Serenity

Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but short-lived sci-fi series, FIREFLY. A mix of space western, comedy, and drama, SERENITY follows captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his ragtag crew as they trade their way around the edges of civilized society. Of particular interest are two passengers they take on, Simon and River Tam (Sean Maher, Summer Glau), a brother and his telepathic sister on the run from the corrupt governing Alliance. As notorious former members of the anti-Alliance opposition, Mal and his crew make it difficult for Simon and River to stay hidden. Everything goes completely awry when a government assassin is sent to retrieve River. As Mal is forced to choose between his close-knit crew and the brother and sister newcomers, it becomes apparent that River harbors both a dangerous secret and astounding fighting powers, and Mal decides that discovering the truth about what she knows might just be worth his time.

Many of the film's action sequences revolve around Summer Glau's martial arts skills in her portrayal of River. Glau prepared for her role with Hong Kong stuntwoman Ming Lu, as well as stunt coordinators Chad Stahelski and Hiro Koda, and as a resulted performed nearly all the stuntwork herself. In addition to the stellar stunts, realistic graphics, and an often haunting score, the film's actors display a rare chemistry that brings viewers both into their lives and into a possible version of humanity's future.

"[A] TV season's worth of roller-coastering drama, most of it balanced on the capable shoulders of Fillion, a natural leading man." -- Grade: B - Entertainment Weekly

"Many of the film's pleasures are down to small-screen values...and the good-humoured playing of an experienced, non-starry ensemble cast." - Sight and Sound

"Scene for scene, SERENITY is more engaging and certainly better written and acted than any of Mr. Lucas's recent screen entertainments." - New York Times

"Sci-fi connoisseurs will find this esoteric universe quite refreshing; the effects and action are wisely underplayed to keep the focus on its crackling, character-driven story..." - Premiere

4 stars out of 5 -- "This fantastically funny, inventive triumph defied all the doubters, proving both a smash with sci-fi nerds and a joy for skeptics..." - Uncut

"Some scenes have a surreal blown-out and hazy appearance that evoke a dreamy mood....The visual effects are effectively incorporated with the live action." - Widescreen Review

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