Battlestar Galactica: Razor

I'm re-watching the entire series on BBC Iplayer and really enjoying the series. Razor part one and two are listed as the first two episodes of season 4 by the BBC and it is exactly right. They sit perfectly in the series and I do not understand why these two episodes are not listed within the main BattleStar Galactica pages on here. For me it was a fantastic start to series 4, which I didn't see first time round, and then series 4 got even better when I saw episode 3, 'He That Believeth In Me'. A great two part story as part of series 4, and we get to see how the Pegasus stories that horrified us when only talked about during dialogue in the the proper series.

To be able to help people that are trying to understand what Razor is and what is not, I decided to write a humble review. Lets start with what it is. Razor is a science-fiction movie that is tightly connected to the series Battlestar Galactica. Therefore, if you don't know the series, it is very unlikely that you can enjoy Razor. The character development part for the characters that are in the series are skipped and we see character development for only three people (Helena Cain, Kendra Shaw, Number Six). As a matter of fact, without knowing events and characters in the series, it is not easy to follow this movie. You can think Razor as a long episode after season three. Now let me briefly talk about what it is not. It is not a must to view before season four. The story of Razor is somehow independent from what is going on in the series and if you don't know it, you can still follow what is going on. As a movie, Razor is not more advanced that the series in terms of CGI. I found it a bit awkward since movies are supposed to have a bigger budget. I didn't find the story very interesting either. The main characters are portrait as extreme females. This is not something we are used to I guess. Also, I can't skip the accent of Stephanie Jacobsen. She really needs to do something about it. Anyways, if you want to watch Razor, do it after season three, not before that. And if you don't know the series, I don't think you can enjoy it.

The film presents an episode of the battle against the Cylons seen through the eyes of the first aide of loony admiral Cain. It has all the good things which got me hooked to Galactica in the first place: edgy characters, dark plot, lots of space action and military strategy, twists of fate. A few more women characters that I would have liked, none of Gaius Baltar, which in my personal opinion is at least a third of the show, but still a heck of a movie, closer to the high powered first season of Battlestar Galactica than to the new philosophical/religious last season.

Bottom line: It was hard to delay watching it until the start of the fourth season of the show, but it was all worth it.

Gonna make it a short review. I see too many peoplehere bashing it to hell. Remind you, those are the people who , at the end, didnt like the show at all! So they are biased on that alone. Some of the old school hters on this remake will never get enough of the hate they want to spread over this show. Period. I dont like the new season of dr who either. Dont hear me complaining all around. What i want to say is: If you dig the show, you will proberbly be in for this extra episode. that's just how i see it. The new Battlestar galactica isnt without its flaws, but as you can see it for what it is , you weil get: amazing acting/ best music ever in a show. and a great story. One of the best drama series out there.

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.