Serenity (2005) User Reviews

Watch "Firefly" first to really appreciate it!

[kari_d · 8/10 · 21 July 2006]

My husband and I first saw this movie after just reading these excellent reviews and not knowing anything else about the movie or characters. We are both sci-fi fans.

I must say, we were a little puzzled about the great reviews. We thought the one-liners were kind of cheesy, the acting a bit poor, and we weren't at all impressed (except for maybe the fight scenes with River). The cowboy theme music didn't sit well with us either.

However, I have heard only excellent things about the series Firefly and the following movie Serenity. Were we missing something? We even watched Serenity again giving it a second chance. It still didn't click with us. I was very confused.

We were going to give up when a friend loaned us the Firefly DVDs. OK, I'll give it another shot since clearly we *must* be missing something! And that did it.

After just a couple episodes I was really enjoying myself. When I re-watched Serenity again after seeing the TV series, I thought it was excellent. I really appreciated it. The characters were more 3D, the one-liners were amusing, the music didn't bother me a bit (I was starting to like it), and I really liked all the nuances from the actors (I changed my mind - not bad acting). I felt like I knew the characters and story so much better and I really loved how they tied some loose ends together. It was also nice to see the characters again after the series ended (even on DVD).

So bottom line - if you didn't watch Firefly, you probably won't get it, may not like it very much, and you might be confused why there are such great reviews. If you did watch Firefly first (and liked it), you'll love Serenity and you'll have a great ride!

What could have been

[AlexanderJB · 8/10 · 14 July 2022]

Everytime I watch this movie I shed a tear for Joss Whedon's original vision. If only fox hadn't shut him down, we could have fleahed out these stories over many seasons.

Better for Firefly fans, but still good for everybody else

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 1 January 2014]

Mankind had left Earth for a new solar system with dozens of planets and hundreds of moons. The inner most planets had formed the Alliance, and conquered the outer Independent planets in a destructive war. Mal (Nathan Fillion) and his ragtag band of former rebels are living on the edge of survival. Simon had bought his way on board and rescued sister River from a government facility. She's a secret experiment with psychic powers and hidden memories of a deadly government secret.

This is the follow up to the short-lived cult TV show Firefly. Although it's not absolutely necessary to know the TV show to understand the movie, it would help to get the feel of the group dynamics. The relationships are what gives the movie its emotions. The characters are pretty easily decipherable. Nevertheless, their backstories would help.

This has the Joss Whedon touches. It has the fast talking inside jokes of a Scooby gang. That's what makes this fun. The CGI is not the absolute top rate, but he makes up for it with inventive energy. The random craziness of the big space battle is something that Star Wars can only aspire to. In fact, Mal is Han Solo. Imagine if Star Wars centered on Han Solo, and you've got this movie.

A sequel that's BETTER than the original - it is all Firefly could have been!

[vfrickey · 10/10 · 9 February 2016]

Serenity is the movie sequel to the much-beloved, ended much too soon US Fox television network science-fiction series "Firefly," with all the show's central characters, doing the same fine acting they did in Firefly.

And it's not just a sequel - it rises to the occasion to be a much better story than any of the individual episodes of Firefly.

Serenity's a luminous rebooting of Firefly, and you don't have to have seen a single episode of Firefly to enjoy it immensely. But those of us who knew and loved Firefly will love it more, because it's also more of what we loved and Fox took away from us.

Serenity, like Firefly, is a science fiction story with strong elements of westerns, spy movie intrigue, and lots and lots of spine-tingling action, and wry, irresistible humor throughout - the humor that comes from a cast that has incredible chemistry.

The plot begins with a half-western, half very high-tech bank heist which goes very much awry, then evolves into a cosmic spy drama centered on River Tam, the victim of terrible experiments on her brain committed by a secret, murderous agency of the tyrannical Alliance of Planets, which governs the colonies of a distant star settled by refugees from a dying Earth.

River Tam and her physician brother Simon are passengers on the starship Serenity, captained by Malcolm Reynolds, a Browncoat - veteran of the war between the Alliance and a confederacy of planets who resisted their overreach (along with his first officer, Zoe Washburn, who's also the wife of the Serenity's pilot).

