Serenity Movie review.

[Just Clay]

This film rocks! Even if you aren't a fan of the shortlived series or have never seen the series go see this movie.

Lots of action, some funny moments, a solid script and great acting make this a "must see" film. Oh and the special effects were great!!

[DunkleGelb]

Cool.
I like sci-fi flicks,
wish there were more of them.

Like what if Mickey Rourke's upcoming film DOMINO took place in a sci-fi universe? Hmmm? Space Bounty Hunters!!!!

[Auret]

it's getting tons of good reviews.... people keep saying it is "the new starwars"....

i think that's insulting to serenity

[pukingdog]

.... people keep saying it is "the new starwars"....

I'll refrain from the graphic description of what should be done to the tongues of those who'd insult Serenity that way.

It's one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in years. Whedon kicked out the jams, and his crew did him right. Clay hit most of the high points, but this is a lot of movie.

My rating: 10 out of 5!!!!!!!!!!

[Auret]

a word of warning.... DO NOT visit the IMDB serenity message boards if you haven't seen the movie... there are some trolls flooding the boards with MAJOR spoilers in the thread titles....

[rambeau87]

I'll refrain from the graphic description of what should be done to the tongues of those who'd insult Serenity that way.

You mean split down the middle right ? Like that guy in bushwacked ? Yeah I'm a browncoat.

My 2 main concerns about the film are

1) How much humor is in the film ? because I mainly watch the show for its comedic value.

2) Did they fix the alliance guys? They always looked goofy on the series. Not like bad guys (or the Military) should look.

[Auret]

i'm gonna go see the BDM* tonight....


wearin' my gorram BLUE SUN shirt


*Big Damn Movie (the official browncoat subtitle)

[pukingdog]

rambeau, the humor is superb - dark and plentiful. Everyone has good lines. The Alliance troops look like armored SFs.

[Hardway Juice]

1) The movie is very funny. Also scary and action-y.

2) The Alliance troops no longer wear re-painted Starship Troopers armor, if that's what you mean.

HJ

[Auret]

just got back from seeing it....


Best damn movie ever.......

[Quad.50]

I enjoyed it very much, though I must say...without being too spoilerific...I'm a little more than bummed about the fate a certain someone... To describe the movie in smilies, it was like: " "

[Auret]

my own smily description would be more like:

[pukingdog]

"A furore Vultusrisum salve nos Domine ("O God, save us from the fury of the Smileys").

[Auret]

here's a great serenity review from sci fi author orson scott card:

http://www.hatrack.com/osc/reviews/e...30-extra.shtml

[Quad.50]

Man...I'm an awful Smilies movie reviewer. Looks like I was actually thinking about Karate Kid 2.

[extanker]

I thought it was great, I loved every minute of it, but of course, I really liked the original show. However, my girlfriend, who only knew that it was based on some show called 'Firefly' because I had told her, thought it was better than she thought it would be, but not great because there were too many times that she didn't really know exactly what was going on.

Whedon did a good job trying to get non-Firefly fans up to speed, but he didn't quite do it. There were a few too many times where you were just supposed to know who a person was or what something was that hadn't been covered in the little voice over at the beginning. Unfortunately I can't point too many of the things out because I'd hate to spoil anything for people who haven't seen it yet. Well, for example, when Inara shows up. Nobody explains what she does or why her and the captain are so wierd about it. 'Training Planet'? Training for what? I had to quickly lean over and tell my girlfriend 'shes a space-hooker' because that was the quickest way I could try and explain it but it didn't help any.

Its great movie, and I hope it makes tons of money from all the hardcore Firefly fans that see it 9 times each, so that there can be all the sequels that Whedon wants to make. I'll go see every one and then buy them on DVD. But I'm afraid that alot of casual movie-goers are going to be turned off by the 'you have to be a fan to REALLY get it' feeling that the movie has.

