Joss Whedon has seen the future, and it is shiny.
The acclaimed creator of television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel, Whedon looked to the 26th century not as a beacon of mankind's goodness but of its complexity. The result was Firefly, the short-lived TV series from which the feature film Serenity is derived.
In this epic, earth is a resource-dry shell of a planet and humans its castaway children, carrying with them all the baggage of civilization. A new star system has been colonized, and people live across hundreds of planets and moons. But for all its advancements, human nature is still as selfish and arrogant as ever.
Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) captains the derelict spaceship Serenity, from which the movie takes its name. The crew of Serenity squeaks by with whatever dishonest (and honest, if need be) work comes their way. Trouble appears in the form of Simon (Sean Maher), a doctor on the run after breaking his sister River (Summer Glau) out of a top secret research facility. Not keen on losing its guinea pigs, the government decides to recover River by any underhanded means necessary.
The strengths of Serenity, though ultimately its flaws, lie in its fusion of technique and genre. More western than space opera, the film breathes deeply in its character moments before launching into adrenaline-filled action sequences. Motivation takes the forefront while spectacle provides the medium in which the story is told. The focus on people, not visuals, helps the film maintain narrative cohesion.
The movie creaks and strains against its transition from television, showing the inexperience of first-time director Whedon. Locations range from vast, spread-out mining towns to cramped spaceship quarters. Key scenes of dialogue are closely constructed with the sense of space scaled down. While this heightens the intimacy of the exchanges, these scenes make other parts of the movie stand out in their disparity.
Serenity's stylistic appeal comes from its imperfections. The framing is flawed at times, adding to the lived-in texture of the film. As with many of the settings, there is sloppiness in the camerawork, giving it a "found-footage" feel. Shots whip-pan and lose focus for a moment, like a reporter's footage on the front lines of a war. In one of the most inspired parts of the film, a single five-minute shot follows Mal winds around Serenity's interior and effectively introduces the crew.
This technique is carried over into the special effects, where detail is sacrificed to style. Action is lost and then refocused, points of interest zoomed in on. Battles are waged around the camera, not just in front of it. There is a very believable sense that Serenity's camera exists within these spaces that one never gets from traditional sci-fi.
So when the occasional perfectly-adjusted, smooth motion shot appears, it is that much more obvious. Improbable wide scans and ridiculous zooms feel forced, as if Whedon forgot his own rules briefly in favor of self-indulgence. Thankfully, these are kept to only a few establishing pieces of the movie.
Despite the inconsistent visuals, the acting is spot on. Mostly no-names, the crew of Serenity function believably as a ragtag bunch of outlaws. Truly an ensemble piece, each person gets his or her chance to shine, making it harder to pinpoint breakout performances.
Despite Nathan Fillion's background of lighthearted comedy (Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place), he portrays Reynolds with convincing grit and complexity. Like Han Solo before him, Mal shoots first and asks questions never. Fillion, however, is given reign to step even further, showing us Mal's darker, sardonic side. He is so believable in his self-interestedness; one wonders if his motives are truly righteous or simply vengeful.
As River, Glau is given little dialogue to work with, and she doesn't need it. Her vacant stares and spacey movements say more about her fractured psyche than any number of words could. A trained ballet dancer, she transitions from innocent waif to supple acrobat to shattered child with unnerving ease. No one knows quite what River's next move will be, not even her.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, previously featured earlier in Dirty Pretty Things, is the only major newcomer to the cast of Serenity's parent television show, portraying the government operative charged with recovering River. Taken by themselves, this operative's onscreen duties are cheesy, including frequent recitations about greater good and honor. Ejiofor, however, brings a haunting, obsessive quality that sells the performance. One truly believes that he is sure of his righteousness.
Ultimately, Serenity does not break free of its flaws: It acknowledges them and races ahead full-throttle to superb effect. The moments of inspiration far outweigh the sub-standard, which never cause more than slight unease. Rather than simply indulging his fan base (f6 la Kevin Smith), Whedon does his best to make the film accessible to all. Those who have seen the television series will have a stronger connection with the film, but newcomers will still have quite a lot to enjoy. More Empire Strikes Back than Attack of the Clones, Serenity makes for a mighty nice shindig.
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torress, Alan Tudyk, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Director: Josh Whedon
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Playing at: AMC Towson Town Commons, Regal East