Serenity's crew are the most entertaining bunch of smugglers and mercenaries in fiction, and why so many of us Firefly/Serenity fans wear brown coats. I won't spoil the plot for you - enjoy it for yourself. Then get a brown coat.

Extraordinary

[manosdvd · 10/10 · 17 August 2005]

The others do a good job gushing about the movie. Sure we're fans and bound to like the movie more than the usual fare, but those looking for an original and thrilling movie experience, this will shock and amaze. The Firefly world introduced a fantasy home for many of us, with characters we truly cared about and dilemmas we could get behind. The best way to describe it is to take the best aspects of the Han Solo elements of the original Star Wars, and build a world around that. There's no grand theme or clear cut good and evil. There's just a band of fugitives trying to make their way in a dangerous sky. It's something folks can relate to, although most of us won't be in a space battle or fighting psychotic creatures anytime soon. The point of the name Serenity is the name of the ship, though in a deeper sense that's what our characters are in search of. Finding freedom and a home, and that's what the ship represents to them, and to the fans. So you understand why so many are so excited about this dinky little scifi flick.

The movie captures that beautiful feeling but takes us on a ride that there's no turning back from. In my opinion, the one thing that makes for a truly GREAT movie is if you walk out of the theater a different person than when you walked in. This movie takes you on such a journey I didn't know if I would leave the theater at all. Sure the visual effects are stunning, but even the unfinished effects I saw meant nothing to me because it was the characters I cared about (and note that the digitally created ship itself is one of them, and I cared just as much for that than any of them). The humor is probably better than anything in the theaters this year, and the action is even greater. My screening actually came a week after Episode 3 was released, and I immediately washed my hands of Mr Lucas, and months later when I saw Fantastic 4... well let's not even talk about that one.

This movie really does have something for everyone, and even in the core of the geek fandom, the range of people is total - men and women split it at least 50/50, uber-geeks and "cool" types, and a surprising amount of attractive people of all ages. Seriously though, don't trust the rants of the fans. Check out the movie for yourself. Give it an honest chance and I promise you will be taken on a journey that will turn you into a fan as well.

Intense

[jmoffitt · 10/10 · 21 August 2005]

From start to finish there are no wasted moments. All your emotions will be engaged. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp in shock. What you won't be is bored. Don't plan on being able to take a bathroom break or get more soda and popcorn. You won't want to miss a second of this one.

There's plenty here for everybody: Good writing, humor, excellent acting, plot, action (that actually makes sense in terms of the plot), excellent cgi, eye candy. And it's a movie that needs the big screen for the full effect. Watch it in theater; don't just wait for the DVD.

If you saw Star Wars (the original) in the theater way back when, then this movie will evoke a similar feeling of awe. Once you see this movie, your perceptions of the movie-going experience will be changed. No other movie I've ever seen has hit me with the intensity of this one.

Oustanding adaptation

[jmkelly03 · 10/10 · 20 August 2005]

Instead of going into a long, drawn out review, let me sum up "Serenity" by saying that 1) no fans of "Firefly" will be disappointed, and 2) Whedon does a good enough job laying out the backstory that newbies to the Firefly universe will have no trouble figuring things out and enjoying the heck out of the movie.

The film is split more into halves than the standard three acts, which works just fine in this instance. The plot may be confusing at first, but when the second half of the film starts there are no lingering questions and a pantload of great action bits and one-liners. Frankly, the last 45 minutes are absolutely outstanding. The first half takes a bit to really pick up, but it's the second half of the movie that will leave old fans and new yearning for a sequel.

There are some sad moments, some gut busting lines, and some rousing actions sequences that make "Serenity" a wonderful film that really, really deserves a sequel and, perhaps if we're lucky, a second chance on Sci-Fi.

