Serenity (2005)
—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
“If you can’t do something smart…do something right.� This quote, from one of Serenity’s crew just about summarizes the story-line. Serenity, a space ship that travels the edges of the galaxy, is the container for a crew of veterans from the losing side of a galatic civil war, and the setting for a really great movie. This movie from the well known writer/directory Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire, Angel, and Firefly) is a magnificant story that interweaves suspence, drama, political commentary, and comedy into one big ball of fun and excitement.
As any fan of the cancelled TV show Firefly can tell you, Serentiy is a "Firefly-class" starship (which gave the TV show it’s name), and that is the central location for both the TV show and the movie. I will have to admit that when I attended the advance screening of the movie I had never seen an episode of the original Firefly show, nor had I seen very many episodes of Buffy or Angel – but it was evident that I was one of the few in the theater who hadn’t. My expectation of the film was another sci-fi flick with good humans vs. bad aliens or good aliens help good humans against bad humans/aliens. Don’t get me wrong, I love sci-fi – one of my favorite shows is the new BattleStar Galatica – and I am a Star Wars junky. I just hadn’t seen too many good sci-fi movies coming out recently other than the big production numbers like Star Wars. And I knew that Serenity was not a big dollar production (comparably speaking) -- like only 1/4 the cost of Batman Begins.
But I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not an alien in the bunch and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And as such, I won’t wait until the end of the review to highly recommend this movie to everyone, not just Firefly fans. It is awesome – go see it. Even though Serenity’s director Whedon attempted to continue, and possibly wrap up, the story of the Firefly TV series (to go as far as using the original TV cast for the movie), I did not find it difficult at all to follow. This was a concern as I knew that the movie played heavily on the storyline of the TV show, but this was not an issue. Instead, this film will end up costing me more than I thought – because I liked it so much I now have to go out and buy the Firefly series on DVD to see what I have been missing.
When the movie first started out I was sitting and wondering – wow, this is going to be intense. The first set of scenes were definitely action-packed and had me jumping in my seat a couple of times. Then we meet the crew of Serenity and immediately I am laughing at the banter between them. The movie is filled with action, nearly non-stop, and many suspenseful (almost scary) scenes, but this is off-set by the dialogue and action of the characters that is such a contrast to the intensity of the action, that it makes for a really enjoyable movie. This was somewhat similar to the mixed humor and action in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but different at the same time. In Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the comedic dialogue was perpendicular to the characters, which made it different and interesting. But in Serenity (and as I understand in the Firefly series) the dialogue fits the characters. You expect it from them. I think this is particular what gives the movie such a unique feel and made it that much more enjoyable.
In an interview with LookingCloser.org on September 18th 2005 the director Joss Whedon explained his use of dialogue as follow:
“The most important thing to me is finding everybody’s voice very specifically. I build shows and movies on what I refer to as ‘the Golden Girls model,’ which is, very simply, everybody’s gotta come from a different place, so that everybody’s reaction to something is different and equally valid and equally fun.
N
ever having anybody say anything that isn’t the next thing they’d say, that isn’t their point of view, that isn’t their perspective… that’s where the humor comes from. Jayne’s perspective on the situation will be different than everybody else’s, and when he speaks, that makes it funny. But at the same time, that’s what makes it valid.�
And I believe that Whedon accomplished exactly this in his characters and their interaction with each other. Beyond the dialogue and action, the characters themself were intriguing and delightful. As stated in the above quote, each character is distinctly different, but not so much so that it would seem unusual. More like the type of differentiation you would find in any group of a half dozen people. Each character comes from a different background and each has their own distinct reaction to each situation; which as in real life, only adds to the drama and comedy.
