Serenity… Rocks
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Since the movie does need to work for people that haven’t seen the series, there is a little bit of rehashing of the backstory by necessity. It’s really pretty minimal, though, and what is there is done in a new way. So, even if you’ve seen the series the backstory is still going to largely feel new to you.
Don’t worry, you definitely won’t be bored by a long, boring explanation of what went on in the series.
I’m not so concerened about being bored, but rather, having what was established in the series be trumped by what’s in the movie. Just a potential ‘what’s canon’ issue… not that it should really matter. But hey, I like my stories consistent. 
Too bad that they actually had to retell the Tam ‘origin story’ though. Seems to me it could be quite adequately explained in a modestly ‘throwaway’ few lines of exposition. Hell, it’s good enough for the rest of the character backstories (which aint so minor as we faithful already know).
Feh! Gonna love it anyway. Just wish they’d do it *my* way for once. :thumbsup:
If you’re a fan of the series...then you should be thoroughly pleased with the film.
Did we watch the same film? How are you not completely angry at two specific events? I am spending more time right now trying to justify said events in both an “it’s the right thing for the story” way and in a more technical movie studio decision-esque analytical way, as a “need to do to transition to film” type reason.
Severe spoilers here touch on some the major thoughts I have. One that’s not a spoiler that disappointed me was the addition of sound in space.
I’ve never been angry leaving the theater before. I absolutely loved this movie, but I want my Firefly back. :(
Well… without going anywhere near spoiler territory, nor anger management I will say that, along with loving this flick, I am thrilled that my fears of retreading the show were unfounded. They did a good job of giving some background/intros, and then jumping right into a continuation of the series storyline.
Only highlight the potentially spoiling text below if you’ve seen the movie.
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DENIAL
ANGER
BARGAINING
DEPRESSION
ACCEPTANCE
Stage one happened very quickly. In my head I was justifying ways to get Wash out of the seat, patch him up, and bring him around at the end. Up until Mal left them in the corridor, I had convinced myself that Mal was going to go to the cockpit, pull Wash’s body from the hands of reavers, and bring him to the Doc to perform some miracle. When I realized how stupid and unbelievable that sounded, and suddenly flooded with memories of handfuls of deaths of Whedon’s characters in my favorite shows, I immediately went to stage two. Anger at Joss for killing two characters. Anger at two hour movies and the infeasability to have 9 main characters and expect new audiences to connect with *any* of them. Anger at myself for somehow thinking that Firefly/Serenity wasn’t going to be prone to Joss’s flamboyantly short and surprising death scenes. Angry that the first movie would have everyone alive and happy, and cheering, bringing on sequels to which he could then do anything he wanted, but at the end of the first silverscreen appearance, leave the family intact. All of these thoughts happening in my mind by the time Simon confesses his missed opportunities to Kaylee.
I could handle a Book and Wash death in a series format, because you’d have at least 12 episodes each to deal with it, and have appropriate consequences shown. Renewed anger at Fox for cancelling.
Not sure that stage 3 applies, as I cannot bargain with Joss on somehow “making up for it”. So I’ve begun bargaining with myself. I’ll always have “War Stories” (episode 10) for my favorite Wash moments, I tell myself. No, Derek, it really was witty to have Book speak dialog in Joss’s behalf telling the audience, “no I don’t have to tell you about Book’s background, and you had better accept that fact within the next 30 minutes.”
Stage 4 has crept in, only in the sense that I’ve literally been consumed with the movie in my mind, replaying Wash’s death over and over. Dwelling on it, thinking that if I can come to terms with the writing, (there was certainly no problem with the acting or the drama), that I will be able to move to stage 5 and…
ACCEPT this is part of the tale of the family on Serenity. As something that will change the created family dynamic in ways that will make any future stories told all the better. I don’t want to be one of those fans that stops being a fan because of <x> character’s death. It was always after those moments that the shows got really really good.
The only thing stopping me from moving straight to 5 is that unlike his other genre stories, Serenity is grounded in reality. The other shows had supernatural elements allowing for any number of plot devices to allow a character to come back / not really be dead / be someone else but still be in the show / etc.
I’m still mad about the sound in space, though.
Just to get in on this: (Spoilage contained)
The wife and I were discussing this very thing on the way home (how could we not?) and my wife’s mind was drawn to the Brothel episode in which Zoe and Wash discuss children. This to her made the movie all the more sad. This to me (while making things more sad still) gave me said “Bargaining chip” in Derek’s post. A bitter sweet setup in that, Wash is dead, but he’s not “Gone” he left a child. Which I’ll be first to admit isn’t even HINTED in the movie… but you get where I’m going with this.
Overall, Loved the movie.
Sound in Space: Yeah, I always loved the fact that the Series specifically played that down. I’d love to have seen it done in the movie as well (Because I think it could have been increadibly powerful) but I can see how a studio might have balked at the idea and required sound.
Kris
Loved the movie as well, saw it on my 5-year wedding anniversary with my wife (her suggestion, what a nerd).
One thing I’d like to mention regarding the “sound in space” issue, I’ve read that in order to get a really impressive and impactful space battle, Wheadon set that Reaver/Alliance/Serenity sequence in the upper stratosphere so that they could add sound.
Just my dork-esque 2 cents.
Cheers,
Steve
I’d buy into that except an earlier unspecified scene that is definitely in the no man’s land of space, amd there’s a confrontation, there’s sound as well.
I have to think that the sound in space thing was probably a Universal mandate. Too bad too, but whatever, not gonna get hung up on it.
Derek:
Do you really feel like Jayne’s not the same untrustworthy guy? I mean he’s trying to save his own skin the whole movie by getting the Tams off Serenity, and eventually takes matters into his own hands to get rid of River (unsuccessfully obviously, but still, he made a go at it).
Kris
No, I don’t agree with that part of the post I linked to. I think Jayne was completely in character the entire time. For that matter, everyone was.
Agree with you 100% brother. That was the best sci fi flick I’ve seen in a long time. I only wish they hadn’t killed of Wash in the event that they come out with another movie or even better TV show.
Of course, the DVD format allows for multiple soundtracks. Think it’s too much to ask for a “TV space mode” soundtrack option that properly omits the Sound In Space?
Or just a director’s version with everything Joss sans studio intervention would float my boat! :D
Walking away from the movie in the theares the Sound in Space was a HUGE peeve of mine… I’m brand new to the series, borrowed the DVDs from someone and finished a week before the movie. I LOVED that there was no sound in space, and it lost no drama, let you hear this great score.
But.... just watched the Serenity DVD last night and paying close attention, they cheat a little, but not as they could have. Dammit, now I can think when they launch the fake beacons if there is sound but I think there is… I can buy some slack with the cannon though, since it’s attached to the ship. It sounds like what you’d hear if you had your ear to the bulkhead.
After the “ion cloud” it’s definately apparent, and you fight to hear this fantastic battle music…
So, I’m still not pleased, I wanted utter and complete silence in space at all times. But looking again it could have been much much worse.
I too feel this was probably studio pressure, but that’s just what I feel in my gut, have no proof either way, yet.
-A
How much retelling does the movie delve into? By the look of the trailer(s), there appears to be a strong leaning toward a recap of part of the original 2hr pilot of the series (aka, the Simon/River intro). Barring spoilers, can you clarify how much, if any, is retreading? Granted, I’m going to love this movie regardless… but I’m sure I’d love it *more* if it focused on new material rather than redo.
By Pete on September 29, 2005 at 05:14am link