Review of Serenity (2005) by Sp M — 15 Feb 2012

A great way to tie up loose ends.

Serenity is based on the Firefly series, the best sci-fi series I've watched in years (although I am late as it's been a decade since the show first aired). A space-western, Firefly sets a believable blend of technology and grit, a blend that plays out not only in the settings but also in the characters themselves. There's a lot of tension within and between characters who often find themselves treading questionable moral ground, yet there is also an abiding sense of loyalty among the captain and his crew. Instead of sci-fi based exclusively on techno-gloss or the post-apocalyptic, Firefly's world works on the contrast between the glitzy, authoritarian central planets and the dirty, rough, and wild frontier. More often than not, the episodes occur out in the solar boonies where the crew ekes out their living by smuggling (sometimes rather unglamorous goods).

I started watching the Firefly series on Friday night, finished it on Sunday night, and watched the movie into Monday morning. I really am glad they made a movie since Firefly's cancellation after only one season left so many unanswered questions. The movie started slowly, but the action picked up towards the end. It was actually thrilling! (At one point I was biting my fingers.) However, I'm most thankful for the movie's sense of peace in the end, and the final bit of humor as a goodbye for the show's fans. If you loved the series, you have to watch the movie. Seriously, do it.