Serenity review, as promised

I will attempt not to include any spoilers, but the most sensitive may want to skip this entry. OK? Need an emergency exit? Here's some pretty pictures to look at.

All settled then? Good.

We saw Serenity on Wednesday evening. From the opening scenes to the closing credits I was engaged -- even cursed my bladder as I had to leave the room for a few moments (I chose a battle sequence) -- and that doesn't happen often. Usually, it's easy for my brain to drift off and look at the little details like costume or set design, or consider the choreography of a fight sequence, or dissect the special effects. That did not happen with Serenity which instead provided me with a rollercoaster plot that travelled along unexpected routes that still felt deeply familiar.

It is that familiarity, ultimately, that makes Serenity (and Firefly before it) so much more than a sci-fi film. Yes, there are spaceships and pulse weapons and multiple planets, but the universe is populated by humans who fled Earth. There is sin and salvation; heartbreak and hope; passion, betrayal and commitment. In short, Serenity is full of emotion -- surprisingly so for a movie that is also filled with some pretty graphic violence and space battles.

And while I am on the topic of the violence and fighting, there is plenty; it's well choreographed, and supported by some good special effects. Yes, some of it looks a bit cheesy, but that's part of the charm; there's a little bit of an old-time serial feel to the series that is echoed in the film.

The film plot ties up loose ends from the series (in a lot of ways, I think it's Whedon's "thank you" to the fans) and while I don't think one would neccessarily need to see the series -- the movie could stand on its own -- most of the characters' backgrounds are glossed over in the film, so the aforementioned emotion might not be as pronounced to those who haven't seen it.

Firefly has a huge, dedicated fan base (called Browncoats, after the Independents who fought against the Alliance) who mobilized to try and save the show from cancellation and again to promote Serenity. It worked -- Serenity had a US$10M opening weekend. I'm not sure I am as zealous a fan of Firefly or of Joss Whedon (who has his own legions of fans, some of whom happen to be Browncoats), but I am certainly going to buy Serenity when it is available on DVD.

[And, when I see it a second time, I'm sure I will pay more attention to the effects, costumes, and choreography.]

If you are curious, hubby also wrote a review, over on the Medianook.