Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007)

Wonderful character development!

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The trick with these sorts of reviews is perspective.Even today (2014) the rebooted BSG series is considered one of the best produced and written series of all time, addictive, as much a game changer for TV as Buffy or Breaking Bad.Once you understand that, the question you need to ask yourself is, what purpose do these feature length "fillers" serve? Many of the other reviewers here were expecting greatness, something new, something important, and, having failed to find it, got a little peckish.I believe that these features are simply a chance for the producers to unwind, to show off, to experiment. Almost like having a fast car that you can't drive fast because you're in the city. Take her out on the hiway and see what she can do...In that context, this is a solid little entertainer. Great use of flashbacks (compared for example to the over-use in series like ARROW).Great acting. I believe BSG showed us many actors who were capable of greatness if given a chance, yet, post-BSG, we never really saw much of them again.The scenes between Michelle Forbes and Stephanie Jacobsen are electric. Both deliver far more on-screen wattage than their resumes would suggest. And Jacobsen's exotic looks (she was born in China) once again showcases the ability of the casting director to pick the right actor for the correct role.

I happen to like the show very much for how theatrical and intriguing it is, and I knew that Battlestar Galactica: Razor had a lot to live up to. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the show and it wasn't, however it is better than the other Battlestar Galactica movie The Plan. Razor does have its problems of course, the characters don't have as much depth as they do in the series, the story does have moments where it is rather rushed and contrived despite some very intriguing moments and the dialogue at times does sound as though the writers didn't proof-read to make sure it made sense. Also what questions were left to answer after Season 3 weren't resolved as well as they could have been here. On the other hand, it has some cool-looking costumes and sets and is edited well. The music has many moments of rousing, haunting intensity, the idea was interesting and when it made sense and didn't feel rushed the film was quite thought-provoking as well as with some quirky revelations. The acting is decent enough. Overall, not bad(better than I have heard it made out to be, from what I heard I was expecting horse poop) but mildly disappointing at the same time. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Before its destruction in battle the crew of Battlestar Pegasus underwent many changes in command. One common crew member through these changes is the green Lt Kendra Shaw who joins the ship shortly before the attack on the colonies. She remains in place in a higher role much later when Lee Adama assumes command although it is clear that her experiences have changed her approach to leadership. It is under Adama that she makes tough but risky calls that lead to the discovery of an very old model of Cylon ship – a model that brings memories back to Commander Adama relating to his encounters in the first Cylon wars.I must confess that learning that the massive cliff-hanger at the end of season 3 was to be followed by a "flashback" film was not the most cheering thing in the world. Quite how it was back when fans had to wait a year to find out they were waiting a bit longer I don't know but at least for me everything is out on DVD now so the only delays are those associated with my spare time. Anyway, Razor took me a minute to get into, partly because I didn't want to jump back. In it we get events on the Pegasus under Cain that we had previously only heard about, events under Lee Adama and some back-story on the Cylons by way of Commander Adama. In terms of the main plot of the overall series, Razor doesn't add a huge amount apart from adding a little bit of information on the Cylon experiments with humans and a warning about the destiny of one of the main characters.Where Razor works though is in its look at the nature of command within Pegasus, the tough decisions required and the regret that somehow has to be managed. We see this through new character Shaw, who we see as both a relative "rookie" of sorts as well as the more experienced, jaded Lt of Adama's command. She is the common thread across the majority of the film and it works because she does. She is very well played by Jacobsen who is convincing in all the parts she has to play. She fits into the cast well and captures the darker mood the series has gradually taken on. Her threads are full of action and space battles where the effects are impressive and quite exciting – sure it doesn't move things along in the way one would hope but the events are engaging and make for a solid drama. Not all the cast are as good as Jacobsen although most are solid. The regular cast all do their stuff but it is the Adama flashbacks that are not that well acted, with a bit too much overacting and over-expression that does border on being hammy.Razor may not answer the questions left hanging after season 3 but, viewed without the pressure of answers (I did not have to wait long after 3 for the season 4 DVD release) it is a solidly entertaining film. The various threads all engage but it is the common presence of Jacobsen's Shaw that makes it work as well as it does. Worth seeing for those watching the series proper.

Fans of the show might just barely get their times worth - you get to see some of the characters occasionally doing what got us to like them after all - but not an inch more. For an unsuspecting viewer however this must be utterly disappointing - tacky lines in a story that is rather ridiculous and very badly cut. The feature uses flashbacks a lot, which is not of course bad in itself. The way executed here, with phony dialogues setting them up, or not serving any purpose for the storytelling, leaves a very stale taste. The acting is not quite so bad. The regular cast delivers their usual performances; the support, especially Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain and Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen as Kendra Shaw is doing rather fine. The writing ... well, let's just say if you know the series, there won't be any surprises in the way the story is told. For anyone who does not know the series - don't bother. There are loads of unresolved plot bits (and not the good kind that should leave you thinking or whatever) and nearly no one you can sympathize with or take an interest in. One last note on the story itself: If this is the kind of writing and story we can expect from BSGs 4th and last season (and the third season unfortunately seems to point towards that conclusion, too), people will not bother watching. I know I won't.