Serenity

December 27, 2005

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 119 min Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Whoop-dee-doo and yeehaw! Have you ever wanted to watch an action-comedy-sci fi-western? Well, if you did, this is the movie you’ve been waiting for. Joss Whedon (Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) created a TV show called Firefly which, thanks to a multitude of reasons, didn’t last very long before getting the axe by the higher ups at Fox. But thanks to a monstrously successful DVD release and the subsequent groundswell of support from fans, the go ahead for a movie adaptation was given and the result is Serenity.

Serenity In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I was a huge fan of the now defunct series and was elated when I read about the movie. I have to say, too, that I did have some doubts about the transition from the small tube to the big screen. After seeing it, however, I feel I can erase those doubts now.

Since it is classic Joss Whedon, the fanbase will love this movie. It remains true to the characters from start to finish and helps wrap up (temporarily, if not permanently) many of the loose ends from the TV show. But more importantly, people who have never watched the show can enjoy this movie, too. Not quite as much, mind you, since there is no foundation of knowledge about the history of the characters and the roles they fill on the ship, but still enough that it will be a very positive experience, by and large.

As the TV show left things, the gifted psychic (and certifiable nutjob) River Tam and her brother Simon were under the protection of Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds and his crew aboard his ship, Serenity (hence the name). The government (known simply as the Alliance) created River’s abilities through the use of horrific medical experimentation and they wanted her back in the worst way. The crew is quite a hodge podge of characters, but this is a good thing. Zoe, a longtime friend of Mal and ex-soldier, is more or less the 2nd in command. Wash is the pilot and husband to Zoe. Jayne (yes, this is a guy) is the brute on board and serves as both muscle and comic relief. Last, but not least, is Kaylee, the hayseed damsel turned horny ship’s engineer.

And this is pretty much where the movie picks up. Some time has passed and this is shown by the fact that two of the more permanent passengers, Inara and Shepherd Book, are no longer on board. Inara was a…businesswoman *cough* and somewhat of a love interest for Mal. Their constant fighting, however, has apparently led her to leave Serenity to find work elsewhere. Shepherd Book was a religious man with what was hinted to be a dark history and he has apparently decided to settle down with a colony and preach the good word. Fans of each should not despair, however, as they do show up as the movie progresses.

This passage of time has not been kind to Serenity or her crew, however. Due to their need to stay on the run, business has been sparse and they’re running out of parts, fuel, and even food. And then to make things worse, the Alliance raised the ante…bigtime. An operative (Ejiofor) has been sent to recover River and he is no ordinary bad guy. Someone once said that the most dangerous enemy you’ll ever face is a “true believer” and this one qualifies.

The operative is as relentless in capturing his quarry as he is nice. Yes, I said nice…well, in a murderous sort of way. I mean, how else could you describe someone that does his level best to convince you that your death (at his hands) is a good thing and will make the ‘verse a better place and that there is no shame in it? You almost want to buy him a beer before you snap his neck.

And from this setup springs a grand pursuit across the known worlds. The action is magnificent, the special effects range anywhere from adequate to spectacular, the cinematography is exceptional, and the humor is perfectly timed.

This is the best rip-roaring good time I’ve had in a theater this year and I cannot recommend this one strongly enough. All Firefly fans need to see this on the big screen. But even if you’ve never seen the TV show, go see it. Rent a couple of the DVDs of the show beforehand, if you must, but go see it. You’ll be very glad you did. Oh, and as a side note to the Fox Network: You can’t stop the signal.

Posted by Alex | Filed Under 5 Stars, Action, Adam Baldwin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Comedy, DVD, Gina Torres, Nathan Fillion, PG-13, SciFi, Summer Glau