[pukingdog]

Card does a pretty good job of expressing what's at the heart of Serenity in words, sort of compressing into text the flood of feelings I got sitting in the theater. That guy oughta write books, nyuck nyuck nyuck...

[Brigadier Graemon]

MAN! That Orson guy sure used up a whole lot of electrons to say he liked the movie. Why, you'd think the guy was getting paid by the word, or sumthin'.

So...I guess you guys are saying this is a good'un for actually spending money on it to see it in the brick-and-mortar movie theater, h'uh?

[pukingdog]

BG, the crew is full of individuals damn near as cantankerous as you, they're down but not out, larcenous but honorable, they go into the maws of hell even tho they'd rather not. Quick and deadly with a quip or a weapon.
And the bad guys...well bad guys often define the quality of a movie, and these are some genunine top-drawer sumbitches. The lead bad guy's no cartoon either, he has layers that other actors would kill to play.

One of the small things that Whedon did in the series, he repeats here - shots and detonations in space are pretty faithfully portrayed. It's something that never fails to impress me, and makes me wonder why so many past fil-makers chose the cheap dramatics.

Mostly tho, it's the crew of Serenity, and the believable universe they travel. That, and some real "deep blue hero stuff".
Hell yes, go see it.

[Brigadier Graemon]

Took the Lady Graemon to the movie last night and we loved it and both walked away with a head-ache from the sound system. What a rush! An amazing movie true to Whedon's TV series, but heart-breaking, nonetheless. I don't know if I feel like slapping Whedon, shaking his hand, or both. Dynamite story and dynamite movie. ANYBODY that's a Sci-fi fan really should see this production in a THX theater if at all possible. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Be prepared to have your emotions fired-up!

Now I know what I want for Christmas--a dvd of this movie, to go with my dvd's of the TV series! 'Course, Christmas might be too early for a dvd release. This is the movie with all the details that speak to me about what a more likely future Earth has in store for it unless we humans change a whole bunch of things about how we get along with each other.

I liked this movie better than most of the Star Trek movies and put it on a par with the first Star Wars movie--it's a great movie and I hope a LOT more people discover Firefly and Serenity.

Next up on MY radar screen is Aeon Flux! Saw the previews prior to Serenity and it grabbed me by the throat and the gonads! Oh, hell yes! Gotta see it!

[Kuroi]

Seen it last night - I went into it with no previous knowledge and I really liked it.

My buddy didn't dig it though - he kept on saying things like Spacehunter:Adventures in The Forbidden Zone and The Ice Pirates, which I thought was harsh.

It was cool though, it had a nice vibe to it and seem assured of itself.

[pukingdog]

Well, as a guy who appreciates well-made bad movies, calling it Ice Pirates isn't the slam he probably meant it to be.

[Kuroi]

Robert Urich RIP.

[Brigadier Graemon]

Heeey! Spacehunter was "Road Warrior in Outer Space"--schlock, but still kinda cool for various things--the space ship, the land rover vehicle, the female android, the astonishingly, hauntingly beautiful location vistas. Michael Ironsides was waaaay over the top as the bad guy, but still, the planet and the devolved society were reasonable, if derivative. Ice Pirates was played for laughs, from start to finish, but even that story was entertaining, if not predictable. The robots crapping nuts and bolts was a scream! The time warp thing was utterly a joke of course.

Which brings us to...neither of those movies have ANYTHING in common with Serenity unless you put all "sci-fi/fantasy/space comedy" stuff in one BIG genre, and call all of it stupid and a waste of entertainment time. Your buddy, Kuroi, is not to be taken very seriously as a critic of this fine movie. Off-hand, FWIW, IMHO, I'd call Serenity almost automatically just made the Top Ten list of all-time Best Sci-fi movies ever made, right up there with Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Forbidden Planet.

[Auret]

i'm going to see it again tonight......


imdb users have voted it #119 of the top 250 films of all time

i agree with BG i want the DVD NOW!....

[Just Clay]

going again this weekend

[Auret]

it was even better the second time around!!!!!!

