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You are here: Home / TV & Movies / Movies / Serenity

Serenity

by John Cole|  December 21, 20058:03 pm| 48 Comments

This post is in: Movies

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Just saw Serenity for the first time (never made it to the theater- I rarely if ever go anymore), and I really liked it.

Little upset with some of the outcomes, but I loved the villain. One note- if you had not seen Firefly and saw Serenity in the theatre, you would be completely lost. Completely.

Oh, and a quick WTF- Why no theme song, damnit?

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48Comments

  1. 1.

    Zifnab

    December 21, 2005 at 8:04 pm

    Lost in terms of plot. But if you were just there for a guns-blazing, space western I can’t see you disappointed.

  2. 2.

    jg

    December 21, 2005 at 8:05 pm

    if you had not seen Firefly and saw Serenity in the theatre, you would be completely lost. Completely.

    That’ll be me. I’ll probably watch it soon and I’ve never seen teh show.

  3. 3.

    Perry Como

    December 21, 2005 at 8:12 pm

    I’ve seen a few episodes of the series, so I knew a little bit about the plot. I thought it was a very good movie overall.

  4. 4.

    MrSnrub

    December 21, 2005 at 8:16 pm

    The lack of theme song is because of property rights between studios.

  5. 5.

    Jim Treacher

    December 21, 2005 at 8:21 pm

    Theme song’s at the end, isn’t it? Santa hasn’t brought me my DVD yet.

    Sadly, despite Whedon’s best efforts, I think you’re right about newcomers being lost. “So wait, this guy is a doctor? And that’s his sister? But then why was he a bad guy at the beginning? Who’s the teacher, then? Why did she poke the little girl in the eye? Huh?”

  6. 6.

    Stormy70

    December 21, 2005 at 8:24 pm

    I am giving the boxed Firefly set to some of my family this year, as well as the movie, Serenity.

    Do you ever go to the theater to see movies? Have you seen Narnia? WHY WON”T YOU ANSWER THESE POP CULTURE QUESTIONS?! Hee hee, channeling Jeff, a wee bit tonight. OK, I’ll stop now.

    And I am getting all seven seasons of Buffy for Christmas. Sweet.

    This Pop Culture update brought to you by Jack Abernoff.

    (I am too lazy to look up this guy’s name, sorry if it is spelled incorrectly. Well, not that sorry.)

  7. 7.

    Mike S

    December 21, 2005 at 8:28 pm

    I’ve never watched Firefly. Should I skip Serenity?

  8. 8.

    Stormy70

    December 21, 2005 at 8:34 pm

    You really need to at least watch the pilot episode of Firefly, and maybe one or two more before seeing Serenity. My husband watched the pilot and the first two and loved Serenity. We haven’t quite finished the whole series yet, as we are watching them together. He needs to be pried away from the World of Warcraft occassionally for quality TV/movie time.
    I really liked Serenity, and I wish this series was still being aired. :(.

  9. 9.

    Mike S

    December 21, 2005 at 8:35 pm

    Thanks Stormy. I’ll hold off.

  10. 10.

    Tim F.

    December 21, 2005 at 8:46 pm

    Seen a few episodes of Firefly and now Serenity in a late-run theater. The movie will be fun for anybody to watch, as long as you’re quick on the uptake, but the more of the show you’ve seen the more you’ll get out of the movie. Whedon does a great job parceling key info out g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y in both the show and the movie. For instance, the offhand remark where you find out (finally) how the ship got its name. Very cool.

  11. 11.

    David

    December 21, 2005 at 9:05 pm

    The line, as I’ve heard it (I was a Firefly loyalist already, but watched the movie with both other veterans as well as with people who’ve never seen Firefly at all), is that if you have seen Firefly the movie is wonderful, if you haven’t it’s entertaining but not knock-the-socks-off.

    Which, given the state of Sci-Fi lately, is actually not half bad.

  12. 12.

    MAX HATS

    December 21, 2005 at 9:20 pm

    I never saw Firefly and loved Serenity. There’s not much subtext to miss. You’d need a head injury to not figure out the storyline, coming in fresh or no. A big one.

