Serenity (2005) Dir: Joss Whedon
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Joss Whedon's 2005 sci-fi western was a film demanded by fans of the cult classic series, which was prematurely cancelled after just 14 episodes in mid-2003. The popularity of the series meant that a film was the least that could be done to give the fans the closure they deserved for the story they loved. I have always been a huge fan of the series, but, until now, I had never seen the film in full.
What I was thrilled to see was how well Whedon had retained the show's aesthetic and feel. The western tropes were perhaps a little toned down, but Still present, and the ensemble of beloved main characters all made their way onto the big screen. I was pleasantly surprised to note elements of horror in the film, which actually suited it very nicely, considering the story.
Visually, there was a clear upgrade from the show, which was maybe to be expected, but still nice to see. I also appreciated the way the scale of the worlds and the scenes had increased, no doubt with the help of a fairly large budget for the time. It allowed the film to feel like a proper, full-on, committed, space story.
The story itself was very thrilling and hit a lot of the narrative points I would imagine that the series would have reached, provided it had more time. Although it is certainly not necessary to watch the show prior to seeing this film, it sure does add a lot of context and emotional depth to both the characters and the overarching story.
Nathan Fillion seems to suit this character so perfectly, and he continued to show the same charisma, wit and depth that made him such a popular part of the show. I really enjoyed his leading performance in this - especially in the second half, where he got to show a lot of the more serious aspects of his character.
Summer Glau had a far more substantial role than some others, and with good reason. I think she shone brightly in her mysterious and interesting role, which developed a lot of her character arc from the television series - something Glau portrayed very effectively, is my view.
Chiwetel Ejiofor was one of the few new characters to appear, and provided the film's main antagonist. I felt like this was a pretty solid performance from him. His character work was interesting - I like the way he very subtly evolved throughout the film, although, perhaps even more screentime could have helped a little more.
Of the familiar supporting ensemble, the best performances come from Gina Torres, Jewel Staite and Alan Tudyk, who each felt the most impactful in their roles. That said, I did also enjoy the appearances of the other returning characters; Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher and Ron Glass, as well as the brief appearance of Sarah Paulson.
Overall, this was absolutely a fitting and thrilling follow up to the beloved show, and I'm so happy that I finally got to watch it, and even more so that I enjoyed it as much as I did. There was, of course, some sadness in the knowledge that this and more would have been shown in the original show, but the fact that a film was made, with all of the original cast, is something I am very grateful for.
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