The Review at a Glance: ( max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
85
Studio and Year: Universal - 2008/09
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Feature running time: 1394 minutes
Genre: TV Sci-Fi, Drama
Disc Format: BD-50 (6 Disc Set)
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French European, Spanish
Starring: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Grace Park
Directed by: Michael Rymer, Edward James Olmos, Ronald D. Moore and more
Music by: Van Cleave, Bernard Herrmann, Fred Steiner, Jerry Goldsmith
Written by: Ronald D. Moore, Jane Espenson, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, and more
Region Code: A/B/C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: January 4, 2010
"Destiny is not what it seems."
Film Synopsis:
All will be revealed as the thrilling final season of Battlestar Galactica lands on Blu-ray Hi-Def. From their initial action-packed battles against the Cylons to their desperate attempts to find the fabled 13th colony, Earth, a determined band of human survivors has captivated audiences everywhere with their desperate quest to find a new home for their dwindling numbers. Join them now as the fleet journeys into the farthest reaches of unexplored space and faces a crucial decision that will change all of their lives irrevocably. Containing all 20 Season Four episodes, this epic 6-disc set is loaded with hours of riveting bonus features and includes the unrated, extended version of Battlestar Galactica: Razor that never aired on television. Relive the anticipation, the action and the excitement of this groundbreaking series that is destined to live on as “one of the best dramas on TV.” (Time Magazine)
My Take:
I am unapologetically a 'Battlestar Galactica' lover. About 5 years ago, a close friend told me I would dig it and kept pushing it on me...for some reason I just had no interest. The night we brought my son home from the hospital I went to the video store, (remember those places??) and was having a hard time finding something until I stumbled upon the first season of Battlestar on DVD; I took it home and we threw it in. We became addicted and flew through the first two seasons in about six weeks, loving every frakking minute of it.
For those unfamiliar with Battlestar Gallactica, this is from definition of "frak" from wikipedia might come to some use-
'Frak' is a fictional version of "The F Word". It seems to function as a substitute for "f word" in several different forms, as an interjection ("Frak!"), inquisitive idiom ("What the frak?"), verb ("You're not still frakking Dualla, are you?"), adverb ("You frakking crazy idiot!"), a noun ("You miserable frak"), ("A good frak"), (to Starbuck "I guess a pity frak is out of the question") or in compound words ("What a clusterfrak."), ("Motherfrakker!"), or as almost every word in a sentence ("frak the frakking frakkers.").
'Battlestar Galactica Season 4' had its ups and downs, just like any of the other seasons. The difference here was the controversy the big reveals created among fans, answering 5 years of questions. We got all the answers we were looking for, some were great, some were confusing and some were the logical choice we should have seen coming a mile away but didn't. Whether or not the reveals disappointed, you should remember that the worst of 'Battlestar Galactica' was better than 99% of all else on network TV. The production value, storytelling, acting and music were all top-notch. It was such a success because it had elements to cross-over from a sci/fi genre piece to a mainstream audience.
The story-arc is of a civilization of humans that lived on a group of planets called the Twelve Colonies. Their creation of a cybernetic race they call the Cylons come back to bite them in the proverbial ass, and sneak attack the Colonies, after years of exile. The survivors of the attack are now homeless and roaming the galaxies looking for a fabled 13th colony, Earth, which seems to be something of an old wives-tale. The story-arc of the survivors of their worlds holocaust, searching for a place to restart their culture and species, connected on a primitive level. The inter-personal relationships were genuine, and have a slight soap-operatic feel which helps draw us in and care even more. Combine all of that with suspense, mystery and action, and you have a recipe for success.
I know I am not expounding heavily on the plot of the series, but I assume you are up to speed if you are looking at a review of the fourth and final season. If not, go get season one and enjoy the experience of what I consider the best remake/re-imagining that has been made.
Ralph reviewed Battlestar Galactica: Razor, which was a stand-alone movie that aired between season 3 and 4 and chronicles officer Kendra Shaw and her ship, the Battlestar Pegasus. It is available separate, but is also included in this set. Here is a link to that as well as a snippet below.