    It’s just a whole lot of fun. Dive right in.

  13. 13.

    washerdreyer

    December 21, 2005 at 9:23 pm

    Now I’m confused, because I only just finished the show on DVD and haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m pretty sure I know how the ship got its name.

  14. 14.

    StupidityRules

    December 21, 2005 at 9:23 pm

    I (who has seen Firefly and read the comic) went with my brother (who has neither seen Firefly nor read the comic) and he had no problem with the story nor did he feel lost.

    Personally I didn’t like some things that happened (no spoiling here), also felt they changed or simplified things to fit it in…

    Anyway, got the DVD. Seems like the australian DVD will get more extras, might even be a double dvd…

  15. 15.

    J. Michael Neal

    December 21, 2005 at 9:56 pm

    Now I’m confused, because I only just finished the show on DVD and haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m pretty sure I know how the ship got its name.

    That’s because you’ve watched the show. Bushwhacked has Mal on board an Alliance ship being interrogated, and the Alliance officer puts the pieces together.

  16. 16.

    ubernerd83

    December 21, 2005 at 10:08 pm

    Actually, I had never seen the series before and didn’t experience any confusion. Of course, that could be because the guy immediately next door to me in my fraternity house is obsessed with the show, but whatever.

  17. 17.

    capelza

    December 21, 2005 at 10:14 pm

    I look forward to the film. Though I get to watch the show on SciFi, it pangs me to know that there won’t be anymore.

    As for the theme song, maybe I’ll just sing “The Hero of Canton” during lulls in the action. Because I have that song stuck in my head right now and can not get it to go away.

  18. 18.

    Talking Talent

    December 21, 2005 at 11:50 pm

    Serenity is supposed to be about like being dead, but okay, and not knowing where you are, so, I’d probably skip. Its scary.

  19. 19.

    HH

    December 22, 2005 at 4:16 am

    Watch those end credits again (or for the first time) John.

    “So wait, this guy is a doctor? And that’s his sister? But then why was he a bad guy at the beginning? Who’s the teacher, then? Why did she poke the little girl in the eye? Huh?”

    That’s actually the reaction of those with single digit IQs. ;)

  20. 20.

    Tim F.

    December 22, 2005 at 6:38 am

    Now I’m confused, because I only just finished the show on DVD and haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m pretty sure I know how the ship got its name.

    Ah. I’ve seen maybe half of the show’s episodes.

  21. 21.

    constate

    December 22, 2005 at 7:14 am

    The movie was ok, Whedon seems to be better in his story telling on the small screen though.

  22. 22.

    Cax6ton

    December 22, 2005 at 7:56 am

    Saw the movie in the theater without ever seeing a minute of Firefly. Had no trouble picking up the backstory and following along (let’s face it, Serenity/FF are great, but not terribly complicated). Loved the movie, went back and watched the show.

  23. 23.

    Cyrus

    December 22, 2005 at 8:44 am

    Mike S Says:

    I’ve never watched Firefly. Should I skip Serenity?

    No. You should see Firefly.

  24. 24.

    Tequila

    December 22, 2005 at 9:08 am

    Are you talking about the Alliance assassin? What a great character — the actor’s name is Chiewetel Ejiofor, and he’s excellent. Was okay in TWO BROTHERS, the Marky Mark revenge flick, but was really excellent as the lead in DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, a British film everyone here should really check out.

  25. 25.

    Lis Riba

    December 22, 2005 at 9:12 am

    You can hear an instrumental version of the Firefly theme over the closing credits.

    PS: Easter egg location

  26. 26.

    Lines

    December 22, 2005 at 9:57 am

    By the way, the SciFi network is currently supposed to be in negotiations to buy Firefly from the Fox Network, or maybe the deal has already happened.

    According to my sources it sounds like they are looking for a Spring introduction to the new episodes, or possibly fall. Times havn’t been nailed down quite yet.

  27. 27.

