So I saw “Serenity” yesterday. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good movie. I was bored only a few stray times through the movie, usually at the sappy romantic (few and far between) or moral (more frequent…) moments where discussion ensues…
The movie takes up where the show, “Firefly,” left off. One important thing to note: I’ve seen only a few episodes of the series and yet you really didn’t need any of the series to watch the movie…it helps, for sure, but you can definitely see the movie without seeing the show…and it may make you want to rent the DVDs so you can see where it all got started… The show, written and directed by Joss Whedon, of “Buffy” and “Angel” fame, took place 500 years in the future after Earth became over-populated, forcing the inhabitants to search for a new home. They found it in a solar system lightyears away and settled, terraforming many of the planets for their use. Well, some of the planets formed the “Alliance,” which sought to “civilize” the inhabitants on the other planets…those people obviously didn’t want to have their lives messed with and fought back…and lost… The Serenity is a ship that carries some of the people who fought in that war against the Alliance, now working for hire as transporters of legal or illegal goods, sometimes stealing to get what they need, sometimes helping others who need help more than they do.
Whedon also added a few more creative bits, making the “uncivilized” planets look very much like something out of a western film…and they don’t use laser guns or anything, but instead use revolvers…wear leather trench coats, etc…they even speak with the more western-style accent. The show was designed as a “western in space”…and it shows…
Anyway, it was a good story idea…pity the show didn’t last long (11 episodes, I think…now shown on Sci-Fi…). Regardless, Whedon said “screw you, FOX” and made a movie instead…and it worked wonders. The actors, having worked together, were very cohesive. The action scenes were awesome (think of some high-powered “Buffy” fight scenes…but better…) and the space fight sequences had better graphics than “Episode III”… Again, I only got bored a few times as they ranted about hating the Alliance and all they stand for…but it was worth it to see a bad-ass chick fight a bunch of guys, where after the battle, we get a great shot of her standing there with a sword in one hand and a battle axe in the other…with the men’s bodies strewn about her… 😉
So yeah, go see it. Then they’ll make sequels. This would be a good thing. 😛