care for his young son, William (portrayed by Sina Najafi), who will one day become Commander Adama.

Graystone, however, is bereft beyond belief.  Lacy (portrayed by Magda Apanowicz) was his daughter’s closest friend.  Following the death, she leads Daniel to learn to just how talented his daughter was in creating a virtual copy of herself.  Graystone then merges that virtual personality with developments being made by his corporation, creating the first Cylon.

That’s the basic story.  However, in this pilot for the series we learn much more about the culture of the Twelve Colonies.  There are many instances of cultural conflicts and prejudice.  As a Tauran, Joseph Adama experiences much discrimination on the planet Caprica and has largely managed to carve out the niche of success he has through his affiliation with organized crime.  Zoe and her friends are exploring different religious beliefs - in this case, that there is one God instead of multiple Gods.

This really helps to give the pilot (and consequently the series) great potential.  Much like there were multiple layers to the re-invented series, it seems that this will be much more than just the story of the Cylons.  There is depth in the relationships, cultural issues, technological advances, as well as the exploring of a religion that for them is outside of the mainstream.

I was surprised to see Eric Stolz in this as I always thought of him as a movie actor.  In recent years, that line seems to be blurring more and more.  Caprica scored in securing a talent like him for one of the main roles.  Morales is also excellent as Joseph Adama.  His role is a bit more difficult as he wrestles with much more than Graystone does.  The bulk of the acting in Caprica, however, is carried on the shoulders of the young actors and they are fantastic.  Alessandra Toreson as Zoe really carries much of the film and is completely believable as the spoiled, over-indulged, but totally brilliant Zoe.  Magda Apanowicz holds her own opposite her and really has Lacy compliment Zoe.  She’s somewhat in Zoe’s shadow, but instead of the character coming off as weak, Apanowicz really makes her convincing as a typical teen struggling to find her identity.

The effects and sets are brilliant.  Caprica might not have space battles, but there are terrific scenes of the cyber-beings that Daniel Graystone’s company has been working on coming to like with almost Frankenstein-like overtones.  This wasn’t thrown together on the cheap.  Caprica is definitely not for children, in particular for the scenes inside the “V Club”, a club in the virtual reality world Zoe and her friends frequent that seems to be a place completely without boundaries and where anything goes.  With so many teens in our own time spending so much time on the computers in chat rooms and the like completely unsupervised, this setting really doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch.

The DVD has some cool extras with the commentary, deleted scenes, and video blogs. The Sci-Fi channel had to get their promo in as well with an episode of Ghost Hunters included on the disc.

I’m really looking forward to this series, and I think it has more potential that the re-invented Battlestar Galactica had.  There’s no baggage as to what came before, which helps a great deal.  I was surprised that I could like a show that was so much about teenagers and their lives, but the casting is excellent and the young actors deserve a lot of credit.  I’m really looking forward to the series airing, and if you want your appetite whetted, check this pilot out on DVD.  It’s well worth it.


DVD Extras:

• Commentary with Ronald D. Moore and David Eick
• Deleted Scenes
• Video Blogs
• Ghost Hunters episode "Hometown Haunts"


Related reviews:

Battlestar Galactica - The Mini-Series ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 1 ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.5 ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 3 ~ Battlestar Galactica: Razor ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.0 ~ Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.5 ~ Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

The complete one and only season of the original Battlestar Galactica on DVD: The Complete Epic Series on DVD

Two novels written by Richard Hatch: Battlestar Galactica: Armegeddon and Battlestar Galactica: Warhawk
 


© 2009 Patti Aliventi

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD