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?
captainorange said…
in short, No.
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.

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