An Hidden Gem

[abcizdaman · 10/10 · 15 March 2020]

I never heard of the Firefly series, and the first time I watched it was this movie which came a few years after the series ended. The series was highly unknown and only ran 1 season. False advertising and a bad TV spot are the reasons why it was short lived. The show.. is awesome.. even better than this movie in my opinion. A great mix of the old West with outer space and some Asian words mixed in. It's a great series and if you ever have the chance watch the Firefly series before you see this movie. This Serenity movie takes place chronologically after the series. The last few episodes seem to be out of order, and they were from what I read. So far I feel the series chronological order is 1. Serenity (season episode not the movie), 2. The Train Job, 3. Bushwhacked, 4. Shindig, 5. Safe, 6. Our Mrs. Reynolds, 7. Jaynestown, 8. Out of Gas, 9. Ariel, 10. Heart of Gold, 11. Objects in Space, 12. War Stories, 13. Trash, and finally 14. The Message. I just put them in that order today since it made the most sense as to what happened in previous episodes compared to what happened in later episodes. If you watch them in that order things will make sense. Then this movie last. This series/movie is just very original, and there are no words for it but to watch them all and see for yourself. I give the series a 12 out of 10 and this movie a 10+. The Firefly theme song is awesome too, and I always love hearing it. If nothing else give this movie a watch. It's very interesting and original to say the least and glad I found it on Netflix several years ago and found the series later. What a wonderful watch. Maybe someday these creators or someone else will come along to make a similar show. 200 thumbs up!!

Not brilliant, but entertaining and consistent with the series

[mstomaso · 7/10 · 1 October 2005]

I tried desperately to avoid getting my hopes elevated beyond reason, but it was to no avail. I have watched the entire Firefly series twice over the last two years, and had always hoped that it would somehow return. Firefly was one of the most recent examples of an intelligent, challenging, sci-fi show getting mismarketed and canceled by network TV. Firefly was a western adventure set in space with a compelling plot and bold, very likable characters. Serenity is its reprise in a full-feature film. Still, Serenity endeavors to introduce non-fans to its characters and major story arc in a very clever and subtle way, so that fans and non-fans alike can appreciate it completely. Those familiar with the saga of River and her alliance pursuers will enjoy the consistency with which the characters are portrayed and the development of her character into what she could have realized had the show been permitted to fully mature.

Before I go much further, I should state that I am no Joss Whedon fan - as I have found most of his TV work trite and over-hyped. Firefly earned my respect for Joss within a few minutes of the first episode, and I now watch him in my peripheral vision - just in case he does something this original and clever again.

Serenity is a Firefly class space transport ship operating illegally on the outskirts of Alliance civilization - the lawless edges of a solar system with many inhabited, terraformed, planets. Captain Malcolm Reynolds is stuck between reavers - cannibalistic semi-human sociopaths who prey on unsuspecting ships in this outer realm, and the alliance, from which he and his crew have been running for months.

The focus of this movie is the resolution of a story arc first developed in Firefly - that of River Tamm and her brother, Serenity's ship doctor, though it focuses on the entire ensemble cast in much the same way the TV show did - allowing each to fully and complexly develop. I will give a bit of the back-story here though you don't need it to appreciate the film.

Mal is an internally conflicted man with a strong sense of justice and a big warm heart which he shields with a frigid philosophy and an attempted stoicism. He and his first officer Zoey were part of a defeated rebellion against The Alliance (a federally organized empire of fascist urbanites reminiscent of the society of Gattaca). With the war lost, Zoey married to his pilot (Wash), a thug (Jayne), a young prodigy engineer with limited social graces (Kaylee), an aristocratic prostitute (Inara), and a few mysterious fugitives Shepherd Book, Simon, and River, he has set out to smuggle and thieve his way through the outer territories, disrupting and avoiding the alliance all along the way. The crew of Serenity have given up civilization as the cost of freedom.

River and Simon had begun as passengers, but Simon's medical skills and the fact that the Alliance seemed to have an irreversible interest in either killing or kidnapping Simon's sister River gave Reynolds reason to become interested in them. After a while it became clear that River had been the subject of a variety of experiments involving violence and telepathy conducted by The Alliance. First appearing to be dangerously insane, River became more and more recognizable as a weapon.

