Space Western With Depth

Serenity (2005) was made after the space western tv-series Firefly (2002) had been cancelled by Fox after only eleven episodes out of fourteen produced had been aired. It was thanks to fans and the good sales numbers on the DVD that was released that Joss Whedon convinced Universal Studios to produce a film based off the series.

Which, I would say, was most fortunate because it's a fantastic movie indeed. It's exciting and thrilling and a bit unsettling. There is action of course. And humour. But what really makes it greater than your average witty action sci-fi film is the real depth and the honesty. The directing and the performances of the actors gives this piece a sense of truth that often seems to be lacking from fast-paced, action-packed films. There are usually too many effects, to many huge explosion and gun fights and badass mouth-offs for any deeper motives to be interlaced with the story. We're often left with a hollow shell, a surface of psychological depth that seems thin and shallow under scrutiny.

Not in this piece, however. Here we get a feel for the characters' complex inner lives and it's that extra touch that makes this film spectacular.

It's certainly not perfect - and it's obvious that Joss has gotten even better in the years past - but it is surely worth your while.