Battlestar Galactica, the wildly successful remake of the campy '70s series, wrapped up its run on Syfy this year to a resounding "huh?" from its ardent fan base. The ultimate destiny of the ragtag fugitive fleet left most either confounded or angry at the illogical choices the characters make in the final moments of the show. That aside, all those same fans would probably agree that BSG exemplifies the adage that it's not the destination that matters, but the journey.
The Plan is a direct-to-DVD movie directed by Edward James Olmos, known to most as the crustily paternal Admiral Adama from the series itself. Right off the bat, it should be said that this movie is not a good jumping-on point for the show by any means. It assumes the audience is already well versed in the entire run of the series. As such, this review will discuss certain major spoilers, so be warned.
The Cylons Were Created By Man
The title is a reference to the introductory text of each BSG episode (varying slightly each season) - "The Cylons were created by man. They evolved. They rebelled. There are many copies. And they have a plan." Partway through the run of the series, however, the Cylons started infighting, and some models switched sides to join the humans in an attempt to peacefully co-exist and work together to find a new home. So whatever the overall Cylon "plan" was, it fell apart at that point (supposedly); the audience was never really let in on what it was. This movie answers that question, telling the story of the invasion of the twelve colonies and the subsequent exodus into deep space from the point of view of the Cylons.
The Bad News
There aren't many revelations to be found in BSG: The Plan. Cynics could consider this a glorified clip show. The newly filmed Cylon footage is interspersed among memorable scenes from the first season and a half, such as Sharon (Grace Park) shooting Adama, and the rescue of Sam Anders (Michael Trucco) and the Pyramid team resistance group on Caprica. Not everyone from the cast took part in the project. Fans of Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), Apollo (Jamie Bamber), Roslin (Mary McDonnell), or Baltar (James Callis) will be sorely disappointed.
One other complaint is the surprising inclusion of several scenes of nudity (don't get excited - it's none of the regular cast members). One assumes the release of the movie straight to DVD gave the creators some leeway to include the bare flesh, perhaps as an attempt to further the sense of gritty realism the show always strives for. But to see it here, for the first time in the history of the show, feels jarring and exploitative.
The Good News
Completists will find that The Plan does a good job of tying together some of the disparate threads of the Cylons' various haphazard attacks on the fleet, such as the early suicide bombing on Galactica by one of the number five models (Matthew Bennett). It is interesting to see which Cylons were on the periphery and when. Witnessing what actually happens to sleeper agent Sharon when she blacks out is particularly cool.
But really, this is a showcase for Dean Stockwell as Brother Cavil, model number one, the driving force behind the Cylons. A lot more time is spent on him, and it's very satisfying to get some more insight into this character, who was born (or created) with an almost genetic disgust for humanity. The true depth of his desperation and hatred are on full and compelling display.
Those who are jonesing for one last Battlestar fix could do a lot worse than The Plan. Just be aware it's more of an appendix than a mind-blowing final chapter.
Dan Kaufman - Dan is an actor/writer/teacher with a passion for all kinds of geek interests. He has been cultivating this passion for over 30 years, to ...
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