I was particularly intrigued with the character of River Tam, or the Fugitive, played by Summer Glau. Playing a 17 year old girl who, a telepath/physic, that has been experimented on by the Alliance’s scientist, Summer (who is actually 24) plays the role perfectly. I was rolling on the floor laughing (rotfl) several times when Summer would roll her eyes or cringe her face all up when someone questioned what she said or indicated. It was the facial expression that is universal among teenagers, as if responsing – “how dare you question me!� When I found out she had been a premier ballerina, it helped to explain some of the convoluted positions she got herself into and the way she literally danced through the more intense fight scenes.
Besides being a great movie, I found a number of Messages in the Movie that I thought worth relaying. First off you have to understand that the director, Joss Whedon is a self-proclaimed Atheist. This isn’t really critical to the value of the movie or be a deciding factor whether someone sees it or not, but it does create some interesting points when we look underneath the covers of the movie.
One thing I found interesting in the movie and was informed by some ardent Firefly fans was a critical point in the TV series is the character called the Shepherd. Shepherd Book is a devout Catholic (500 years in the future) and leader of a safe haven that evidently has more than once welcomed the crew of Serenity and provided them shelter. On the other hand, Malcolm (Mal) Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion), Captain of Serenity, admittedly is not a Christian and, to Shepherd Book’s disappointment, appears to have no belief in anything, God or anything else. Yet they seem to be old friends and get along well. This is an important message for both Christians and non-Christians alike.
But to take it a bit further, in the same LookingCloser.com interview Whedon was asked about the relationship between Shepherd Book and Mal, and that by raising the issues about faith and God indicated that possibly Whedon was trying to bring something spiritual across in Firefly [and subsequently Serenity]. His {excerpted] response was:
“I think we all have different takes on it, we all have different things to say about spirituality…in Firefly there was a conflict between Mal and the Shepherd that was deliberate, which was that Mal is an atheist and he’s beyond that… kind of faithless. He doesn’t trust people. He doesn’t really think of anything as a greater good. Even though he has a moral code himself, he can’t really admit or understand it. Shepherd Book is very clear on his faith, and there was a conflict between the two of them that was supposed to be ongoing throughout the series.
Obviously, the movie being more about answers, I had one definitive statement to make, which was simply [that] the power of belief, the power of something greater than yourself doesn’t necessarily have to mean religion.
Shepherd Book himself says that. He doesn’t say, ‘Find God.’ He says, ‘Find your way.’
Shepherd Book obviously believes in God. He believes that God is a part of what’s going on. Mal doesn’t, but Shepherd doesn’t judge him for that [Message here for everyone]. He says, ‘The point is not whether or not you believe what I believe. The point is that you don’t believe in anything. And it’s killing you. And it’s tearing your crew apart. And it’s making you do stupid things.’
The word ‘belief’ comes into the film a lot for that reason. It’s a simple act of subsuming yourself to the idea of something that is great. Believing that there is something worth structuring your life around that will direct your moral decisions, and sometimes [help] you make harder decisions… that is important. What that belief is... is not.�
I think Whedon is correct in that having a belief in something is important. This is where hope comes from. But I feel certain that what you believe in is important and while the opening statement of this review: “If you can’t do something smart…do something right.� summarized the storyline, similarly I think one of the ending speeches by Captain Malcolm Reynolds summarizes the two main Messages of the Movie. As Serenity lifts off in a storm; Reynolds states that they will pass through it soon enough. It captured for me the theme of the movie. That life is not be easy, but through love, shown in their devotion and sacrifice for each other; that they would somehow get through it. It instantly brought back to me a prayer I heard many years ago and have repeated a number of times since – “Lord, I don’t expect you to stop the storm for me, but just hold me until it’s over�.
The other Message for me was when Reynolds ask the question if they knew what the most important thing about flying a ship was. His answer was Love. Love is what keeps the ship in the air. Love is what makes it a home. So as it turns out, Reynolds does believe in something after all. Love. Which again got me thinking about what it says in the Bible -- specifically in the book of 1 John. Basically, and as I have heard it paraphrased many times, “God is Love, and Love is God�. I wonder what Shepherd Book would have said about that?