    Sam Hutcheson

    December 22, 2005 at 10:03 am

    I can’t imagine anyone with a passable sci-fi IQ being unable to pick up Serenity’s plot. I do agree that Whedon works best with a long story arc, and Serenity felt terribly compressed. But it was movie, and it had to be. He didn’t have 20+ hours to tell the story any more.

    The best explication of “how Serenity got her name” is from a deleted scene on the DVD set. It’s a cut from the pilot where Zoe explains Mal to Simon.

  28. 28.

    Sam Hutcheson

    December 22, 2005 at 10:04 am

    By the way, the SciFi network is currently supposed to be in negotiations to buy Firefly from the Fox Network, or maybe the deal has already happened.

    That would be the best Christmas present ever. Adding a re-born Firefly to the Battlestar Galactica/Stargate lineup on Friday nights would make Sci-Fi must see TV.

  29. 29.

    Krista

    December 22, 2005 at 10:21 am

    Galactica – now there’s a cool show. We just got a neat little model Viper and Cylon Raider on eBay.

  30. 30.

    Lines

    December 22, 2005 at 10:26 am

    Wasn’t it the old Cylon Raider toy that caused the toy industry to stop making toys that fired plastic missiles at high velocity?

    I remember one of my friends’ Cylon Raiders would shoot those little red hard plastic missiles across a pretty big room, and you definately didn’t want to get hit by them at close range.

    Ah, the days of youth and unsafe toys. Damn liberals and their intrusive toy-hating legislations.

  31. 31.

    Krista

    December 22, 2005 at 10:28 am

    Yeah, and the Fisher-Price Little People that were the exact diameter of a three-year-old’s trachea.

    Good memories.

  32. 32.

    fwiffo

    December 22, 2005 at 10:34 am

    As much as I liked the movie, it struck me as the recap of a season of the TV show that we never got to see. So much stuff happened, and so many things were introduced, and so much story was told so fast, and everything was so close together (so that everything could happen so quickly), that it really would have been better as 26 one hour episodes instead of one two hour movie.

    By the way, the SciFi network is currently supposed to be in negotiations to buy Firefly from the Fox Network, or maybe the deal has already happened.

    According to my sources it sounds like they are looking for a Spring introduction to the new episodes, or possibly fall. Times havn’t been nailed down quite yet.

    You’d better be serious. Joking about that kind of stuff is grounds for gettin’ a man killed in some parts.

  33. 33.

    MattM

    December 22, 2005 at 10:51 am

    Any talk of new Firefly is total, TOTAL speculation at this point.

    Welcome as new stories would be, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

  34. 34.

    Lines

    December 22, 2005 at 11:09 am

    I wish I had links guys. I just keep hearing rumors about it from different people. It would make sense, since SciFi is making bucks off of the syndication of the series. Last I heard was that the blonde pilot was the only hold-out on the cast coming back, so that offers just a little bit of fact to the story.

    I know I shouldn’t repeat rumors, but I really really really want this one to be true. I need more Jewel, give me Jewel!

    Oh, and I liked Jubal in the last episode. I think he was the absolute best enemy on the show. What an awesome character.

  35. 35.

    Tim F.

    December 22, 2005 at 11:17 am

    Last I heard was that the blonde pilot was the only hold-out on the cast coming back, so that offers just a little bit of fact to the story.

    Well, at least that makes sense.

    BTW, blond is the only noun in the english language that is gender-sensitive.

  36. 36.

    Lines

    December 22, 2005 at 11:27 am

    Yeah, I shouldn’t have added the e at the end of blond..

    At least I wasn’t writing colour or something else.. You guys might accuse me of being a Canadian Frenchie.

  37. 37.

    Krista

    December 22, 2005 at 11:30 am

    Heaven forbid…

  38. 38.

    MattM

    December 22, 2005 at 11:39 am

    Last I heard was that the blonde pilot was the only hold-out on the cast coming back, so that offers just a little bit of fact to the story.

    This doesn’t make sense on multiple levels. My bullshit detector is working overtime.

    If you really want a credible place to check Firefly rumors, I’d suggest http://www.whedonesque.org. Joss himself posts there from time to time.

  39. 39.

