SERENITY - DVD review

It takes a lot to get me to the theaters these days. I'm put off by the awful crowds who don't know the etiquette of cinema, mediocre projection, speakers that crackle and hiss more than they project sound, and bad movies. LOADS of bad movies. That's gone a long way to ruining the mythic "Cinema Experience" my father continually harps on. Gone are the days that I would line up to see the latest and greatest film. Hell, I didn't even see "Episode III" until the day after it premiered. And then there was "Serenity."

I've got to get this out of the way first… I love "Firefly." I'll admit, I am a Johnny-Come-Lately to the sci-fi/western genre, having only picked up the DVDs on Scott Kurtz's (of PVP fame) recommendation. It was a blind buy that I wasn't particularly happy with after watching the first couple episodes. They were slow, character builders that didn't feature any of the action that one would expect from a show trumpeting both the genres of "Sci-Fi" and "Western." Where are the gunfights? The romance? The gee-wiz technology? It was there, but the pacing seemed off. The show just didn't seem right.

And then, something happened. After the fourth episode, the show hit its stride and rocketed into the stratosphere of not-only great television, but a wonderful cinematic experience. The show was most certainly NOT an ordinary program, looking more like a miniature movie with a dynamic and often unexpected narrative flow. And the best part was that those seemingly slow first few episodes helped map out a world for the crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class ship (thus the title of the show), to exist and play in. And my stars, was it ever wonderful.

I'm of two minds trying to describe the wonders of "Firefly." At once a simple show about people of mixed moral character just trying to get by in a new frontier and the complex dynamic of an ensemble cast full of amazingly diverse characters in a cloistered environment, "Firefly" was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Being new to the world of creator Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), I didn't know what exactly to expect from the show. But boy was I ever amazed at what I experienced.

The easiest way to break down the show is to introduce you to the characters and their motivations. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is the captain of the ship, pulling the strings and pointing the crew toward their next big adventure – which usually ends up being bungled by forces beyond Mal's control. Mal fought in a galactic civil war for the Independence (A.K.A Browncoats) against the Alliance, who sought only to make the galaxy safe by creating utopian societies. At his side during one of the most tragic and bloody battles in the war (The Battle of Serenity… ah, that name again…) was Zoe (Gina Torres). A fierce warrior and steady friend, Zoe is the cool and calculating head that is needed to brace Mal's oft abrasive decisions.

Piloting Serenity is Zoe's goofy-yet-skilled husband Wash (Alan Tudyk). Wearing Hawaiian shirts and sounding off as the voice of sanity, Wash brings levity to the proceedings and a softer side to Zoe. Rounding out the regular ship mates are Kaylee (Jewel Saite), the sweet and innocent mechanic who has a knack for fixing a rusted ship that seems ready to give the Millennium Falcon a run for its money as best-worst pirate ship; Jayne (Adam Baldwin), a mercenary for hire who is the sketchiest member of the crew, a man who watches out only for himself and would gladly sell Mal up the river if it meant his own skin; and Inara (Morena Baccarin), a "companion" (read: prostitute) who adds a sense of legitimacy to the crew, allowing them to areas they may not otherwise have access to.

In the first episode, Serenity picks up three unexpected passengers who are more than they seem. Shepard Book (Ron Glass) is a preacher who espouses the word of God… but seems to know a lot about the Hell that is the galaxy. Simon (Sean Maher) and River (Summer Glau) are a brother and sister who are hiding from the Alliance after Simon broke River out of a facility where they were doing strange experiments on the young girl, turning her into a weapon.

But before I knew it, my ride on Serenity had come to its conclusion. There were bits of the world that were tantalizingly placed out before me as a viewer, like the "Reavers," a group of humanity that has gone cannibalistic and are hyper-aggressive. Like the Alliance agents that will kill anyone who gets into their way in their search for River and the secret locked in her brain. So many questions, and no resolution in sight.

