Serenity review
Oct. 3rd, 2005 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Writing it now, because if I wait 'til later it won't get done at all:
Theater: well populated but not packed. No Jayne hats or other costume in evidence, but then, I wasn't really looking. I was not in costume (my normal casual outfit of cargo pants/t-shirt isn't a Kaylee costume - I always dress like that, except when I don't).
The movie itself - Yees!! All I wanted and more because Whedon was still able to pull out a number of great lines ("Let's hear the one about Jayne getting knocked out by a 90 lb. teenage girl again. That one *never* gets old!") and the plot had good pacing. I think there's enough background included so that people new to the 'verse can catch on quickly, so I'd recommend it even for non-Firefly fans.
I did think a couple of the characters were underutilized, but the story this time was mostly about River, so it made sense in that context. The plot throws you a major curveball in the second half which I won't even go into here - if you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I can honestly say I didn't see it coming and I suspect no one else in the theater did either - a real tearjerker.
Look/feel (and costumes!): I think whoever(s) Whedon hired for design did a good job of "world building" in that it's futuristic without ramming it down your throat, and everything is plausible and looks reasonably "lived in", especially the embellished set of Serenity where it really does look like the ship is barely held together by clamps and wires.
I wish we'd seen more of the outer Rebel planets, but with the movie budget they were able to CGI big cities like Beaumont and the Alliance ships - because most of the story takes place in Alliance territory that makes sense.
Costumes, IMHO were excellent - maybe not as high tech or glamorous as in other series (except for Inara - I want her wardrobe for when I'm not dressing like Kaylee), but definitely looks like what a bunch of space cowboys would wear, with Asian flourishes - practical, comfortable. I'm starting to like Zoey's leather vest very much, along with Mal's duster/frock coat. How long before we see legions of "browncoats" at cons?
Sum up: go see. Take your non-fan friends because they'll likely be able to pick up the plot and enjoy it too. Fingers crossed for sequels, or better yet, a new season because Whedon can fit in more memorable lines over 12 episodes than 2 hours :P
Theater: well populated but not packed. No Jayne hats or other costume in evidence, but then, I wasn't really looking. I was not in costume (my normal casual outfit of cargo pants/t-shirt isn't a Kaylee costume - I always dress like that, except when I don't).
The movie itself - Yees!! All I wanted and more because Whedon was still able to pull out a number of great lines ("Let's hear the one about Jayne getting knocked out by a 90 lb. teenage girl again. That one *never* gets old!") and the plot had good pacing. I think there's enough background included so that people new to the 'verse can catch on quickly, so I'd recommend it even for non-Firefly fans.
I did think a couple of the characters were underutilized, but the story this time was mostly about River, so it made sense in that context. The plot throws you a major curveball in the second half which I won't even go into here - if you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I can honestly say I didn't see it coming and I suspect no one else in the theater did either - a real tearjerker.
Look/feel (and costumes!): I think whoever(s) Whedon hired for design did a good job of "world building" in that it's futuristic without ramming it down your throat, and everything is plausible and looks reasonably "lived in", especially the embellished set of Serenity where it really does look like the ship is barely held together by clamps and wires.
I wish we'd seen more of the outer Rebel planets, but with the movie budget they were able to CGI big cities like Beaumont and the Alliance ships - because most of the story takes place in Alliance territory that makes sense.
Costumes, IMHO were excellent - maybe not as high tech or glamorous as in other series (except for Inara - I want her wardrobe for when I'm not dressing like Kaylee), but definitely looks like what a bunch of space cowboys would wear, with Asian flourishes - practical, comfortable. I'm starting to like Zoey's leather vest very much, along with Mal's duster/frock coat. How long before we see legions of "browncoats" at cons?
Sum up: go see. Take your non-fan friends because they'll likely be able to pick up the plot and enjoy it too. Fingers crossed for sequels, or better yet, a new season because Whedon can fit in more memorable lines over 12 episodes than 2 hours :P
no subject
Date: 2005-10-03 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-05 11:49 pm (UTC)I think this was as much Mal's story as River's - - a man who has lost faith in just about everything discovering that yes, there are still a few things worth risking your life for, just because it's the right thing to do.
Darn it, I wanna see it AGAIN. Where's that movie schedule - -