Since I've started getting DVDs, I have also started picking up some older shows on DVD that I remember watching.  I can sort of remember seeing Battlestar Galactica at some point, though I don't remember much.  I recently found movie that launched the series and decided to pick it up.

After being at war with the Cylons for years, the Twelve Colonies are preparing to sign a peace treaty.  The night before the treaty is to be signed, the Cylons launch a surprise attack.  The Twelve Colonies planets and most of the military is destroyed.  One battlestar, the Galactica, survives the attack.  Commander Adama, the commander of the Galactica, is the only member of the council that survives.  It is decided that the survivors will try to find a planet they have heard legends about while the Cylons try to finish what they started with the surprise attack.

Battlestar Galactica came out in 1978, after Star Wars became a hugely popular movie.  This movie sets up everything for the television series of the same name that began airing in 1978.  The series only lasted one season, but it was a fan favorite.  The episodes continued to air on various stations, which is how I think I saw them.  I do think the movie works well overall.

The pacing for Battlestar Galactica is a little uneven.  Some scenes move along at a decent pace while things move a bit slower in other scenes.  A few scenes do drag a bit, but it wasn't ever so bad that I was bored by what was going on.  A lot of important things are shared during some of the slower moments, so those scenes are also needed for what is going on.  It just would have been nice if there was more balance to the pacing overall.  Some people may have more of a problem with the pacing than I did.  

Action turns up in several scenes, usually either through battles in space between various ships or between the actual characters and the Cylons.  The action things do help to make what is going on more interesting.  There is only a small amount of non graphic violence to what happens.  Some characters are injured, but not much is actually shown. 

Considering when Battlestar Gallactica was made, the special effects are fairly good.  Some of the backdrops of star filled skies seen through the windows of the ships look more fake to me, but they still work.  Of course the effects look more dated now, but they are still done well considering how long ago the movie was made.  Several things wouldn't have worked without the effects.  The Cylons are very bright, chrome robots.  At times, lights reflect off of them, making extremely bright spots on the bodies of the Cylons that are blinding.  That does make it harder to look at them, but it also helps make them seem more menacing.  A few other aliens turn up during the movie with unique looks.  The ones have extra eyes and mouths and look really weird.  It was hard for me to look at those characters because of how off they looked.  It was almost like how messed up my vision can get when I'm getting a migraine.  
    
The Cylons are just robots who are determined to wipe out the survivors.  They all look and sound the same, so there isn't any distinctive about any of them.  They do make decent bad buys and are intimidating looking.  Count Baltar is the man who helped the Cylons by betraying humanity.  John Colicos is fine in the part.  The majority of the characters are survivors from the Cylon attack.  Commander Adama is a member of the council before the attack and on the new council that is formed after the attack.  He is in charge of the lone battlestar that isn't destroyed and he does seem to be the one that most turn to.  Lorne Greene does really well with the part.

Captain Apollo is Commander Adama's son.  He is a pilot in the military and determined to do what he thinks is right after the attack.  Richard Hatch does fine with the part.  Rick Springfield turns up briefly as Apollo's younger brother Zac.  Apollo develops a relationship with Serina, a single mother who is also a reporter.  Her son, Boxey, doesn't really do much even though he is frequently around.  Jayne Seymour does fine with the part of Serina.

Lieutenant Starbuck is Apollo's best friend.  The two men are very different, with Starbuck being a bit more wild and seeming cocky at times.  He is a pilot who enjoys gambling and chasing women even though he is sort of involved with Athena, Apollo's sister.  Starbuck also ends up sort of involved with Cassiopeia, a woman he meets after the attack.  She is a socialator, which seems to basically be a prostitute.  Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang are fine in their parts.  Maren Jensen is all right but nothing special as Athena.  The character really doesn't have much to do.  Lieutenant Boomer is another pilot and friend of Apollo and Starbuck.  Boomer is frequently around, though not as much is shared about him.  Herb Jefferson, Jr. is fine in the part. 

Main Cast
   
Dirk Benedict - Lieutenant Starbuck
Lorne Greene - Commander Adama
Richard Hatch - Captain Apollo
Jayne Seymour - Serina
Laurette Spang - Cassiopeia

DVD Information

I picked up the DVD of Battlestar Galactica for about seven dollars.  It is in the widescreen format and I don't know if there is a full screen version available as well.  The disc has two sides, with the movie and a few extras on the first side and the remaining extras on the second side.  The production notes share a lot of information about the making of the movie and are interesting.  There are bios for the cast and crew, web links, a behind the scenes look at the new Battlestar Galactica mini-series and an interactive game.

I really enjoyed Battlestar Galactica overall even though certain things do look a bit dated now.  The movie is still entertaining and worth watching. 

This review is part of CaptainD's Good Movies EpiGuide 3 Write Off.
 

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD