Released: November 24, 2007
Director: Felix Alcala
*****
Taking place in the second season of the Battlestar Galactica universe, Razor tells the story of the Battlestar Pegasus, which also survived a Cylon attack which destroyed humanity. Led by Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes) and determined to do whatever was necessary to cripple the robot Cylons, the Pegasus is a breeding ground for crossing ethical and moral, not to mention military, lines. Thrust into the pressure cooker is new lieutenant Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen). In the aftermath of the attack, she becomes a razor, a person willing to do anything to complete the mission.
Whereas some episodes of the series proper of Battlestar Galactica meander and divert way from the main storyline in new age, philosophical cryptic speak, Razor is an action film from start to finish, choosing to steer clear of most of the series' mythology. It helps, obviously, to know the backstory on these characters-who the Cylons are, the command structure, the central conflicts-but it's really not necessary. Razor introduces us to all the characters we need to know and details the universe in the broadest strokes possible to get the viewer up to speed. But it's not done in voiceover at the beginning of the film; we go back in time, living out the memories of Shaw as she reports for duty on the Pegasus...and we witness together the Cylon attack. Coupled with flashbacks, memories and "present day" events, the story of the Pegasus shows us how the crew came to walk outside the lines in such graphic detail, such pulse pounding drama and action, it's hard to believe this was, essentially, a TV movie.
It's a dense story, demanding the audience keep up with characters new and old, not to mention time shifting and placing the story within context. By and large, it works, only faltering at the end when the surprise comes. Whereas the rest of the story doesn't directly tie into the overarching journey toward Earth, a final scene with a Cylon hybrid and Shaw provides a clue-perhaps too big for seasoned fans-to a mystery of the series. It is that moment, the ending, in which Shaw's life comes into focus and we completely understand her personal metamorphosis from new officer to killing machine.
The difficulty in commenting on the film is that there is a larger story it is a part of-not to mention surprises which shouldn't be ruined. Razor serves well to flesh out the Galactica universe in a way the regular series couldn't. The extended, unrated cut apparently adds violence, gore and profanity; however, it is a mild action film in that regard. While Jacobsen is strong and vulnerable as Shaw, the real scene stealer here is Forbes as Admiral Cain, a woman hell bent on keeping her people alive. A flashback scene to her youth gives the character a background which explains the path she has taken in her life. It's a haunting memory, one destined to soften the admiral for fans just a little bit. Her memory can only be compared on an emotional level to Shaw's actions on a civilian ship.
Razor deftly combines the best parts of the series-action, adventure, human drama-in a way no episode has done since the original mini-series. The story is expansive, yet intimate, drawing on a cast of characters in the worst situations possible.