I remember the first time I saw a poster for Serenity, the image of a female heroine being something of a novelty, especially as she was wielded sword like weapons. Her pose similar to the re-runs of Karate Kid often seen on TV, while the background spoke of the sci-fi dreams of Trekkies. It was a far cry from the typical trope of girls should like pretty pink things – here the girl on the poster looked like she’d tear up anything that glittered or sparkled. Watching the film I left as a firm follower of the Brown Coats – a group of rebel fighters who fought for independence from the Alliance (richer central planets). Yes, it might have similarities in that regard to Star Wars, but in every other way it’s not at all what you’d expect in a space movie, for a start it’s a Western.
Well, it’s kind of a Western, the heroes being a mishmash group of strong, fiercely independent but loyal space cowboys who rob from the rich to give to the…….wait, they keep it for themselves? But then again they’re literally surviving from one job to another, while their ship ‘Serenity’ falls apart around them. But not to worry, sarcasm at least is thriving here; shown clearly when the threat of crash-landing is held to the tune of “Oh Go, oh God, we’re all going to die?” They laugh, steal and hold a gun to the head of death, especially in their resistance against the Alliance – as rich as they are powerful, and who like to tell people what to do.
However, the crew of Serenity also have their more personal reasons in sticking up their guns to the Alliance. One being; River (Summer Glau), a teenager who was stolen and experimented on by the Alliance, becoming both a weapon and a threat they can’t afford to lose. But in the opening scenes her brother Simon (Sean Maher) rescues her and hides the two of them away on Serenity. Their payment for safe passage; the brother is the ship’s doctor, while River, due to the Alliance’s testing, has some mad skills that make her indispensable and, well, as said; mad. Still, this doesn’t stop her being of value to others, especially when it comes to Reaver attacks (mutilated men/creatures that prey only on what’s living – for it’s more fun that way) and in the threat she poses in being out of the Alliance’s hands. The film’s narrative focusing around this as the Alliance sends its top Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to find and remove River. It won’t be easy though, for in his way is the uncompromising Captain of Serenity Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his crew, they know the sneaky routes, the back-handed tricks and damn it, how to fight really, really well – as long as it’s not a fair fight.
The film follows on from Ross Whedon’s short-lived but highly brilliant Firefly series, and though you don’t need to see the TV episodes – the film standing on its own merit – I’d really recommend it. When I first watched Serenity I fell in love with the characters, with each one being so vastly different from the other, that you couldn’t live without any of them. Wanting more, the TV series Firefly adds to the introduction Serenityprovides, while in reverse the film continues the show’s story and rounds off its many untied threads.
For many of the actors in the intriguing world of Ross Whedon’s space adventures, the film/series launched their careers and deservedly so. For they make you cry, swoon, laugh, and all the while have you reach for your imaginary pistol so you can play alongside them in a game of outlaws. There’s no shortage of good acting in Serenity, and its list of characters is plentiful, but special praise has to be given to Gina Torres who plays Mal’s second-in-command Zoë, she encapsulates the strength of this character brilliantly, and when Zoë cracks and shows her emotions, you feel the swell of them mirrored in yourself. Nathan Fillion was also extremely well cast in his role as Mal, playing the dashing but criminal Captain, who pretends to play hard-ball, but is probably watching cat videos on his breaks. He also exudes the feeling of Mal’s history as a tired solider – one who just wants to rest, but only if the fighting is all done, and he won. Then of course there’s the character River (portrayed by Summer Glau), which the whole plotline surrounds and would fall apart if you didn’t believe in both her possibilities, weaknesses, and strengths.
Stamped with the mark of being a cult classic, Serenity is a ridiculously funny action-packed film of cowboys in space. It sounds like it shouldn’t work – but it does and in more unexpected and clever ways than you can possibly imagine. The characters staying long after because they each make everything that bit more interesting.
Director & Writer: Joss Whedon
Other notable works:
- Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D 2013-2020
- Avengers Assemble 2012
- The Cabin in the Woods 2011
- Firefly 2002-2003
- Titan A.E. 2000
- Angel 1999-2004
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1997-2003
- Toy Story 1995
