59 out of 68 people found the following review helpful:

Refreshing ...

Andy Pellew from Cambridge, England, 14th September, 2004

Wow. This has to be the first time ever I've seen any 'remake' and thought that it was actually better than the original!

It's a bit formulaic (oh look, it's a sci-fi pilot and the captain is going hand-to-hand with the bad guys ... *again*), but it's an excellent introduction to the series.

Good things? The alcoholic Colonel Tie, Adama, 'nuclear missiles', the 'disaster movie' feel, Boltar, the CGI cylons, the 'human' cylons ... and tonnes of other stuff.

Bad things? Some people will hate the 'human' cylons idea, but hell Arnie got 3 films out of the human-looking-robot idea so it's obviously got something right? The whole 'baby' scene ... I guess this was just in case you mistook them for the good guys (maybe they should carry a sign), Boomer at the end, and that's it (ok the flashing red light on the front of the cylon ships).

It's not the original, it's different. If you want the originals then they're here to rent as well ... If you like the idea and want to see what someone else can do with it then this is the dvd set for you.

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50 out of 92 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent intelligent SciFi

HalB from Midlothian, 2nd March, 2005

This remake is true to the spirit of the original, and yet at the same time darker, more intelligent, more gripping and a damn sight more realistic. My wife (in general) isn’t a Sci-Fi fan but she watched this avidly… It has characters that you care about. It has documentary style camera work that makes the whole thing look like a news broadcast. The space scenes are so much more realistic than anything on other SciFi series. The performances are spot on and the script, special effects and cinematography are excellent.

Oh, and Starbuck and Boomer are women. Get over it.

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18 out of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Space Opera for telly!

TheRTW from Wiltshire, 22nd February, 2005

A superb pilot for a potentially great new series.

As a fan of the original I was expecting to hate this - Starbuck and Boomer have had gender re-assignment, the cylons are no longer silver-clad stormtrooper wanabees and there are no fluffy sidekicks anywhere to be seen. However the drama is gritty and realistic and gone is the winking at camera camp of the original.

Hopefully there's plenty more where this came from...

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15 out of 17 people found the following review helpful:

A thoughtful remake

morettat from Herts, 2nd April, 2004

I mainly rented this for curiosity value, as I couldn't really imagine why someone would remake Battlestar Galactica.

However, I was surprised to find it a very thoughtful remake of the original. A lot darker and more mysterious, but still true to the spirit of the original.

I think both fans of the original and general sci-fi viewers would find it a worthwhile rental.

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The ultimate revamp which undoubtedly inspired other franchise shake-ups.

sexybeast from from York, 9th June, 2009

I approached the Battlestar Galactica series (2003-2009) tentatively and naively. I had recently read how BSG's 4th and final season was coming out on DVD and how fantastic it was, but before that point I had lumped BSG in with what I saw as flakey and americanized space-soaps (Stargate spinoffs for instance) and I had hated the waffled redundance that had become of Star Trek franchise shows i.e. Deep Space 9 and Enterprise. I had also heard of, but never seen the original 1970's BSG film. So to be amazed by the initial miniseries was understatedly a pleasant surprise. I have no knowledge of the BSG universe and steered clear of any spoilers as best I could, so I was in effect travelling back to the reimagining of BSG which launched in 2003 to critical and fan applause. Even though the miniseries is just over 2 hours long, the action never lost my attention. There is instantly a realisation of how groundbreaking this series has been and influences can be seen in other sci fi franchises such as J.J. Abrams Star Trek (2009); including the cinema verite approach to direction - essentially of space combat (the pans and snap zooms). The layout of the militaristic Galactica (which has also influenced the renewed Enterprise) is refreshing in it's non-viewscreen- and-small-bridge layout replaced by perhaps more of a realistic approach. Of course to reinvigerate every lost vintage 70's/80's sci fi venture based on the success of BSG would be a mistake, as it is the premise and all the progressive basic elements which make BSG so enticing. BSG is also fortunate in having some Star Wars (1977) magic and similar elements (e.g. the 'Viper' fighters). Excellent casting also helps in the success of the reimagining of BSG, with the subversian of relationships, age and even gender for some of the characters; with notable performances from Katee Sackhoff as a feisty female Starbuck, Callum Keith Rennie as the most menacing Cylon in human form, English talent James Callis as compromised genius Gaius Baltar, and the seductive and gawpingly sexy Tricia Helfer as a mysterious Cylon-Number Six. BSG's brilliance derives from excellent writing, exploration of a new credible reality and interpersonal relationships, sexiness of aesthetic and refreshing approach to sci fi space combat. Other sci fi series would benefit from such BSG elements (notably LEXX from a personal point of view) as Star Trek already has, and I can't wait to belatedly watch season 1 of BSG.

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*** May contain spoilers ***

don't waste your time

dazmiester from , 7th June, 2009

This is without a doubt the worst remake of any thing i have ever seen, i was falling asleep watching it. Also based on the history of other things that have been banned e.g. the episode of X-files where the little girl with balloon dies(i think it got banned any way) then this should defo have been how any one can like a sci fi were you see a 2-5 mnth baby die is beyond me

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Better than expected

JandL from , 22nd May, 2009

We were expecting to watch a lighthearted, slightly camp sci-fi show made to a low budget like the original. How wrong could we have been. This is powerful stuff. The darkest thing we have seen for a long time.

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BSG

Redrum612 from , 13th May, 2009

Definetly builds to something interesting and the characters relationships and tribulations will leave you wanting to continue the series, it has for me at least

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