Battlestar Galactica

Based on the 1970s television series, Battlestar Galactica, which transpires in an unspecified future, follows a myriad of characters, including Edward James Olmos’ William Adama, Mary McDonnell’s Laura Roslin, and Katee Sackhoff’s Kara Thrace, as they’re forced to take up arms after a vicious race of robots, called Cylons, instigate a species-ending conflict. There’s little doubt, ultimately, that Battlestar Galactica improves immeasurably as it progresses into its second and third hours, as the made-for-cable miniseries opens with an absolutely atrocious and completely uninvolving first act that could hardly be less compelling or promising – with the almost unwatchable atmosphere perpetuated and heightened by laughably chintzy special effects, an array of unlikeable, obnoxious protagonists, and a screenplay that leaves far too many questions unanswered. (Which enemy, for example, had all these soldiers been fighting if the Cylon conflict had been over for almost 50 years?) It’s clear, then, that the picture improves immeasurably once the aforementioned conflict kicks into high gear, as filmmaker Michael Rymer, working from a script by Ronald D. Moore and Christopher Eric James, effectively cultivates a comparatively exciting atmosphere by raising the stakes to an often impressively grim degree. (A baby is murdered, for crying out loud.) And while few of the actors are able to wholeheartedly transform their respective characters into interesting, sympathetic figures – Olmos’ standout work remains a highlight, to be sure – Battlestar Galactica does, in its second half, finally become the intriguing sci-fi endeavor that one might’ve anticipated and it’s apparent, too, that the twist ending certainly leaves the viewer wanting more.

**1/2 out of ****