The crew of the mercenary ship Serenity has no idea what they're carrying. But while a tenacious governmental henchman (Ejiofor) pursues their cargo from planet to planet, Captain Mal (Fillion) just as tenaciously eludes him, assisted by first mate Zoe (Torres), Zen pilot Wash (Tudyk), musclehead Jayne (Baldwin) and techie Kaylee (Staite). Also on board are Dr Simon (Maher) and his prescient sister River (Glau), whose gifts have been tampered with by the government, and who carries a secret that could shake society.

The premise is extremely well-established without being overcomplicated: after wearing out Earth, humans had to find a new planetary system to inhabit. Mal could be captaining a Conestoga wagon! And he even talks like a cattle rancher. In this sense, the film feels a lot like the original Star Wars trilogy--sassy dialog, zinging interaction between characters, serious menace from oppressive authorities and terrific character complexity. Refreshingly, there are no alien creatures.

It's such a well-defined, self-contained premise that we have no trouble diving in. And Whedon never lets us down, building to a tremendously gripping, stirring conclusion that shifts and develops brilliantly. The cast clearly loves these characters--each feels raw and natural, individualistic and part of a team, a bundle of jagged emotions and edgy humour. As the actors draw our interest and sympathies, they take us on an outrageously entertaining odyssey that's hilarious, exciting, scary and surprisingly moving. And Ejiofor is a formidable foe with lots of surprises both for the Serenity crew and for us.

Where the film tips into something remarkable is in its spiritual subtext. The story is about faith--in a cause, in a higher power, in each other. Each character is forced not only to make extremely difficult decisions, but also to examine their personal beliefs. And possibly change them. This layer of meaning makes it one of the most satisfying action movies in a long, long time.

themes, violence, innuendo

7.Sep.05

Ghostroo, Brisbane: "I enjoyed it for the overall presentation, but also for the layers of the story. On the surface it is a sci-fi action flick with a focus on humans and their deeds (or misdeeds as the case may be). On a deeper level, the themes of government desire for control, personal freedom and ultimately personal responsibility make this more than just an action movie. Every choice the characters make has consequences; sometime they can foresee them and sometimes not. For those new to the 'Verse, the introduction is clipped and efficient. The sassy dialogue makes for humour and drama as well as advancing the story of the characters and their relationships. The characters are not the usual sterotypes they may appear on the surface, they all have the Whedon treatment so they are more than they seem. Humour, pathos, loyalty, betrayal, love and hate, all set to a backdrop of a gritty technological future where human decisions are more important than the hi-tech, make this a movie for a wide audience." (29.Sep.05)