The characterizations in Serenity are very strong, and the cast is top-notch. Although I was never entirely thrilled with her in Firefly (though I always respected her talent), Summer Glau (River) really steals the show with her powerful, evocative performance. The script and story are excellent, though I felt the pace of the dialog could have been slowed a bit for the sake of dramatic quality. There is plenty of action in this film, though it does not fall into the trap that most recent sci-fi has of losing its plot, intelligence and characterizations in boring and absurd action sequences. The cinematography, though not as revolutionary as that used in Firefly, is excellent.

My only disappointments - and they are mild at worst - are that I thought the plot could have been a little more complex, original and intelligent, giving the film the intense drama that some of the best episodes of the series had (such as Bushwhacked) and the fact that excellent original theme song for the show did not appear anywhere in the film.. The villain of the film was interesting and well developed, but I would have preferred a few minutes less action and a little more character development for him.

Nevertheless, I recommend Serenity highly to sci fi fans - particularly those who want more of a human story than Star Trek has offered lately, and might be looking for something less soapy and intense and more fun than the excellent new BSG. it really does not matter if you have seen the series. This film stands on its own.

Joss Whedon works his magic and succeeds wonderfully!

[GVH0 · 10/10 · 21 August 2005]

Before you start reading this, you have to know where I'm coming from. I'm a huge fan of Joss Whedon's work, was a loyal follower of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel' and really got into 'Firefly' (on which this movie is based) and the whole browncoat phenomenon as well. So I was, you might just say, pretty much predestined to like this movie. But, not so. Whedon-fans are a pretty critical bunch, most of the time, and no one went into this thing with higher expectations than us. And to have those expectations be met in such a way as Serenity does, is very special indeed.

The movie itself has all the elements that make Joss Whedon's work so very unique. The sense of humor, the wonderfully realized characters and their strong interpersonal bonds, masterful dialogue and emotional pain, everything is present. I laughed, I cried, I pretty much went through the entire emotional spectrum watching this movie, and that's not something you might expect from 'just another sci-fi movie'.

While I'm writing this, the release of Serenity is still a few weeks ahead, but I got to see the finished version of the movie with a selected group of Dutch Firefly fans in an exclusive pre-screening. Afterwards, the atmosphere was strange, subdued. It was almost as if everyone had survived some kind of big disaster together and we were too stunned to really say much. And I say that in the kindest possible way. Honestly.

If you're not into Whedon's work, or even if you're not into sci-fi in general, this is gonna be a movie worth watching. Ignore the whole 'geekmovie' hype that'll undoubtedly surround the release. Ignore the hype created by Whedon-fans such as myself. Simply go see it with an open mind and be prepared to be blown away. Because when Whedon works his magic, everyone has to pay attention.

This movie is truly a leaf on the wind. Watch it soar!

SERENITY - Is Everything But!

[Tony-Kiss-Castillo · 7/10 · 1 August 2016]

From PASTO, COLOMBIA-Via: L. A. CA; CALI, COLOMBIA+ORLANDO, FL

Movies inspired by TV shows have always inspired my mistrust. Worse still, if the genre of the film is Sci-Fi! Upon reviewing Serenity's stats on IMDb, before seeing it, I found myself looking at a rating of 8 out of 10 ... Incredibly high! Among the 100,000 titles contained therein, Serenity has to be among the 300 highest. However, as Sci-Fi movies frequently have legions of fans that rate it "10", sometimes there is quite a breach between the reality of the film and it's apparent rating! Consequently, I went to see Serenity with relatively low expectations. Well, there are still surprises in life! Although I wouldn't quite give it an 8, SERENITY has much more going for it than against it. The cast, as is almost always the case in the genre, is composed of little known actors. (Except if you're a fan of the canceled Firefly series, which served as inspiration for the film.)

From the get-go, I noticed something that really caught my attention. The three main female roles are played by Gina Torres (Cuban-American), Morena Baccarin (Brazil) and Summer Glau (San Antonio, Texas, an American city whose population is nearly 50% Mexican-American). All three women have a very Latin look, yet, at no time, is there ever any mention of their ethnicity. Now, I don't know about you, but as far as I can remember, this is the first time that I've ever seen this! In fact, this is quite a cinematic event, because now Latinos can be assigned all sorts of roles, not just Hispanic ones! There is absolutely NO serenity in Serenity! A tad violent, at times, but nothing really excessive, when taking into account its genre of "Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Thriller". The scenes where CGI us used are well executed. They combine good action scenes, a certain originality, outstanding visuals, and a script that never tries to overcome the context and tone of the story, as us the case in many other films.

