Review of Serenity (2019) by Kenr — 24 Feb 2020

No-one involved with this movie can expect to get away without explaining their true motives. Whatever the creators were thinking will only seem clear to those who think because something is ‘different’ it must be good – while sometimes this can be so, it’s not in this case. Here is an example of trying too hard to be ‘different’ and ending up simplistically off-the-wall, but not in a good way. Writer Stephen Knight won the day with ‘Amazing Grace’ 06, and seemed to perhaps be thinking he can blend some of the grand philosophy that graced that film into this concoction. Problem here is, the grotesque characters and situations are manipulatively designed to be so overly nasty as to make the viewer want to see the ‘baddy’ violently done in. That is never a good way to set up a convincing story but is very much a popular computer games scenario. This swear, booze and sex-fest wears thin very early on with its obvious attempt at outlandish ‘smart’ pretence – it may have been halfway interesting if they had played it straight - as it appeared to be at the outset. Initially looking much like a remake of the Hemmingway/Garfield 50s noir classic “The Breaking Point’ - it soon veers off-course into the now predictable land of Computer Game ‘magic’. It’s also unbecoming for mixing perverse situations involving an abused minor into a rather lame fantasy element. Some audiences will only see the supposed ‘cleverness’, while others will see straight through it! (as the box-office returns tend to confirm).

Matthew McConaughey can be impressive (Free State of Jones ’16) but also sometimes over the top (as here). Previously, he has also verbally praised God for his career, if he thinks God will look favourably on this mess, he needs to think again. The talented Diane Lane is sadly, totally wasted as his casual town ‘play’ piece. Cold-hearted ugly nonsense.