Review of Serenity (2005) by Alex B — 10 Apr 2013

The series may have been killed unceremoniously, but it was given a jaw-dropping and meaningful funeral. Fans of the series will enjoy the fact that, despite the series' cancellation year before filming, both the original actors and the essence of the characters they portrayed have returned. Though the iconic Western feel is a bit diminished, and the Alliance portrayed a bit much like a stereotypical evil space empire, the plot, characters, and closure that this movie brings to fans of the series definitely earn it a couple hours of your time.

The movie more or less begins after the events of Firefly, although a few of the details don't sit well with it - for example, the highly skilled and ever resourceful government operative who is charged with tracking down River never set foot in Firefly. Or the fact that Simon seems more or less aware of the nature of the experiments performed on his sister. But for the most part, the transition is comfortable.

All in all, people who aren't fans of the series and are just looking for a fun sci-fi flick may or may not enjoy this film. It definitely seems to assume the viewer knows facts that, while unneccessary, do contribute to the plot. The plot twists and struggles that the characters must overcome are amplified by the attachment a viewer might grow with them over the course of the series. Without this foreknowledge, you're left with a fairly competent sci-fi action flick that can stand by itself, but the story just won't be as impactful. The movie revisits the themes of the series - rebellion against tyranny, trust and loyalty, and interpersonal conflicts.

A few standalone incidences in the film go against common sense or believability. As some of the cover art represents, River has been reformed as a very action-oriented character at times. While her character doesn't lose her chaotic bursts of insanity or eerieness, at times she becomes a weapon that just doesn't settle well with me. Secondly, an event occurs towards the ending which illicits a completely different response from a lead character (I can't really say much more without spoiling it) which seems to go against their behavior as well as common sense. But overall, the universe remains true to its fans who are disappointed by its sudden upheaval.