—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
“If you can’t do something smart…do something right.� This quote, from one of Serenity’s crew just about summarizes the story-line. Serenity, a space ship that travels the edges of the galaxy, is the container for a crew of veterans from the losing side of a galatic civil war, and the setting for a really great movie. This movie from the well known writer/directory Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire, Angel, and Firefly) is a magnificant story that interweaves suspence, drama, political commentary, and comedy into one big ball of fun and excitement.As any fan of the cancelled TV show Firefly can tell you, Serentiy is a "Firefly-class" starship (which gave the TV show it’s name), and that is the central location for both the TV show and the movie. I will have to admit that when I attended the advance screening of the movie I had never seen an episode of the original Firefly show, nor had I seen very many episodes of Buffy or Angel – but it was evident that I was one of the few in the theater who hadn’t. My expectation of the film was another sci-fi flick with good humans vs. bad aliens or good aliens help good humans against bad humans/aliens. Don’t get me wrong, I love sci-fi – one of my favorite shows is the new BattleStar Galatica – and I am a Star Wars junky. I just hadn’t seen too many good sci-fi movies coming out recently other than the big production numbers like Star Wars. And I knew that Serenity was not a big dollar production (comparably speaking) -- like only 1/4 the cost of Batman Begins.
But I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not an alien in the bunch and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And as such, I won’t wait until the end of the review to highly recommend this movie to everyone, not just Firefly fans. It is awesome – go see it. Even though Serenity’s director Whedon attempted to continue, and possibly wrap up, the story of the Firefly TV series (to go as far as using the original TV cast for the movie), I did not find it difficult at all to follow. This was a concern as I knew that the movie played heavily on the storyline of the TV show, but this was not an issue. Instead, this film will end up costing me more than I thought – because I liked it so much I now have to go out and buy the Firefly series on DVD to see what I have been missing.When the movie first started out I was sitting and wondering – wow, this is going to be intense. The first set of scenes were definitely action-packed and had me jumping in my seat a couple of times. Then we meet the crew of Serenity and immediately I am laughing at the banter between them. The movie is filled with action, nearly non-stop, and many suspenseful (almost scary) scenes, but this is off-set by the dialogue and action of the characters that is such a contrast to the intensity of the action, that it makes for a really enjoyable movie. This was somewhat similar to the mixed humor and action in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but different at the same time. In Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the comedic dialogue was perpendicular to the characters, which made it different and interesting. But in Serenity (and as I understand in the Firefly series) the dialogue fits the characters. You expect it from them. I think this is particular what gives the movie such a unique feel and made it that much more enjoyable.In an interview with LookingCloser.org on September 18th 2005 the director Joss Whedon explained his use of dialogue as follow:
“The most important thing to me is finding everybody’s voice very specifically. I build shows and movies on what I refer to as ‘the Golden Girls model,’ which is, very simply, everybody’s gotta come from a different place, so that everybody’s reaction to something is different and equally valid and equally fun.
N
ever having anybody say anything that isn’t the next thing they’d say, that isn’t their point of view, that isn’t their perspective… that’s where the humor comes from. Jayne’s perspective on the situation will be different than everybody else’s, and when he speaks, that makes it funny. But at the same time, that’s what makes it valid.�And I believe that Whedon accomplished exactly this in his characters and their interaction with each other. Beyond the dialogue and action, the characters themself were intriguing and delightful. As stated in the above quote, each character is distinctly different, but not so much so that it would seem unusual. More like the type of differentiation you would find in any group of a half dozen people. Each character comes from a different background and each has their own distinct reaction to each situation; which as in real life, only adds to the drama and comedy.
