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Nathan Fillion,
Gina Torres,
Alan Tudyk,
more...
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Joss Whedon
see all cast/crew...
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: Universal
: Science Fiction
: 119 min.
: English
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Serenity is based on Joss Whedon's television show Firefly, in which interplanetary travel has brought about colonization of the planets, leading to a combination of sci-fi and Western tropes. The film picks up where the short-lived series left off, following the exploits of a crew of small-time criminals and outcasts who eke out a living on the edge of space, performing illegal smuggles and transports aboard a Firefly class cargo ship named Serenity. Led by a quick-witted veteran from the losing side of an interstellar war, Captain "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), the crew is comprised of a rag-tag assortment of characters who, despite having their differences, are mostly loyal to one another, the closest thing that many of them have to a family. The stability of the crew is challenged, however, by the revelation that two of the passengers aboard, a brother and sister, are fugitives, wanted by the Interplanetary Alliance with a hefty reward on their heads. The young woman, River (Summer Glau), who was held captive in a government facility, has since developed unimaginable combat skills and telepathic abilities. She appears to have been altered by some form of experimental technology, leaving her emotionally unstable and incalculably valuable. The ship therefore remains on the outskirts of space, keeping it under the radar of the Alliance but placing the crew in danger of being sacked by Reavers -- savage men who traverse the edge of space, turning hapless goers by into food and clothing. They cannot run forever and now, the crew of Serenity must risk everything and rely on each other to keep River out of government hands and their ship in one piece. One question, however, haunts the crew throughout their ordeal: is River herself more of a threat to them than any of the enemies that pursue them? Serenity mixes action with humor and relies on the cast's strong chemistry as portrayed through the characters' steady rapport. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
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| Junkie mother's milk
by JKelly
February 19, 2008 - 10:02 PM PST
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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Others have already said how great this and the series are. What they didn't say is that if, like me, you stumbled upon the series and became hooked and were let down and saddened by its untimely demise, making you wonder how that can happen to such a great show (and where was I? I watched this all after the fact on DVD!) and how in the 'verse you're gonna get your next fix, this is junky mother's milk. I stumbled upon "Serenity" and like George Costanza wanted to yell "Serenity now!" It ties up some of the loose ends from the series (is the preacher really a preacher?), develops some things further (from whence come the Reapers?), in class fashion leaves some loose ends decidedly untied (again, the preacher), and lastly, I want to say that the language that Whedon develops for the movie, and the delivery of it by the cast, is captivating. How rarely a medium can pull you into its own language is clear. There was Lord of the Rings, A Clockwork Orange, etc. Well, the language here is not so all-encompassing as those classics, but it is effectively used to add to the storytelling and help you believe that this is a sci-fi version of a future for humanity.
Don't miss the special features for many interesting aspects of how this film got made after the series was canceled.
Note: Adam Baldwin (Jayne) was the voice of Superman in the animated feature "Superman: Doomsday." A worthwhile watch of its own, especially for the special features that are sort of a documentary on the topic of the death of Superman storyline, which essentially became a media and almost a cultural event. |
| Surprisingly fun, actually
by SAmshey
October 5, 2006 - 1:07 AM PDT
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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| It's a space adventure. It's not the best dramatic acting ever (nor is the little girl character especially believable as a one person super-weapon). That being said, however, it's got pretty much everything you want in a space adventure movie. |
| Flawless
by MBode
May 30, 2006 - 10:18 PM PDT
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3 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| Well written, great looking. An outstanding sci fi film. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.79)
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