Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR: Unrated Extended Edition DVD Review

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Title: Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR: Unrated Extended Edition

Region: One

Genre: Science Fiction Drama

Stars: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, Michael Hogan, Aaron Douglas, Tahmoh Penikett, Alessandro Julianni, and Kandyse McClure

Guest Stars: Michelle Forbes, Grahem Beckel, Stephanie Jacobsen, Nico Cortez, Matthew Bennett, and Steve Bacic

Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR Minisodes Stars: Edward James Olmos, Matthew Bennett, Nico Cortez, Jacob Blair, Campbell Lane, Ben Cotton, and Chris Bradford

Writer: Michael Taylor

Inspired By “Battlestar Galactica” Created By Glen A. Larson

Directors: Felix Alcala, and Wayne Rose

Consultant: Glen A. Larson

Executive Producers: Ronald D. Moore and David Eick

Feature Length: TV Version – 87 minutes/Unrated Extended Version – 101 minutes

Extras: Deleted Scenes, The Look Of Battlestar Galactica Featurette, Season 4 Sneak Peek, Commentary To The Unrated Extended Edition With Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and Writer Michael Taylor, Minisodes, Previews

Languages: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Subtitles: English Subtitles For The Deaf and Hearing Impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles

Chapter Stops: 20

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Year Of Home Video Release: 2007

Home Video Distributor: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR is a feature length special episode designed in part to psych up fans of the series for the premiere of the fourth and final season of the SCI FI Channel flagship series in 2008, a prequel or companion to the Battlestar Pegasus and Admiral Cain storyline from the mid second season and also an important prelude for things to come in season four. The minisodes, which began airing on Friday October 5, 2007 during airings of the new Flash Gordon TV series, are a collection of seven short live action chapters, approximately two minutes in length, that detail young William “Husker” Adama’s first battle against the Cylons during humanity’s first war against the machines they created and the terrible discovery he makes that will come back to haunt him forty one years later.

Make no mistake though, the new Battlestar Galactica is a space opera, but it is also compelling drama that few genre programs have ever reached. It opens up the genre for people who might otherwise have never considered watching anything related to the genre. If I were to liken the overall storytelling of the series as a reflection of this decade to another show that was trend setting for it’s time in the 1990s, I would say Battlestar Galactica is to the 2000s as BABYLON 5 was a reflection of the 1990s. In terms of the quality of storytelling and character arcs, both shows will be remembered long after these shows creators have moved beyond the confines of this reality.

Battlestar Galactica fanboys and fangirls are going to flip with excitement when they see classic Cylon Raiders and Base Ships from the original series in action like they have never seen them before. The special effects are outstanding and just about every memorable detail from the classic series space dogfights, like that point of view shot from a Viper cockpit of the weapons blowing away a Cylon Raider that was recycled often for the classic series, is used in one of the minisodes. The CGI classic Cylon Centurions, complete with their blades and that black cape like thing that used to hang over their backsides, come to life in both the minisodes and RAZOR like you’ve never seen them. The one effect I did miss however was that sound the Cylons used to make when they got blasted in the classic series, but trust me when I note that anyone who stills has any doubts as to the respect and honor the show’s producers have given the classic series, should hopefully be finally dispelled after seeing both the minisodes and RAZOR. In fact after viewing both and seeing a bit of what Paramount has done to Star Trek: The Original Series to touch it up for high definition, I have to state that I’d love to see Universal bring back the classic series in high definition with new updated effects, even if it was just for the theatrical version of the pilot. I think many videophiles will agree with me regarding revisiting the original Battlestar Galactica after seeing the minisodes and RAZOR. I think it is definitely worth the investment and would pay for itself one way or the other.

The events in Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR take place before and concurrently to the second season episode Epiphanies and feature a bit of the flashback scenes from the minisodes since they are very important to the plotline of both this film and what is to come in season four and it also dramatizes much of what we learned happened during the Pegasus episodes as well as well as provide a few explanations and character revelations that will surprise some and actually make some nod and understand why exactly everything happened as they did from our point of view now that we’ve seen what occurred from the Pegasus crew point of view. Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain is humanized and while her actions are no less disturbing than what we learned from the previous episodes, there are never the less easier to understand. Actors who guest starred in the Pegasus story arc episodes are brought back even if it’s for little more than a cameo, but the attention to details like this makes RAZOR feel more like a fully integrated episode that could have even appeared during the second season with just a little dramatic manipulation and no one would realize it is actually a prelude to the fourth season.

Both the recently aired SCI FI Channel version and a DVD exclusive unrated extended cut are made available to the viewer via seamless branching. The extended version gives a bit more background into Admiral Cain’s past as well as Kendra and has more dialogue. The editing and pacing is slightly different so this is truly a different version of the same film and not just extra seems attached to the TV version. I like both versions and in fact both work nearly equally as well, but the added back-story on the extended version do make a difference. The extended and TV broadcast versions are presented in a purposely gritty anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) aspect ratio with a full English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired as well as Spanish Language Subtitles encoded onto the dual layered DVD as options. Exclusive to the extended version is an audio commentary with Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and Writer Michael Taylor. The commentary is insightful and does clarify one thing I did not realize from reviewing the broadcast version, but I disagree with Moore on a key scene where Cain’s discrete companion is exposed as being a Cylon. The reaction of the Cylon and the expression she makes toward Cain is more deliberate and does not evoke any sympathy for the character. I personally cannot blame Cain for her rage against the machine.

All of the minisodes are presented as one short (19:17) with a 16 by 9 enhanced presentation and the same subtitle options as the feature. In fact with the exception of the three deleted scenes (3:38) and home video previews that appear before the main menu, nearly all of the bonus materials are presented in a 16 by 9 enhanced aspect ratio and include featurettes covering the cast member’s favorite episodes so far (10:27), the look of the series (11:56), a sneak peak at the upcoming fourth season (2:33) with a trailer (: 47) and the main menu is animated while the subsequent menus are all standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.

Home video previews for American Pie Presents Beta House, Balls Of Fury, The Strangers, White Noise 2 and an HD DVD promo (8:32) precede the main menu. Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR: Unrated Extended Edition will debut on DVD-Video on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

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