Serenity - No Spoilers

If you want spoiler info, comment and I will email you.

As you may be aware from reading CO and LittleScratches, I was really excited about the movie. I own the series on DVD and have watched most of the episodes 3-5 times. Let us say that I was very prepared to love the movie. I didn't.

The movie opens with a flashback sequence that flies in the face of direct testimony from the first episode of the series. I'm not talking inconsequential--the movie utilizes this flashback to establish a totally different personality for one of the main characters. It sort of deteriorates from there:
  • Explanations are given for Reavers, and although it stays tight with classic SF, the way it plays out in the FireFly 'Verse just dosen't cut it.
  • Several of the principals exhibit personalities in some degree different from the series.
  • The main antagonist disapoints (I can't really say more)
  • Characters, several times, exhibit odd behavior for the sake of the plot.
  • They really downplayed the Western part of the Oriental-Western hybrid that the series established. Some may consider this benificial...
  • I could go on, but I have tears in my eyes :)
As for the good, there are some:
  • The fight sequences stayed true to the series by being gritty and inventive.
  • There were a few moments that were definitely "outside the box" for your average Hollywood movie, though not astounding.
  • They throw a lot of witty one-liners at you (could get most of them directly from the series)
  • The effects were competent
It may be that my expectations were just too high, but I feel that Joss Whedon did not deliver. It was a must see movie for me, but I wish it had not been. Now Firefly has to come down from it's pedestal.

Comments

rainswept said…
My condolences. Will you ultimately add it to your collection despite its failings?
1:43 pm
captainorange said…
in short, No.
2:32 pm
rainswept said…
Ah, well. A brief survey of reviews seems to indicate that only ardent fans were disappointed. People with little or no experience of the series have given many stars.
2:34 pm
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