Premiere Date: Saturday, November 24th, 2007
Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars
Quick Synopsis: A razor can do as much harm as it can do good.
Long Synopsis: The story of Lee Adama’s first mission as commander of Battlestar Pegasus and what happened to the previous commander, Admiral Helena Cain. It moves back and forth between the two stories. You see what happened to the Pegasus after the Cylons attack the 12 colonies, as they think they may be the only ones left. It also tells of Adama taking command after the death of Admiral Cain. The tie that binds the two is the story of Major Kendra Shaw, who was just assigned to Pegasus when the attack occurred and became the right-hand of Admiral Cain. She becomes a “Razor,” as she loses her fear and hesitation and her instincts are forged into a Cain’s ruthless protégé. She is promoted to be Adama’s XO when he assumes command. The main story is the partial redemption of Shaw and learning more about the humanoid Cylons.
Review: Battlestar Galactica: Razor is a stand-alone movie, but it is also technically the first two episodes of the fourth and final season of the show. Battlestar Galactica is one shows the TVaholic didn’t get into at the beginning. Tried to pick it up at the beginning of season three, but felt like too much had been missed to fully understand and enjoy. It is on the list of shows to catch up with on DVD at some point, but after watching the Razor screener, it has reminded me why it is on that list.
Razor is not a movie, nor is the show in general, that you can just veg out in front of the TV and enjoy. You need to pay attention, especially with the storytelling style of moving back and forth between time periods. Some characters are in both, so you really need to try and keep up. But, it isn’t that difficult, as the story is interesting and the actors are all really good.
Michelle Forbes (24: Day 2, Homicide: Life on the Streets) is great as Admiral Helena Cain. She is a hardnosed and brutal leader, as disagreeing with her is not a good idea. While the character is not a very good person, Forbes’ portrayal of her is excellent.
Razor is more than just filler between the end of season three and the real beginning of season four, it will give fans of the show some interesting information about the humanoid Cylons. Whether a big fan of the show or not, it is definitely the best you can do for TV watching on a Saturday night. But, if you can’t watch it tonight, Razor will be available on DVD, as of Tuesday, December 4th.
Check out a scene from the beginning of the movie:
What did you think of Battlestar Galactica: Razor?