    Tony Dismukes

    December 22, 2005 at 12:28 pm

    By the way, the SciFi network is currently supposed to be in negotiations to buy Firefly from the Fox Network, or maybe the deal has already happened.

    Please, please, please let this be true.

  40. 40.

    DecidedFenceSitter

    December 22, 2005 at 12:32 pm

    If it is, Joss won’t be on it:

    You can take the sky from me.

  41. 41.

    physics geek

    December 22, 2005 at 1:21 pm

    I saw it with two people, one of whom had never seen Firefly. He liked the movie anyway.

    Oh, and the theme song was played in a purely instrumental fashion during the credits, just in case you missed it.

  42. 42.

    Chris

    December 22, 2005 at 2:58 pm

    never saw Firefly, but I saw Serenity in the theater and loved it. I’m sure I missed a few of the nuances of the whole Firefly universe, but the plot, the conflicts and the characters all came through quite successfully, for me.

  43. 43.

    J. Michael Neal

    December 22, 2005 at 4:42 pm

    If it is, Joss won’t be on it:

    Whedon himself has said that Entertainment Weekly took his quotes out of context. He said that the future of Firefly/Serenity depends entirely upon DVD sales, and that they will have to be enormous to justify further production, but that it isn’t out of the question, and that he would love to be involved.

    Alan Tudyk (Wash, the blond pilot) was killed (at least the out of story reasons) because he is a part of the traveling company of Spamalot, which makes his participation in any sequels very problematic for the foreseeable future. As I understand it, something similar was the case for Ron Glass (Shepard Book), but I don’t know any of the specifics.

    If you are making a show with a highly uncertain future, the actors can’t really afford to not take other projects that will cause conflicts.

    My thoughts? Without any of Lines’ sources, I put the likelihood of any further Firefly stories ever being made at about 1 in 5. However, if you want to see them, the best thing you can do is go out and buy a copy of the show and the movie to give to everyone you know for Christmas.

  44. 44.

    capelza

    December 22, 2005 at 5:06 pm

    J. Michael Neal….man you should have put SPOILER ALERT at the head of your post….:(

  45. 45.

    Pb

    December 22, 2005 at 7:00 pm

    When I saw Serenity in the theater, I had only seen the first (half) episode of Firefly that aired on SciFi, but I think I followed it pretty well considering. Of course, then I got the Firefly DVD box set and watched them all… what a wonderful series. Verily, it was too good for TV. :(

  46. 46.

    J. Michael Neal

    December 23, 2005 at 11:42 am

    J. Michael Neal….man you should have put SPOILER ALERT at the head of your post….:(

    Sorry. That really wasn’t very damned bright of me, was it?

  47. 47.

    Bruce Moomaw

    December 28, 2005 at 3:46 am

    I had no trouble following the plot, and I liked the movie very much — as the New Republic’s reviewer Christopher Orr said tonight, it’s “Star Wars” without the lard.

    But Joss Whedon missed the opportunity for a final, dynamite ironic twist (which, being Whedon, he might have gone for). Namely, a revelation in that final conversation that the “villain” was on the right side after all; that humanity is so determined to drown itself in a sea of eternal bloody war and crime that the Alliance was correct to look desperately for some kind of solution; that they’d worked the bugs out of the drug that created the Reavers, so that it made people peaceful and unselfish WITHOUT destroying their motivation to live or producing a minority of homicidal maniacs; that the assassin himself was one of the first to benefit from the new drug; and that they were about to unleash it on humanity as a whole and give all of us the “serenity” of the movie’s title when Captain Reynolds ruined their plans and thereby unwittingly doomed humanity to spend the rest of eternity enslaved to the bloody wheel of its history. (Which would still have left the assassin with no motive to kill Mal after the damage was already done, since — as he said — he’d been freed from pointless hatred and a desire for revenge.)

    Or maybe it’s just the anti-libertarian streak in me.

  48. 48.

    Bruce Moomaw

    December 28, 2005 at 3:51 am

    Looks like I just spoiled EVERYTHING. Well, it’s still a good movie.

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