"I didn’t have any trouble following the story and understanding the dynamics of the relationships among the principle characters. It is apparent that the show plays out similarly to other programming of its type. This movie a typical but engaging sci-fi based narrative that is built around strong female characters and a good balance of drama and action. The multi-layered plotline offers fans a bit more perspective on established characters as well as expounding on events in the present. As a novice, Battlestar Galactica: Razor probably didn’t have the impact on me that it would on a devotee but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It is offered here in an unrated extended edition that contains both the original broadcast and extended edition which adds 16 additional minutes that is integrated via seamless branching."
Parental Guide:
Not Rated. Some Mild Violence and Adult Themes
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 88
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
Video: 82
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
'Battlestar Galactica: Season 4' comes to Blu-ray Disc from Universal Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 19.2 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.7 Mbps.
'Battlestar Galactica had its own stylized look which was a bit limited in colors, reflecting the despair of the characters and story. Blacks tended to crush, at times losing some definition in the shadows. That is in-line with my other compliant, it was not as detailed as I would like to have seen on something shot on HD Video. Don't worry, its not soft and its look is faithful to what was filmed and broadcast. The soundtrack was great when I watched it on the Sci-Fi channel (before the marketing geniuses decided it would look better as SyFy) and it translates well with this DTS-HD Master Audio mix. The surround activity was great, with Spaceships and ambient effects making the sound-stage a 360 degree affair. I had no issues with discerning dialogue and the LFE and dynamics were superb, making this a fun track to crank!
Episodes:
- Razor (Extended Edition)
- 01 He That Believeth In Me
- 02 Six of One
- 03 The Ties That Bind
- 04 Escape Velocity
- 05 The Road Less Traveled
- 06 Faith
- 07 Guess What's Coming to Dinner?
- 08 Sine Qua Non
- 09 The Hub
- 10 Revelations
- 11 Sometimes a Great Notion
- 12 A Disquiet Follows My Soul
- 13 The Oath
- 14 Blood on the Scales
- 15 No Exit
- 16 Deadlock
- 17 Someone to Watch Over Me
- 18 Islanded In a Stream of Stars
- 19 Daybreak, Part I
- 20 Daybreak, Part II
Bonus Features:
- Podcast Commentary by Producer Ronald D. Moore
- Commentary to the Unrated Extended Edition of Razor-with Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and Writer Michael Taylor
- (HD)Unaired/Extended Episodes with Commentaries- "A Disquiet Follows My Soul", "Islanded In A Stream Of Stars", & "Daybreak".
- (HD)Unrated/Extended Version of Razor
- (HD)The Journey Ends: The Arrival
- (HD)A Look Back- 6 Part Featurette
- (HD)...And They Have A Plan
- (HD)The Look of Battlestar Galactica
- (HD)What The Frak Is Going On With Battlestar Galactica?
- (HD)Deleted Scenes
- (HD)Behind The Scenes Featurettes
- (HD)David Eick's Video Blogs
- (HD)The Look of Battlestar Galactica
- (HD)My Favorite Episode So Far
- (HD)Season 4 Sneak Peek
- (HD)Season 4 Trailer
- (HD)Minisodes
- U-Control:
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- The Oracle - Interactive bonus view guide
- Battlestar Actual - Bonus view Glossary to all of the unique Battlestar Galatica terms
- What The Frak Happened To You?
- BD-Live enabled features:
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- Battlestar Galactica trivia challenge
- Battlestar Galactica ultimate battle card strategy challenge
- Battlestar Galactica Download Center
Final Thoughts:
If you enjoyed Battlestar Galactica when it originally aired you will throughly enjoy this 6 Disc set by Universal Home Entertainment. The only better choice is the 'Complete Series' edition Blu-ray. If you have never seen Battlestar Galactica, I highly recommend starting with season one and diving in...you might possibly need to clear your schedule! This is a rare television show with an engaging story-arc, characters that you care about and production values that rival feature film. Universal didn't skimp on the extras as this release is jam packed, including the season 4 content from the Complete Series Set.
Lee Weber
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS50 3D 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Custom 1.3 Gain 128" 2.37:1 CinemaScope Screen
Denon AVR-4311CI Receiver
Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Triangle Zerius Speakers (7.1)
SVS PC13-Ultra Subwoofer