As for dialog, there is usually a true skill and deft coolness in the use of language that is not heard and in many dramatic films. In the opening scenes, the acting seems somewhat under par, but the as SERENITY progresses, you see that the performances achieved, usually are in good agreement with the characters. At the end of the day, Serenity achieves a good dose of action and suspense...

7*.... ENJOY / DISFRUTELA !

Not exactly like the TV show; judge it on its own merit.

[ccoshow-1 · 9/10 · 12 August 2005]

***NO SPOILERS*** I saw the movie at a sneak preview in Houston, TX on 6/23/05. I was just happy that we were getting more of these characters and this setting.

Visually, it was stunning. The extra budget for effects was well spent. The characters and their relationships were recognizable, but there had been changes from the show. I think this was necessary within the movie, and part of an evolution from the TV show to the big screen (the movie takes place 6 months after the last episode, "Objects in Space"). Things have changed.

There is a higher action and violence level in this (duh, it's a movie, not on TV), and we get some major revelations about the world (which some who saw it with me already don't like). There are some MAJOR events that affect the characters, and I wasn't totally happy with them - shocked is the word. But this is Joss's world, and his characters, and he tells the stories he wants to tell. He doesn't get bound up in hurting our feelings; he just tells it like it is. I believe he did say that this was the hardest thing he'd ever had to write.

At least one person at our screening was a "Firefly virgin," and he said that he liked it. I hope people who have no exposure to the show will be able to see this and enjoy it. Our big damn heroes come across well, and I hope this will get them some well-deserved exposure. This is a no-holds barred, big-time action/adventure sci-fi story, bold and raw, and set in a world unlike anything portrayed in SF before (well, except for "Firefly"). And I hope it does really, really well, and we get to see the sequels.

This is what the Star Wars prequels should have looked like!

[DVD_Connoisseur · 10/10 · 21 November 2006]

"Serenity" is a film that should never have been made. Based on the short-lived, cancelled television show "Firefly", it is nothing short of a miracle that a motion picture sequel was given the green light. But thank God it did! "Serenity" is one of those few films where you end up practically pinching yourself to make sure you're not imagining how much you're enjoying it. It's stonking good fun, delivering far more than any low budget science fiction film ever should.

What Joss Whedon does with "Serenity" is show just how poor the "Star Wars" prequels are. There is no substitute for likable characters and believable situations. From start to glorious finish, there is not a moment in this film where the attention wanders. The amazingly choreographed fight scene is worth the DVD price alone.

One day, I hope we may return to the "Firefly" universe again...

Accidentally found this gem in 2022

[LeoEff · 10/10 · 10 March 2022]

The description of this film on cable piqued my curiosity. I watched 10 mins before I realized that I was being dropped in the middle of a story that had an entire season of episodes as a "prequel". After a quick internet search I stopped watching because I realized that I needed to watch "Firefly" first. Highly recommend that you watch Firefly prior to watching Serenity. It makes SOOO much more sense when you understand the backstory.

And if you DO watch Firefly, be sure to research first and watch the episodes in the proper order because they weren't televised in the correct order. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you watch the pilot last, like it was aired. If you don't watch Firefly, Serenity is still an entertaining movie, but you really have no appreciation for the characters and humor. It's easy to really care deeply about the characters after watching a few episodes of Firefly... even Jayne. :)

After you go through all that, Serenity is a fantastic film that does a good job of wrapping up the television series. It was somewhat open ended and should've been picked up by another network, but never was. I wish they at least made sequels to Serenity, but the film does allow for some closure for fans.

Highly recommended for those who like sci-fi and action films with a great story with a western kind of feel.

