Link: Serenity.
Yesterday I finally had the chance to see SERENITY, which has been reviewed by critics and go-er's alike [link to opening clip]. I went with high hopes for this relatively low budget "sleeper" sci-fi flick and wasn't disappointed. The film is directed by Jos Whedon (TV: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly & Movies: Alien Resurrection, Titan AE), who originally was involved in writing Firefly, the short lived cult FOX sci-fi television around which the story is based, although you need not have watched the series to understand or enjoy the movie. Summer Glau, Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk and Adam Baldwin are mostly unrecognized actors who reprise from the seriesl. That is not to the film's detriment as the cast is one of the films greatest strengths. The acting is relatively good and they are a likeable lot, keeping you involved in this sometimes comedic action sci-fi thriller.
For the record, SERENITY is not the name of the movie's heroine. It's the name of the spaceship, in serious disrepair, that is used by it's eclectic crew to eek out an existence of petty crime and transport-for-hire in their galaxy's post-war era. River Tam, played by Glau, is SERENITY's most recent fugitive-passenger. Her brother,a doctor, rescued her from the inter stellar Alliance who were performing disturbing experiments with her mind in order to create a proto type human that would conform to their standards of a perfect society. Not only did these experiments leave River in an unstable, semi-psychotic state, but also with the power of telepathy and "mad" kung fu skills, a weaponized human. During the experimentation process, she telepathically learns a horrible Alliance secret, one which they will go to any length's to preserve. In return for her brother's medical services, SERENITY becomes a temporary safe haven for them both.The action packed and often comedically punched plot unfolds as the crew unwittingly gets involved in running from the Alliance themselves, protecting River and fending off the Reevers, cannibalistic humans who dwell in the outer regions of space and maraud the systems planets.
To wrap, Glau is again perfectly cast as River Tam, the semi-freakish goth girl heroine. It's a refreshing twist from your run of the mill action hero. As a sci-fi movie, SERENITY stands on it's own, but did in some ways strike me as a grittier version (think BladeRunner or 5th Element) of Star Wars. While not particularly "blockbuster" caliber, nor a direct rival to the former trilogy (yet certainly better than Menace or Clones), for a low budget film, the animation and effects are very good (Firefly won an Emmy for special effects) and the acting, plot and thrill factor are all there. Although this film's target audience is adults, with a PG-13 rating, this is suitable for all but the smallest children, as there are only brief shots of the grotesque Reevers (similar to the "Orks" in LoTR). As of 10/9/05, roughly 10 days after first release, SERENITY has grossed about $18 against it's $39 production budget, and the door has been left open for a sequel. I'm looking forward to it. In a sea of run of the mill sci-fi and action thrillers, this is a standout. Spread the word!
[jj's rating: 3 out of 4 stars]
- java jane
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