DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW - BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: RAZOR - Recommended (1 Viewer)

[Kevin EK]

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
RAZOR
UNRATED EXTENDED EDITION


Studio: Universal
Original Release: 2007
Length: 1 hour 27 mins (Broadcast Version), 1 hour 43 mins (Extended Version)
Genre: Science Fiction

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Anamorphic
Color/B&W: Color

Audio:
English Dolby Digital 5.1


Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Rating: Unrated (Some Sci-Fi Violence and Bloodshed, Brief Scene of Sexuality)






Release Date: December 4, 2007

Rating:

 

[Sam Favate]

I'd have to agree with this review based on the broadcast version I saw last weekend. The show - and this film - have an intensity that I have rarely seen before in a science fiction film or television show. What's remarkable is that it has been sustained over three seasons (so far) and this film. Much as I like shows like DS9 and Babylon 5, Battlestar has a developed idea behind it like no other sci-fi property. Ron Moore was long one of the singular talents behind Star Trek, and I am glad he has gotten his time to shine, and I hope he leads more projects of his own when Battlestar is done.

Thanks also for the info that the broadcast version is included on the DVD. I had thought it was only the extended version. I wonder if either or both will be on the eventual Season 4 box set?

 

[Jason_V]

Thanks Kevin. I don't think there's anything you could have said which would have made me not pick this up on Tuesday.

 

[Peter Overduin]

When it was over; I stayed in my chair in my darkened HT room for some time to contemplate the excellence and depth of the whole BSG story, and it occurred to me just how far Star Trek has receeded in my estimation over the last 3 years.

 

[Diallo B]

for anyone that is a fan of both series the sentiment stated in this quote couldn't be stated in any way better.

i like star trek and bsg. but bsg has surpassed any season of any series of star trek by a long standard. with a close call coming to any borg or 'q' ark in star trek.

 

[Ted Todorov]

Spoiler question: can one watch Razor without having seen (any of) S3 of BSG? Still waiting for the S3 DVDs and I don't want anything ruined.

 

[Sam Favate]

I got this in the mail today and only the extended version is included. Was it different in the UK perhaps?

 

[Kevin EK]

You could watch this DVD without having seen the 3rd season, but I daresay that it will affect your reaction to some plotlines. It's really a standalone plotline that doesn't have anything to do with the events of the 3rd year - although there is a cryptic reference that doesn't overtly spoil anything.

The R1 copy which I reviewed has an option when you choose the "PLAY" button, which asks you if you want to watch the original broadcast version or the extended edition. But you have to get into the "PLAY" menu to see it. Are you saying that you're watching an R2 copy?

 

[BillBR]

Great review, Kevin. I'll enjoy watching this a lot...in about four months. If the way I view plotlines will be affected having not seen S3...I'd rather wait.

Hey Universal, y'know when would have been a great time to officially announce the S3 DVD?

Right now. Along with Razor. So...good job.

Slugheads!

 

[Kevin EK]

Bill, I should have also noted that the bonus featurettes and the commentary spoil the living heck out of the 3rd season, not to mention the telefilm itself. You're probably better off doing what you're thinking here. If you're worried about the "spoiler effect", it's best to go ahead and watch the 3rd season first.

On the other hand, if the reader has never seen the show before and may only watch one thing, this movie isn't a bad place to start.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

I love Edward James Olmos's thought on his favorite show. His favorite show will be the last one.

While watching this particular bit of the DVD, I'm reminded of how well written this show is.

It won a Peabody, right?

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Just saw this. Amazing. Each time I see a new episode it reminds me again why this is a great show. (wow, I just said what Kevin said!

)

Anyway, this is definitely dependent on the series, especially season 2. I believe it's not a standalone episode and needs a prior knowledge to understand and enjoy it.

 

[Sam Favate]

Just as an aside, Ron Moore is on the front page of The Wall Street Journal today (picture too) in an article about fans standing with writers on strike. There's a bit about a fan asking him if the "mercy killing" in Razor was connected to the one in First Contact. He said he didn't realize it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1196...hpp_us_pageone

 

[JediFonger]

hi guys, i just want to double check. this is SINGLE disc only, correct? i bought the best buy edition and it came with a bonus disc and wanted to make sure that was it. it was a 20min. making of behind the scenes of razor.

 

[Kevin EK]

It's a single disc release. Best Buy is apparently packaging a 2nd DVD with it that has another featurette on it.

And to answer Sam's comment, I agree that it really helps to already know the series before seeing RAZOR, but like the Star Trek films, I still think you could watch this as a first glimpse into this world and then catch up later.

But in all honesty, the ratings for the telefilm have already indicated that the audience for it are aleady fans of the series. I'd be interested in seeing the reactions of people who haven't watched the show before.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

On the commentary they say that this project was like a stand-alone episode so that people who have not seen BG before, could enjoy it. But honestly I don't understand how they could, since every single arc was connected directly to the previous episodes.

Some of the season 2 episodes come to my mind that succeeded at this, like the Black Market episode. You can watch them on their own. I actually remember that episode was my ticket into the BG universe. I started with a stand-alone!

 

[Will_B]

And a warning to everyone who thought of buying from BestBuy.com -- they are promoting the bonus disc on their website BUT THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY INCLUDING IT in online orders. I just got screwed by them today. My BestBuy.com package arrived, and it is just the regular 1-disc version of Razor.

They screwed me last time too, with season 2.5, when they didn't include the bonus disc ("The Story So Far") then either.

BestBuy sucks! At least, the online version of them.

 

[DaveB]

Sounds like their online experience is right in line with what they been offering offline.

I'm among the thousands who have yet to see season 3 (well, I did cheat a little and download the first episode from itunes) but many months now into this long BSG DVD drought, I think I'm going to watch Razor this month. I'll stay away from the special features for now and hope nothing is spoiled!

 

[FranklinC]

Yeah, I don't think it will spoil anything as long as you've already seen S2. Razor could be dropped right into the middle of S2 as a longer-than-usual episode, really. It's very good, but seeing it reminds me how much I love this show and makes the wait for S4 even more painful. I do think seeing it before S1 and S2 would spoil a great deal, such as the whole Admiral Cain arc and the mystery behind the Pegasus. I don't see how you could make sense of it without knowing what happened before anyway. I don't agree that it's a good introduction to BSG for those that haven't seen it. Why not start at the beginning?

As someone said before, there is a cryptic reference to a certain character at the end of Razor which seems to tie into something that happens later in S3 (which in fact seems to be very important in S4, based on previews) but I don't think it is direct enough to give anything away. In fact, there really is nothing to give away because I don't think we, as viewers, are supposed to understand what it all means yet.

Now I've confused even myself...

 

[JediFonger]

remember Babylon5 and its subsequent tie-in standalone movies?

well, this is just like one of those to be viewed between S2&S3.