I never saw Firefly, but after seeing this, I will.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 8/10 · 23 November 2022]

This film was recommended as one of the classic must-see sci-fi films, so I gave it a go. For its low budget and available visual/special effects for its time, this was an impressive endeavor, to the point where I'm now going to binge on the series. Huge props to Joss Whedon for never giving up with all the limitations he had from both Fox for the series, and Universal for this movie. The 119 min runtime was used impressively with spot-on snappy pacing. Bearing in mind I have never seen or heard of the Firefly series, the story was fluid and coherent and really well told. I was however lost with some of the dialogue and futuristic western lingo the cast were using, but I'm guessing had I seen the series first, I'd understand it better. Overall everything about this film was impressive and I now understand its following. Seeing there are many old series and films being revived, this would be a great candidate for a comeback. I just hope if it does, Whedon is given a proper budget without creative restraints.

Definitely a Must-See More than Once

[chickenbird · 10/10 · 22 August 2005]

I saw this movie twice in preview screenings in May and June, and I cannot emphasize enough how rewarding it is to see this movie more than once. The first time through is such an amazing ride that it is impossible to soak everything up. Subsequent viewings really give you whole new levels of appreciation. There's SO much going on here, and it's amazingly good.

There's never been a movie quite like this one. It defies easy genre categorization, and has so many beautiful moments, comedic moments, and fantastic action sequences that it has got to appeal to a much wider than just a "scifi" audience. It really manages to deliver an important message while still being enormously entertaining -- a rare feat.

Joss Whedon has crafted one of his tightest, most masterful scripts ever, and his directing is masterful. For example, he surpasses even some of his own legendary "one-ers" of Buffy and Angel in the introductory sequence on the ship.

Plus, the actors are talented, and damn pretty to boot.

Sequel to TV serial with great lot of action and breathtaking special effects

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 24 November 2006]

We are in a future mankind when Earth is exhausted , then people have fled to other satellites . A confederation called the Alliance rules the universe with a new order based in the totalitarianism and dictatorship . Dr. Simon (Sean Maher) recuperates his psychic teenager sister named River (Summer Glau) from the claws of a nasty killer (Chiwetal Ejiofar) who pursues them throughout the whole movie . They are saved by the Serenity spacecraft commanded by captain Malcolm (Nathan Fillion) and with misfit crew members of smugglers and mercenaries (Alan Tudyk , Adam Baldwin , Gina Torres, Jewl Stait , among others) . River finds a planet called Miranda and the crew must discover mysterious secrets behind this hidden place ; besides , confronting the cannibal Reavers .

The film displays great loads of action , abundant FX , suspense , terror and results to be extremely entertaining . It begins with a real sense of wonder with stimulating action set pieces illuminating the full-blown adventures of the Serenity crew and winding up into overlong bombastic special-effects when the Serenity confronts enemy crafts with several scenes that have you on the edge of your seat . It's the following-up from the ¨Firefly¨ series also by Joss Whedom (Buffy Slayer) but more focused , more deeply emotional , spectacular and more exciting than television episodes and , of course , with bigger Budget . Fine and ideal cast , they are the habituals from the series . Most actors performed many of their own stunts , as Summer Glau , a trained dancer, used her dancing skills in River's two fights , for the second fight the cameraman, who was also a dancer, moved through a gap around the combatants to achieve the movie's dynamic camera angles . The movie contains a stunning array of technical visual effects by Illusion Arts and with amazing miniature sequences . Furthermore , well executed set design with phenomenal production values . Sensational music by David Newman and colorful cinematography by Jack N.Green (Clint Eastwood's usual cameraman) . The motion picture will appeal to ¨Firefly saga¨ enthusiasts as well as the neophytes who haven't seen the previous television chapters . It's essential and indispensable seeing for Sci-fi buffs , in fact , the film was number one in the US box office . Rating : Better than average , notable.

Like Firefly, Serenity just plain rocks.