I was particularly intrigued with the character of River Tam, or the Fugitive, played by Summer Glau. Playing a 17 year old girl who, a telepath/physic, that has been experimented on by the Alliance’s scientist, Summer (who is actually 24) plays the role perfectly. I was rolling on the floor laughing (rotfl) several times when Summer would roll her eyes or cringe her face all up when someone questioned what she said or indicated. It was the facial expression that is universal among teenagers, as if responsing – “how dare you question me!� When I found out she had been a premier ballerina, it helped to explain some of the convoluted positions she got herself into and the way she literally danced through the more intense fight scenes.
Besides being a great movie, I found a number of Messages in the Movie that I thought worth relaying. First off you have to understand that the director, Joss Whedon is a self-proclaimed Atheist. This isn’t really critical to the value of the movie or be a deciding factor whether someone sees it or not, but it does create some interesting points when we look underneath the covers of the movie.
One thing I found interesting in the movie and was informed by some ardent Firefly fans was a critical point in the TV series is the character called the Shepherd. Shepherd Book is a devout Catholic (500 years in the future) and leader of a safe haven that evidently has more than once welcomed the crew of Serenity and provided them shelter. On the other hand, Malcolm (Mal) Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion), Captain of Serenity, admittedly is not a Christian and, to Shepherd Book’s disappointment, appears to have no belief in anything, God or anything else. Yet they seem to be old friends and get along well. This is an important message for both Christians and non-Christians alike.
But to take it a bit further, in the same LookingCloser.com interview Whedon was asked about the relationship between Shepherd Book and Mal, and that by raising the issues about faith and God indicated that possibly Whedon was trying to bring something spiritual across in Firefly [and subsequently Serenity]. His {excerpted] response was:
“I think we all have different takes on it, we all have different things to say about spirituality…in Firefly there was a conflict between Mal and the Shepherd that was deliberate, which was that Mal is an atheist and he’s beyond that… kind of faithless. He doesn’t trust people. He doesn’t really think of anything as a greater good. Even though he has a moral code himself, he can’t really admit or understand it. Shepherd Book is very clear on his faith, and there was a conflict between the two of them that was supposed to be ongoing throughout the series.
Obviously, the movie being more about answers, I had one definitive statement to make, which was simply [that] the power of belief, the power of something greater than yourself doesn’t necessarily have to mean religion.
Shepherd Book himself says that. He doesn’t say, ‘Find God.’ He says, ‘Find your way.’
Shepherd Book obviously believes in God. He believes that God is a part of what’s going on. Mal doesn’t, but Shepherd doesn’t judge him for that [Message here for everyone]. He says, ‘The point is not whether or not you believe what I believe. The point is that you don’t believe in anything. And it’s killing you. And it’s tearing your crew apart. And it’s making you do stupid things.’
The word ‘belief’ comes into the film a lot for that reason. It’s a simple act of subsuming yourself to the idea of something that is great. Believing that there is something worth structuring your life around that will direct your moral decisions, and sometimes [help] you make harder decisions… that is important. What that belief is... is not.�
I think Whedon is correct in that having a belief in something is important. This is where hope comes from. But I feel certain that what you believe in is important and while the opening statement of this review: “If you can’t do something smart…do something right.� summarized the storyline, similarly I think one of the ending speeches by Captain Malcolm Reynolds summarizes the two main Messages of the Movie. As Serenity lifts off in a storm; Reynolds states that they will pass through it soon enough. It captured for me the theme of the movie. That life is not be easy, but through love, shown in their devotion and sacrifice for each other; that they would somehow get through it. It instantly brought back to me a prayer I heard many years ago and have repeated a number of times since – “Lord, I don’t expect you to stop the storm for me, but just hold me until it’s over�.
The other Message for me was when Reynolds ask the question if they knew what the most important thing about flying a ship was. His answer was Love. Love is what keeps the ship in the air. Love is what makes it a home. So as it turns out, Reynolds does believe in something after all. Love. Which again got me thinking about what it says in the Bible -- specifically in the book of 1 John. Basically, and as I have heard it paraphrased many times, “God is Love, and Love is God�. I wonder what Shepherd Book would have said about that?
—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
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