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    Serenity

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    I think to a certain extent, any strong piece of art will stand on its own, even out of context. If it’s a story, you may not understand what is going on precisely, or what references are being winked at and plot lines are being tied up. I believe that if there’s real passion used to bring the story to life and in the way relationships and characters are written, it will make even non-fans want to see more. You’ll feel compelled to figure out how what you saw fits in the big picture. Even if, like myself, you haven’t seen the television series that led up to “Serenity”, you can still view the film and enjoy yourself tremendously.

    Set in 2517, humanity has left Earth. In our new terraformed solar system, the central planets are ruled by the overbearing Alliance, while the outer rim is filled with Rebels and at the mercy of the savage Reavers, barbaric men and women who raid small encampments and eat anyone they can get their hands on. Our heroes are the captain and crew of the Serenity, a space ship. When medical officer Simon Tam (Sean Maher) rescues his sister River (Summer Glau) from forcible conditioning into the Alliance’s branch of psychic assassins, a ruthless Alliance agent known only as the Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) begins to pursue the Serenity. Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) finds himself in an even bigger mess than he’s accustomed to.

    Once again, I haven’t seen any of the episodes of the television series “Firefly”, so I can’t be sure if this film necessarily fulfils my criteria for a great show-ending wrap up, but I’d put a weighty bet on the odds that it does. To be a successful TV-show turned movie, you need several things. First of all, the budget should be bigger. If there are special effects, they should look good and the fights/action scenes should reflect the money that’s been sunk into the project. The character arcs should get fulfilled and be richer to reward the audience that’s now paying to see something they used to see on TV for free. The plot needs to be bigger; it’s time for the big opponent to come face-to-face with our heroes. Finally, this movie needs to be a game changer. If it’s not going to actually end the show, it should be essential viewing for the fans.

    “Serenity” looks and feels like a movie, not just a few episodes of a show stitched together. Even as a standalone work, it still entertains. You have layered and complex characters in a compelling story. You can sense that these people have been friends through thick and thin and today, it’s their biggest adventure yet, one that will change their future together. This plot they’re in, it’s a big one. We’re talking about brainwashing, huge conspiracies, ship battles, heists, drama and just a bit of romance thrown in and a smidge of humour for variety too.

    What drew me in were the characters. Mal is not just a knight in shining armour. He’s a bitter, no-nonsense captain that is ready to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure the survival of his crew. Yeah, sometimes that means doing bad things but you know what? You have to look out for number one sometimes because no one else is going to. That brings him at odds with his crew but there’s no time to discuss the morality of stealing to live when you have a powerhouse of a villain like Chiwetel Ejiofor. I didn’t know what to make of him at first. He seemed like just a one-dimensional bad guy but I should have known better. Every issue I initially had with the film or with a character’s motivations, be they appearing too simple or too convenient, evaporated as the running time went on. This is a well-written story that immerses you in its universe because it feels real. Even the little nuances in the dialogue are a treat to listen to. I bet on another viewing there are a slew of details I would notice.

    Ultimately I’m going to give “Serenity” a 4/5 rating. That’s coming from someone who had no idea what the show was about and was only seeing the movie because it was playing at the theatre. Can you imagine then, what my reaction would be like if I had gone in with an in-depth knowledge of every episode, already in love with the characters, able to recognize little hints dropped throughout, and frothing at the mouth at the idea of seeing all of the arcs tied up? I don’t regret coming in cold. This picture stands strongly on its own and I might even get the opportunity to “experience it for the first time” twice. I feel compelled now to grab a DVD of the series and start all over from the beginning and really get to savour this universe as it was meant to be. The Joss Whedon passion project “Serenity” is a delight, and not just for fans of the show. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 7, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  9.2.2016 age: 26-35 2,866 reviews

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