[gregrobinsonclp · 10/10 · 22 August 2005]

When Firefly was canceled, a small part of me died. With Serenity, I'm feeling wonderfully whole again. Serenity is a grand, sweeping finale to Firefly and with any luck, the beginning of a new film franchise. Like Firefly, Serenity just plain rocks. Intense storytelling, amazing visuals, sharp-as-a-tack dialog and the prettiest darned crew ya ever seen. These are Big Damned Heroes for sure! The Operative is a fantastic new character in this wonderful verse. Serenity answers many of Firefly's lingering questions while leaving others wide open for the next adventure. And I for one can't wait for that. Watch Firefly, see Serenity, tell your friends. Lather, rinse, repeat. Any questions? Shiny.

I aim to misbehave.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 30 January 2020]

The crew of a spacecraft named Serenity buy trouble for themselves when they take on two passengers. Simon (Sean Maher) has just rescued his kid sister River (Summer Glau), who's been getting groomed by an evil organization for use as a living weapon. The Serenity captain is a tough, cool Han Solo type named Mal (Nathan Fillion) who transforms from protagonist to genuine hero when his consciousness is raised, and he learns to fight for the greater good.

The decent sci-fi / action flick "Serenity" was designed by writer / director Joss Whedon (a man who made his name creating TV series like 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', and 'Firefly') to be a fairly self-contained story that newcomers to the 'Firefly' universe could enjoy. Of course, I'm sure it helps if one has already seen the series, but this is a reasonably entertaining story in its own right.

Whedon gives his audience a lot of razzle-dazzle: visual effects, world-building, action scenes, and a blazing pace. There are whole sections of the movie where Whedon barely give the viewers a chance to breathe. The hip, stylized dialogue runs the risk of being annoying, but it never does take top priority. It's fun to take in some of the details here, such as those numerous and unrelenting antagonists known as "Reavers", who are cannibalistic savages.

Mal and his crew are a colourful, likeable bunch: Zoe (Gina Torres), Jayne (Adam Baldwin, a hoot as a comedy-relief macho character), Kaylee (Jewel Staite), and Wash (played by one of this viewers' favourite actors, Alan Tudyk). They're *not* heroes in the traditional sense, but like their fearless leader, they do learn something about helping their fellow man (and woman). The whole cast is great, with Michael Hitchcock, David Krumholtz, Sarah Paulson, and Ron Glass playing other key characters. Chiwetel Ejiofor is a standout as the brutal, coldly efficient antagonist. This is a man who knows that he does monstrous things, but he simply regards them as things that need to be done.

With a nice score by David Newman as accompaniment, "Serenity" shows its audience a pretty good time, and may motivate some people to check out 'Firefly' in order to spend some more time with these characters.

Seven out of 10.

a must-see for sci-fi fans

[facederaggout · 8/10 · 27 June 2006]

First off, I want to say that I loved this movie. It's got intense action sequences, a good plot,some humor, likable characters, fantastic special effects, hardly ever a dull moment,and oh yeah... it's a total babe-fest!!! I must confess I'm new to the whole Firefly universe.I don't watch much TV so I'd never even heard of the TV show. So until watched this DVD, to me,Firefly was nothing but a dumpy little American made car. I rented this movie with no expectations whatsoever; maybe that's the reason I enjoyed this movie so much. I can't speak for the fans of the series, but if you enjoy well-made sci-fi, then you'll love this cool little movie.

Shiny

[nikajan · 10/10 · 11 April 2007]

I love this film. I'm not a huge fan of Sci-Fi, but Serenity blew me away. The characters are engaging, there's great humour in the script, and the storyline kept me interested. Just wish I knew what they were saying when they speak Chinese! Watching this got me into Firefly. It's such a shame it was cancelled. Love the crew, the universe joss Whedon created and the little details like their slang. The ship is not too slick and perfect, which adds a great deal of character, and really enables viewers to identify more with the crew, a group of underdogs in a tumbledown ship trying to evade the authorities. The Reavers are frankly rather scary. Overall, this film comes off very well, you really feel the chemistry between the crew as well. Brilliant!

Just Amazing

[hynoskij · 10/10 · 22 August 2005]

I was lucky enough to catch one of the pre-screenings of Serenity in Spring (thank you Universal!). I let the cinema with a lump in my throat and a feeling that I had just witnessed something special. A phoenix from the ashes, if you will. Serenity is simply an emotional roller-coaster, especially given its ilk in the sci fi genre. Joss has truly created something special for the fans of the show, and for fans of clever storytelling. The movie is an analogy of the show as a whole and can best be summed up by the infamous quote from Mal in the TV series, "We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty." See. This. Film. Watch Firely first if you want to get the maximum effect.