But thank the Lord for Cable TV and DVD. When it was released on DVD (after being cancelled by Fox after only 11 episodes aired out of order), "Firefly" became a hit. Much the same way that Cartoon Network was behind the revival of "Family Guy," DVD brought new life to "Firefly." That surge of popularity was enough to prompt the suits at Universal to put the faith in Joss Whedon to create a sort of resolution… and possible franchise… with a feature film adaptation (or continuation if you prefer) of "Firefly."

So after that protracted introduction, you're likely saying, "Damn it, Justin, we know all this already. Is the movie any good?"

Oh, yeah.

Picking up shortly after where the show left off, Mal and his crew are broke. Dead broke. Inara and Book have left the ship, their last few heists have left the ship in a horrible state of disrepairs and to top it all off, River's been getting wonky. So wonky, in fact, that she flips out and takes down an entire bar, nearly killing Jayne and Mal in the process. And what's worse; the Alliance has stepped up their pursuit of her, determined to recover her at all costs. That includes the lives of Mal and his crew.

What follows is a rollercoaster ride of emotions as the crew of Serenity tries to unlock what it is in River's brain that's so valuable, pick a fight with some Reavers, and generally try to figure out what's going on in the universe. To say much more would be to spoil the (admittedly surprising) twists and turns of the story and its themes of peace at the cost of freedom.

So what's good? Well, of course, more of the crew that we all came to love in "Firefly." They're all back, to varying degrees, and the chemistry is great. There are minor differences that become apparent to the nitpicky eye but most viewers won't have a problem getting past it and becoming immersed in the world of "Serenity." And let me tell you, the effects and cinematography really raise the bar for the Sci-Fi genre. While I thought the television program was decent for the limited budget that it had to work with, the film is amazing. Everything in the universe has a great sense of palpable fidelity, like it all has a place and belongs.

And the cinematography. My goodness, how wonderful is it to see a D.P. behind the lens who has an eye for composition. Maximizing the action beats without making the obvious cops to "The Matrix"-style, which would have been easy, Jack Green and director Whedon use two shots, mixed perspective and zoom-tilts in magnificent fashion, rarely sticking out as gimmicky or forced.

The cast also settles easily back into their roles. Mal's still frustrated, Zoe's pissed, Wash is clueless (yet funny), Kaylee's in love with Simon (while he himself is clueless, focused only on his sister) and Jayne's still a militant prick. The sense of camaraderie that gave the show its luster is back, like checking in on old friends after being out of town for a few months. The dynamic writing, both comedic and tragic in the span of two sentences is back as well, bringing real human emotion to the silver screen.

The film's antagonist, labeled only as "The Operative" (Chiwetel Ejiofor), stands as proxy for the imperial Alliance. A cold and ruthless killer, he stands for everything that Mal opposes and is incredible as an assassin who will stop at nothing to recapture River and the secrets she holds.

Once "Serenity" kicks into high gear, about a half hour in to its two hour running time, it doesn't let up – not even for a minute. Space battles that put "Episode III" to shame, "Serenity" combines every element of every Sci-Fi movie that I've ever loved and crams it all into one neat package. It's a lot to handle, and I felt physically exhausted after having experienced it, but it's worth every minute. I won't go too far into spoiler territory, but there is collateral damage in this film, and it is heart wrenching. At points during the films lengthy final act, I was resigned to the deaths of every member of the crew as they fought at their Waterloo. Rarely will a movie leave me guessing about its conclusion like "Serenity." I though Whedon, instead of launching a franchise, had created a swan song for his beloved program.

But not all is well. While there is a lot of information given, compressing twenty hours of television into a few minutes of exposition is going to be tough. Period. There is a steep learning curve for the film, and if you aren't a fan of the TV show, you may feel a little lost in the beginning of the movie. But those scenes, designed to catch new viewers up, also slow things down for "Browncoats" (the die hard fanbase). Its part of an overall pacing problem I had with the film. That snappy dialogue that I love, which elicits belly laughs from yours truly, can be followed up too quickly, leaving a viewer who isn't able to follow along with the quick dialogue in the proverbial dust. And if you fall behind, "Serenity" doesn't let up long enough for you to catch up.