[Auret]

"A triumph... a thrillingly original science fiction creation."
— Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

"The cleverest, crankiest, wittiest, wildest, and most character-driven sci-fi adventure in 25 years; it's the best outer-space trip I've been on since the empire struck back."
— Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

"A brash, funny, action-packed bit of sci-fi ecstasy."
— Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune

"Two thumbs up."
— Ebert & Roeper

"Serenity is made of dubious but energetic special effects, breathless velocity, much imagination, some sly verbal wit and a little political satire."
— Ebert

"It has a great sense of humor about it, an attractive cast and it’s just a lot of fun."
— Roeper

"Serenity is beautifully made, written with more wit and intelligence than we get from most contemporary movies of any genre, and features an ensemble of actors whose rhythms are almost supernaturally in tune."
— Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

"Funny, fast, blistering with creativity and style, Serenity delivers well beyond expectations."
— Joshua Tyler, CinemaBlend.com

"A gently intelligent action sci-fi with wit, drama, and emotion to spare, this is the blockbuster you've been waiting for all year."
— Jonathan Trout, BBC

"They're a futuristic King Arthur's round table, or Dirty Dozen, or Robin Hood and his Merry Men; heck, they're even "Seinfeld." And no matter what's coming their way, post-apocalyptic doom or gloom, this James Gang of the galaxy is just plain fun to watch."
— Desson Thomson, Washington Post

"Ridiculously smart and funny... Serenity is completely fresh, perhaps the best sci-fi film this year, and one of the better ones of any genre."
— Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com

"Resonant with witty dialogue, accessible characters and kaleidoscopic action."
— Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

"5 stars out of 5"
— Andrea Chase, Killer Movie Reviews

"Rousing adventure that is laced with acerbic humor."
— Bob Bloom, Lafayette Journal and Courier

"Serenity is the antithesis of every big budgeted sci-fi picture I’ve ever seen. Something different and unique and moving. There’s emotion here... This is a film to rally behind."
— David B. Grelck, Entertainment-Geekly.com

"Serenity is a knockout film... If George Lucas would have had a script this good, Star Wars would have been even better."
— Gary Cogill, WFAA-TV

"My overriding thought as the credits rolled was: "Why on earth couldn't the three most recent Star Wars films have been a third as good as this.?" With its swashbuckling fun and occasional moments of intelligent heroics this film has the qualities which the early instalments in George Lucas's saga possessed, and which the later ones so horribly lacked."
— Jonathan Ross, Film 2005, UK

"Wildly entertaining."
— Bryan Preston, National Review

"A gratifyingly rich, textured entertainment, a film of rare creative individuality, vision, and integrity."
— Steven Greydanus, Decent Films Guide

"A near perfect balance of action and comedy."
— Movie-Source.com

"Intelligent and mature... it will wow you with a story that runs the emotional gamut, in turns exciting, gripping, sad, shocking, and funny."
— Matthew Pook, RevolutionSF

"The best summer thrill ride since Batman Begins, Serenity roars in a late but mighty welcome considering this year's sub-fun slate."
— Louis B. Parks, Houston Chronicle

"One of the most satisfying action movies in a long, long time."
— Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

"Sensationally entertaining."
— Nell Minow, Movie Mom

"Smart, densely plotted, fast-paced"
— Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

"Can proudly be placed alongside The Empire Strikes Back and Blade Runner as one of the best science-fiction movies of modern cinema."
— Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com

"The year's best science fiction film... If you want to know what a good science fiction movie is like, go see Serenity."
— Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

"Rowdy, smart, funny and gripping"
— The Oregonian

"4ฝ stars out of 5"
— Greg Bellavia, Film Threat

"Teeming with an overwhelming amount of integrity, heart, soul, and some of the best written characters to invade genre fiction in quite some time... An exciting, emotional rollercoaster of a film."
— IGN FilmForce

"Visionary and original, Serenity is the best film I’ve seen so far this year and the best science fiction film of the past ten years."
— Robert Taylor, Hero Realm

