Andy’s Rating: one notch below Loved It (12/13)*
In 2002, with two television series currently airing (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and its spinoff, Angel), creator Joss Whedon decided to start another television show. But instead of exploring the gothic-action-horror-comedy-romance of his other two series, Whedon set his sights on that most beloved of genres, the sci-fi–western. And so, he created Firefly, which followed the exploits of a renegade crew exploring the edge of space 500 years in the future. With two successful series already under his belt, how could this Academy Award–winning writer (look it up) possibly fail?
As it turns out, the show failed quite spectacularly. Through a combination of changing time slots, overzealous network executives, and the questionable decision to air the episodes out of order (the pilot episode, which provided much-needed backstory, aired as the final episode), Firefly was cancelled after only 11 episodes. Blame it on television’s current attitude toward shows that aren’t an immediate success, or to the viewing public’s limited acceptance of both science fiction and westerns. But for whatever reason, the series was shut down before it really got a chance to blossom.
So it was quite a surprise when, one year later, another studio decided to fund a movie adaptation of the series. The movie would eventually be called Serenity, the name of the ship that Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew travel on. It would also become the first film directed by writer Joss Whedon (although he had written others in the past). So, if the series faltered so quickly, how well would a movie version fare at presenting a compelling story, while providing some sense of closure?
In short, quite well indeed. For a film adaptation of a television series to work, the story has to feel much more epic, instead of just another typical episode that happens to be shown on a huge TV set. And while Serenity starts off as a typical episode (after a more-cinematic backstory segment), the scope of the story eventually grows, both in the locations visited by the crew, and the impact that the events have on their lives.
The film does an admirable job of setting up some of the conflicts and backstory from the series, particularly River’s history and the effect that has on the crew. Long-time fans of the show will also appreciate other minor storylines that are expanded upon, but new viewers shouldn’t be confused too much by the characters interactions. The one aspect that I wish had been explored more is Mal’s character, and how being on the losing side of a galactic civil war has changed his outlook on life. I think that was explored very well in the series, but somewhat glossed over in the film. However, it is understandable, given that they only had two hours to work with.
As a director, Joss Whedon actually has a fair amount of experience from his various shows. Historically, he tends to direct the episodes that have some sort of major significance to the story. He seems to have a knack for directing dream imagery and other distortions of reality, and this film has plenty of them. River’s altered mental state often gives her visions that serve to surprise and sometimes shock the viewer, so be warned.
At one point, maybe two-thirds of the way through the film, I had the sinking feeling that the movie would end without a big action payoff. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried. Dogfights, fist fights, martial arts, gunfights, swordfights…it’s all there. The action sequences fit well with the story, and really take it several notches above the series, which was, to be fair, also very good.
As a fan of the series, I have to say that the movie paid off most of what made the show great. The crew are uniformly interesting and charismatic, although some of the characters don’t get as much screen time this time around. If anything, I would have hoped for a little more humor, but given the gravity of the storyline, I can understand why there weren’t as many jokes. However, those that were there seemed to always be in character and never forced. But again, perhaps the humor would be appreciate more by someone already intimately familiar with the characters. Many of the major questions from the series were answered, and some unresolved plots were resolved (for good or for bad), but not everything was tied up in a neat bow, which I appreciated. It’s good to leave some speculation for the fans, without spoon-feeding them everything.
I have to say that I left the film with a twinge of sadness, although I can’t be sure if it was due to the mortal consequences of the story, or simply the fact that I fear there may be no new stories in the future about Serenity and her crew. But if this movie ends up being the swan song, or simply a coda that eventually leads to a new series, it is a fine addition to the pantheon of Firefly tales, and a fantastically enjoyable film.
Addendum: Be sure to read this inspiring message from Joss Whedon, from the official site. He describes the history of the show more elegantly, more succinctly, and more poetically than I have been able to.
* a more thorough explanation of my movie rating system will be provided at a later date
