Joss Whedon makes a rousing feature-directing debut, exploiting the cult status of his short-lived series Firefly to continue it on the big screen.
Serenity (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:32
Fresh:28
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: Snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sequences of intense violence and action, and some sexual references
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Sep 30, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $25,335,935
Synopsis: Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but... Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but short-lived sci-fi series, FIREFLY. A mix of space western, comedy, and drama, SERENITY follows captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his ragtag crew as they trade their way around the edges of civilized society. Of particular interest are two passengers they take on, Simon and River Tam (Sean Maher, Summer Glau), a brother and his telepathic sister on the run from the corrupt governing Alliance. As notorious former members of the anti-Alliance opposition, Mal and his crew make it difficult for Simon and River to stay hidden. Everything goes completely awry when a government assassin is sent to retrieve River. As Mal is forced to choose between his close-knit crew and the brother and sister newcomers, it becomes apparent that River harbors both a dangerous secret and astounding fighting powers, and Mal decides that discovering the truth about what she knows might just be worth his time. Many of the film's action sequences revolve around Summer Glau's martial arts skills in her portrayal of River. Glau prepared for her role with Hong Kong stuntwoman Ming Lu, as well as stunt coordinators Chad Stahelski and Hiro Koda, and as a resulted performed nearly all the stuntwork herself. In addition to the stellar stunts, realistic graphics, and an often haunting score, the film's actors display a rare chemistry that brings viewers both into their lives and into a possible version of humanity's future. [More]
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chjwetel Ejiofor, David Krumholtz, Michael Hitchcock, Sarah Paulson
Director: Joss Whedon
Director: Joss Whedon
Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
Composer: David Newman
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for Serenity
Go out and see Joss Whedon’s witty whizbang of an action movie, or we will kill a kitten.
It has a great sense of humor about it, an attractive cast and it’s just a lot of fun.
Serenity isn't about effects. It's about narrative and characters, and it does a solid job in both areas.
Half a millennium after Neil Armstrong's one small step for mankind and we're back in the saddle again.
Fans get priority seating on the ride, but there's plenty of room for rookies to clamber aboard.
This genre picture is still a thrillingly original science fiction creation.
Serenity is so like TV that it ought to come with a clicker so we can switch over to the next movie at the multiplex.
As always, Whedon's sci-fi fantasies smartly parallel the serious issues we're grappling with here on Earth, while his protagonists remain mordantly funny in the face of utter disaster.
Whedon knows that he's blazing down a well-worn trail, but he addresses that by deftly adding elements of humor, action, romance and horror and continually confounding audience expectations.
The best summer thrill ride since Batman Begins, Serenity roars in a late but mighty welcome considering this year's sub-fun slate.
Part of the kick to Serenity is watching the filmmaker expertly play with moods as he hyphenates the western and sci-fi genres.
The movie runs on the fuel of sly intelligence, not to mention a healthy skepticism about mankind's ability to achieve anything that might be called progress.
A space spectacle resonant with witty dialogue, accessible characters and kaleidoscopic action.
After an hour of intense disorientation, the movie's arch sarcasm becomes oddly entertaining.
The Serenity crew's chemistry isn't enough to take this spaceship into the stratosphere, and Whedon unleashes his most provocative ideas too late in the proceedings.
Though diehard fans probably will take issue, Serenity is mostly sci-fi silliness attempting to be something more substantive.
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| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
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| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
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