Blu-ray Review: Battlestar Galactica - The Plan

Release Date: October 27th, 2009
Running Time: 112 minutes

The Film

“And they have a plan.” Nearly every title sequence to Battlestar Galactica ended on this ominous note, but at the conclusion of the series fans were left wondering just exactly what the “plan” entailed. With a few other nagging plot threads unresolved, the BSG team took it upon themselves to address these issues through an ambitious return to the BSG universe, this time from the Cylon perspective. Helmed by the Admiral himself, Edward James Olmos, The Plan is a strong, compelling coda to one of the best dramatic television shows in recent history.

SPOILER WARNING. The discussion below features major spoilers concerning revelatory plot twists for the entire Battlestar Galactica series.

The Plan revolves around the Cylon master plan to wipe out the entire human race by simultaneously nuking every colony. But it doesn’t work out and the Cylons find themselves struggling to eradicate the last stubborn humans who are determined to survive. The story covers a few weeks before the attack until about 280 days after. This is done through newly filmed footage spliced together with scenes from the series in order to give you a new perspective on certain events and characters. The story is bookended by the scene in Season Two when two Cavil models are air locked to death. One suggests to the other that the plan was wrong, and thus we see it all go down from the beginning—but this time from the Cylon perspective.

For me to go through the new scenes and information would be a disservice to BSG fans: everyone should experience this for themselves. However, a few things are certainly worth noting. First and foremost the destruction of the colonies is shown in horrible, graphic detail. We see numerous different colonies only mentioned in the series and watch as each one is reduced to rubble. It is a true extermination; a chilling apocalypse. Seeing the MIRV-style nukes launch from the Cylon Base Stars is utterly harrowing. The extended attack also serves to show how the prophetic Final Five survive the attack.

Many familiar Cylons are explored in more detail, but the film undoubtedly focuses on the Ones, or Brother Cavil (Dean Stockwell). He is the mastermind controlling all of the other models, and once the initial extermination fails, he constantly alters the plan only to find further failure. Some of the strongest character moments with his model come from contrasting the pure evil one on Galactica with one that is part of Anders’ (Michael Trucco) resistance group. It is these two Ones that begin and end the film. Speaking of Anders, his fight for survival on Caprica with his pyramid team is another major focal point of the film.

We also get a whole new look into Boomer’s (Grace Park) struggle with being a Cylon, including her attempted assassination of Adama and the water storage sabotage. Leoben’s (Callum Keith Rennie) obsession with Starbuck is further explored as well. There are tons of Sixes (Tricia Helfer) of varying styles (including a sexy leather-clad one), but most of the time is spent covering the Six that was supposed to defame Gaius Baltar on the Galactica.

Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was learning more about the two least-seen models: the Fours (Rick Worthy) and Fives (Matthew Bennett). The Fours are represented by two contrasting models, much like the Cavils: one in Anders’ group and another who has actually married a human. The Fours begin to waver in their conviction to kill all the humans, something that begins to spread among the other models as well. The Fives, on the other hand, are punished for their failures and inefficiencies, such as the suicide bomb on Galactica that fails to cause major damage. All of this new insight and evolution of the models leads to what ultimately becomes the “truce” on New Caprica that utterly fails…but that is another story.

The Plan is a complete fan service that caps off the Battlestar Galactica saga. To understand the narrative it is imperative that you be familiar with the series. At its core the film is a study of Cavil and his line of Ones. We see his original plan, his beliefs and ideals, and how it all goes wrong. Through the Cylon perspective we get an intimate look into the Cylon psyche and the overt control the Ones exercise over the other models. As some models fall further into the trap of hatred, others closer to the humans begin to realize the error in their ways. The film shows you the extremes of the Cylons: the complete atrocity of the human genocide but also the humanizing evolution of certain models.

The Plan is not meant to rewrite the Battlestar Galactica lore through mind-blowing revelations. Rather it is a character-driven story that never asks you to sympathize with the “enemy,” but rather proves the point that there are always two sides to a story.

END SPOILERS

The Disc

The video is presented in a 1.78:1, 1080p High Definition transfer. Please note that a lot older footage from the series is used that does not look as crisp as the newer stuff, particularly shots from the Pilot. The disc also features a notice saying that the transfer preserves the artistic intentions of the show. Battlestar Galactica does not have an ultra-sharp image–it is grimy and grainy, featuring filtered shots and stylized saturation that all establish the bleak tone of the series. It isn’t a very colorful show either with the palette consisting mostly of grays and deep blues, but there are moments where more vibrant colors come into play. The blacks of space feel appropriately deep and endless. Fine detail is inconsistent due to the visual style and melding of older footage, but the new shots feature excellent close ups (just look at the experience etched in Cavil’s face). The CGI footage is the best the series has even seen and brings a whole new level of detail to the destruction of the colonies. In short, the image of the film remains faithful to the series, and that is all fans can really ask for.

The audio is offered in an English DTS HD 5.1 master lossless audio track with English/French/Spanish subtitles. Again there are some minor inconsistencies due to the inclusion of older footage, but in general this is a worthy, robust mix. The attack on the colonies is terrifying in its power—a level of destruction that has to be heard to be believed. Tons of gunfire features excellent weight. The space battles have ships panning across the speakers, supported with carefully placed effects. The rears aren’t always active, but they come to life at just the right times. The score, which is heavy on drums, is a showcase for your subwoofer and is always balanced with the atmospheric effects such as the creaks and groans of Galactica. Dialogue is crisp and balanced, rounding out this solid mix.

The Extras

The Plan is packed with a selection of short but sweet extra content.

Commentary is offered with Director Edward James Olmos and Writer Jane Espenson. There are some silences in the relaxed discussion, but the two are immensely knowledgeable about the series and have tons to talk about concerning what The Plan brings to the Battlestar Galactica universe.

“From Admiral to Director” is a 7-minute featurette on Edward James Olmos’ helming the project. Through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews we see just how well he works with everyone and his dedication to the film.

“The Cylons of The Plan” is a 7-minute featurette on the various models but mainly focuses on Cavil. Unfortunately some models are barely covered, and this piece fails to be a truly comprehensive look at the Cylons.

“The Cylon Attack” is a 4-minute look at the production of the guerilla mission Anders led his team on to destroy a Cylon facility.

“The Magic Behind The Plan” (20 minutes) is the best featurette on the disc and delves in detail into the impressive CGI effects from pre-visualization to the final composite. My favorite was the discussion about the intricate nature of the Cylon nukes.

14 minutes of Deleted Scenes are offered but seeing as how the film is already two hours long I feel that these scenes were justly cut.

BD-Live features include My Scenes Bookmarking and a Trivia Challenge that requires you to log-in online where you can then answer questions and be given a rank.

I am disappointed that the webisodes “Face of the Enemy” were not included (since they were left out of the Complete Series box set), but a fun Easter Egg helps ease the sting.

Final Thoughts

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is a perfect conclusion to one of my favorite shows of all time. Presented on a worthy Blu-ray disc with some good special features, The Plan is a must-own title for every BSG fan.