CNS Movie Review: Serenity

Serenity

By David DiCerto
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Fans of Joss Whedon's short-lived television series, "Firefly," will find peace of mind with "Serenity" (Universal), a big-screen extension of the quirky sci-fi adventure.

Despite a loyal cult following, the series was canceled after only 11 episodes. A grass-roots Internet campaign, coupled with strong DVD sales of the original series, revived interest in a feature-length film based on the show.

Written and directed by Whedon, the movie weds the science fiction and Western genres resulting in a sly, offbeat and witty hybrid, full of gunslinging space cowboys and dusty one-horse planets -- Buck Rogers meets Roy Rogers.

As before, the film follows a motley crew of smugglers aboard the ramshackle cargo spaceship "Serenity," captained by the Han Solo-like Mal Reynolds (played, as in the series, with roguish charm by Nathan Fillion).

Opening narration brings viewers not familiar with the series quickly up to warp speed. It's 500 years in the future. "Earth-That-Was" is no longer habitable, forcing humans to colonize another solar system. A federation of technologically advanced planets forms the Alliance, an oppressive galactic government that tries to extend its rule to the frontier planets, resulting in civil war (in which Mal fought for the losing side).

The freighter's crew rescues a fugitive doctor, Simon Tam (Sean Maher), and his telepathic sister, River (Summer Glau), who had been experimented on by the Alliance.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays an interstellar assassin dispatched to hunt down the girl, whose tortured mind holds secrets that could compromise the Alliance and threaten their "utopian" order.

All the series regulars are back; they include second-in-command Zoe (Gina Torres), pilot Hoban "Wash" Washburn (Alan Tudyk); mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite); and mercenary Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin).

The film plays much like an episode of the TV series.

There is some sexual banter, but no sex scenes. As for violence, River is involved in several over-the-top brawls, including a climactic standoff against the Reavers, a cannibalistic race that haunts deep space in ravenous hordes, but most of the fast and furious action is edited with relatively little gore.

What "Serenity" lacks in "Star Wars"-caliber special effects it makes up for in its wry sense of humor. (If "Star Wars" is the Wagner of space operas, this is Gilbert and Sullivan.)

The characters all have distinct personalities and come across as likable scoundrels.

Despite its campy feel, Whedon weaves serious ethical and political themes into the narrative in much the same way Gene Rodenberry did with "Star Trek."

Ejiofor's operative is an ideologue who sees his mission as righteous. He justifies evil to bring about a greater good and excuses himself from acting morally to secure a "better" world.

Conversely, Mal -- in the mold of countless Western antiheroes -- though on the surface unprincipled, ultimately acts uprightly in accordance with his moral compass.

"Serenity" suggests that to be human means to actively care about the common good and cautions that trying to establish heaven on earth may bring about a hell far less serene.

The film has stylized and bloody action violence, some sexual humor and minimal crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

END

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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