A big budget TV-movie

[jackthecrazyperson · 6 December 2005]

Joss Whedon's (creator of various TV-series including "firefly" from which this movie based upon) First attempt at directing a big-screen movie looks like a Christmas special. A Christmas special in the manner that it never comes off as a movie made for the big-screen. but rather a TV-movie. As a TV-movie, with lower production values, I might have given it a better rating. But as a Big-screen blaster, my expectations were a little higher. And thus my disappointment ran wild. I have to confess that I have never seen the original TV-series from which this is based upon, but I have heard great things about it. I don't know whether it is a requirement to do so, maybe it is, because I lost the plot somewhere along the one hour mark.

Now the movie does have a story, but it obviously isn't going to win any Peabody's. This is an Scifi-action film. Scifi, as in there are spaceships, laser guns and robots. But You will surprised to learn that there aren't that many alien races, only one actually, to be specific. Reavers, they look kinda like zombies and they eat people. There are some little scifi details that I will not reveal, but I think I mentioned the biggest ones already.

The action scenes then, which there are a number of, are rather uninspired both in land and in outer space. Basically the ground fights are nothing more but lazy kung-fu. As if not a lot of time had been spent in the choreographing. There is just no "WOW" factor there and so it looks rehashed and boring. The space battles once more, personally looked too much like star trek's. Including the good ol' shaking cockpit. Besides, you can see stuff like that in "Stargate" and "Battlestar Galactica" nowadays. Which just goes to show, that for a full-blown movie, there should be some zazz in it, otherwise it just looks like a TV-production.

The movie stars a group of little known actors and actresses and based on their performance, this is not going to make them any bigger. Not that this is an actors movie in the first place, so its hard to criticize them for them for those rather caricatured characters. We see a lot big macho tough guys, who like big guns and speak from the gut, with low raspy voices. None of them however really come off as a tough guy, but rather as guys trying to act tough. As for the women, we have an Asian ninja, for one, who is some kind of an government weapon. Thats right, not a huge death star, or a killer ray gun, but a ninja. She doesn't really have many lines due to her rather disturbed past, mainly shes just sneaking around, seeing dead people and kicking ass.

Now the story itself revolves around this ninja girl, who in the beginning escapes a secret government laboratory, and hides on a spaceship called serenity. Not only that, an assassin sent after her. Never the less, the story turns into something about a sinless world or what not, at some point. And apparently this girl is needed... for something. The dialogue came off as witty in the beginning, but eventually the snappy one-liners wore off their welcome and became annoying.

Conclusion, straight to DVD-material. Not worth the greatness of a big-screen.

OK Film Over Hyped

[karlcarp · 6/10 · 14 October 2005]

Good acting by some including Nathan Fillion (Mal), but the cast is weak to say the least. A good plot and some excellent scripting lost with the lack of experience in the cast. Overall quite enjoyable but not in the region it has been given by the media. Maybe a lack of good summer films and other let downs aka. "Star Wars" (also over hyped and spoilt) has made this film appear better than it actually is to them. The film is lack luster to say the least. It is what it is a good film full of good for Television actors with the exception of Nathan Fillion. He has proved he is worthy of the big screen. But after this still worth a watch as the plot is so complete. Watch it but don't expect too much and then it will give you more enjoyment. Karl

Awesome movie

[umb69 · 10/10 · 20 August 2005]

I saw this at a sneak preview, WHOA. Joss really outdid himself here, this movie is funny, has tons of action and has several great layered characters, oh and the special effects are pretty good too. There is even a brief intro that catches up those who haven't seen Firefly. Great movie. What I really liked about this movie is that the characters are all so colorful and textured, I believe this universe that Joss Wheedan has created could become the next big franchise like Star Trek. My recommendation is see it at least three times and take all your friends with you each time, that way we can get the trilogy made.