By and large, I can't say much bad beyond that. Much like "Blade Runner," it's obvious that "Serenity" is part of a much larger world and not the other way around; the world wasn't created to hold the story. While I don't know that the movie will ever be held in as high esteem as the aforementioned classic, I do know it belongs in the pantheon of great Sci-Fi and is, in its own right, a hell of a great ride.

Video:
The film looked marvelous in theaters, with a great, heavily-saturated color scheme. While that comes across on DVD, it is a little washed-out. There is some grain on the print and that causes a little bit of electronic noise. The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is represented with Anamorphic encoding. It could look better, but doesn't look bad, per se. An average transfer.

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is extremely immersive. The rear channels are extraordinarily active, creating a nice ambiance. The subwoofer isn't used too heavily, but is a nice boost to an already dynamic track. The music sounds great and the dialogue are clear, though it sounds a little boomy.

Extras:
There are about fifteen minutes of extended and deleted scenes. Mal's longing for Inara… and her inherent sex appeal… is made a smidge more explicit. Plus we get to see a little more of the inner-workings of the Companion center. Jayne and Kaylee, who seemed to get the short shrift in the film, get a little more screen time.

For as much fun as the case and crew claims to have, you would expect to see a large amount of goofy outtakes. You'd be half-right. There are plenty of line-flubs and equipment screw-ups, but none are as outright hilarious as I was expecting. Funny, but not that great.

"Future History" explores the mythic universe that "Serenity" inhabits. Director Whedon talks about where he came up with the idea for "Firefly." The interviews are interspliced with footage from the movie; like you haven't seen it already. Fortunately it gave me the chance to look at the small details of the sweeping landscapes and different planets that make up the universe. Conceptual art is used to show the genesis of the designs and how it contrasts with the final product, and behind-the-scenes footage gives an idea of how the film was created. A lot of information is packed into four minutes.

"What's in a Firefly" is a guided tour through the ship that is the home to Mal's crew. Whedon and other members of the crew give talking-head interviews that are played over scenes from the film and behind the scenes footage dealing with the awesome rescue scene from the robbery sequence. The film's special effects are dealt with briefly, though since the feature only runs about six minutes, that's not saying much. But I did have a great deal more respect for the crash scene near the film's conclusion after watching this feature.

"Relighting the Firefly" talks about gathering the cast and crew back together for a feature-length film. The actors get a chance to put in their thoughts about returning to a familiar role after a few years absence. The dynamic is discussed briefly, and the interviews are intercut with behind-the-scenes footage of the actors on the set. If "What's in a Firefly" is the technical feature, this one is about the people who make up the film. There is also a nice nod to the fans that made this film possible.

Joss Whedon takes a few minutes to talk about the movie that you're about to watch and thank all the people who made it possible. I believe this came from a preview cut a few months before the film was completed. It's rather sweet.

There's a lot of information in these few extra features, but none of them are particularly in-depth. I know I saw better making-of features on the SciFi channel in anticipation of the film's theatrical release; that leads me to believe there will be another version of this film down the road. But considering how poorly it did at the box office, I can't presuppose that fact.

The version Universal sent me for review did not have the Joss Whedon commentary. As soon as I'm provided the final product, I'll update this review with that information.

Film Value:
It's almost ironic that this has become the longest review I've ever written for a single film: I didn't know if I would be able to find the words to critically break down "Serenity." After seeing it in the theater (twice), I was struck speechless and slightly overwhelmed by the experience. In the end "Serenity" serves as a wonderful, if tragic, conclusion to "Firefly" and a launching pad for a whole series of movies or a return to television. And it's just damn fun.