"Furiously paced and packed with delightful characters... almost embarrassingly entertaining."
— Ian Grey, Orlando Weekly

"A return to truly great genre filmmaking. Check it out - I promise you won't regret it!"
— David Server, Counting Down

"A fantastic non-stop action adventure."
— David Edwards, The Daily Mirror

"Crackles with energy and wit."
— Tom Long, Detroit News

"I'm not going to say it's the best science fiction movie, ever. Oh, wait. Yes I am."
— Orson Scott Card (author of "Ender's Game")

"This is the film that the last three Star Wars sequels should have been."
— Sean McBride, KWBB-TV

"An A-grade experience. The writing is impeccable, the chemistry among the cast is fantastic, the performances are great, and the action is non-stop."
— Clint Morris, MovieHole.net

"This reviewer doesn’t award five stars lightly... Serenity happens to be an insanely exciting, back-to-basics vision of the future."
— Barry McAlister, Time Off

"Serenity is a refreshing addition to contemporary science fiction cinema."
— Daniel Etherington, Channel 4 Reviews, UK

"There are more laughs in Serenity than in the year's funniest comedy."
— Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer

"Frequently plays like the best sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark that Steven Spielberg never made... Serenity achieves a grandness — a heightened rapture — that few adventure films even have the imagination, or the idealism, to aspire to these days."
— Ken Tucker, New York Magazine

"There are genuine surprises here, particularly at the end, which gives this swift movie a formidable kick."
— Christopher Smith, Week in Rewind

"I cannot recommend this one strongly enough."
— Alex DeLarge, Movies for Guys

"5 stars out of 5"
— Ray Tate, Silver Bullet Comics

"Taut, immersive, and alternately hilarious and heartbreaking"
— Tasha Robinson, The Onion AV Club

"It's big, bold and spectacular, yet built on a human scale, with complex characters and relationships. It's bursting with action and adventure, but underpinned by serious ideas. It's also very, very funny."
— SF Said, The Telegraph

"The most fun sci-fi of the year."
— Olly Richards, Empire

"Smart writing and vivid characters... Surprisingly exciting and satisfying."
— Michael Medved, Eye on Entertainment

"Serenity is pure unbridled genius. Not since The Matrix has a movie rocked so relentlessly."
— Mark S. Allen, UPN-TV

"Serenity is a fast-paced, engaging science fiction adventure tale."
— James Berardinelli, ReelViews

"It's the kind of balls-to-the-wall action movie that so many others, this past summer especially, purported to be and yet time and time again managed to disappoint. It's a western set in space. It's an amped up galactic soap opera. It's an all-out comedy... It's every one of these things and then probably a little bit more."
— Tim Postins, Sky Movies

"Serenity remains resolutely focused on the characters and their situations, sacrifices, and relationships... Everyone is firing on all cylinders in this movie, and everyone gets a moment to shine."
— Jason Morehead, Opus

"A strongly acted, well-written story fortified by riveting action sequences."
— Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times

"5 stars out of 5"
— Matthew Turner, View London

"Thrilling, funny, sad, scary... Should be a hit. And it can be, if you see it."
— Leslie Gray Streeter, Palm Beach Post

"Quite simply a damn good movie."
— David Walker, Williamette Week

"Serenity, despite its simple chase plot and elegant narrative ductwork, is unmistakably a TV season's worth of roller-coastering drama, most of it balanced on the capable shoulders of Fillion, a natural leading man."
— Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly

[wangerbanger]

having never seen or actually heard of the firefly series, i wasn't sure what to expect, and only saw this movie after reading the comments in this thread. i have to say that i was very pleasantly surprised. it's a great movie, very entertaining. go see it twice.

[Hollowpoint]

Seen it thrice now. Better and better. When you see it more than twice, you really catch the little things. Like when Jane is holding something cold up against his nads after he gets his butt kicked by River the first time.