“Serenity” (2005)
I was really looking forward to this movie. “Firefly” was one of the great science fiction TV shows, a true hidden classic; and the previews of Serenity looked like it was one of the few TV-to-Big-Screen properties that would actually have the theatrical feature be as good or better than the TV show.
What separates Serenity/Firefly from most other of the sci-fi genre is the writing and the cast. So many shows try to manufacture either drama or special effects. Firefly had decent effects, and strong dramatic moments, but what made the show work was the way the characters interacted with each other and with their world.
In Serenity there’s a little more budget than on TV for effects. And in the movie they were able to bring back all the cast members, albeit some had lesser roles that on TV. More importantly they were able to retain the chemistry they had from the TV show and transition it to the big screen. The same wry wit, the same blunt approach to life at the edge of the universe, and the same well-grounded feeling of a crew that’s been together a while. It’s rare to see something this well crafted.
Better still, the movie answers some questions from the TV show about why some things were the way they were. It’s actually a very clever story when it all finally gets revealed. If you hadn’t seen the TV show, some of it may seem confusing at first, but once you get past the first half hour you should be hooked and know enough of the back-story to enjoy the movie.
As mentioned, the special effects are pretty good. While maybe not up to Star Wars quality, they are still quite good and very well integrated into the live action. SFX aren’t added just for their own sake, everything is there to support the story. The stunt work is very good – from the chases to the fight scenes to the gun battles. They’re all well scripted and well performed.
If you like SciFi with more character than eye candy, you’ll like Serenity.
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