serenity! [spoilers wheeee!]

[amezri]

Yes. This is my post about the Big Damn Movie. Spoilers here!

Big Damn Spoilers for the Big Damn Movie
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I can't even begin to describe how much I love this movie. Yeah, there were a few plot holes but overall I am totally happy with the film and the script. Joss once again rules at being the master of snark and kick ass storytelling. I've seen it twice and I want to see it again. Because really I can't remember every single detail and I need this on DVD like now! I'm going to break the review into sections.

Storyline
The movie continues a few months after the last episode of the series, "Objects in Space." The focus is, of course, on River and what she is. The movie also reveals the origin of the Reavers and hints bit at who it is that Shepherd Book might have been -- because, yes, I am one of those who think that Book was an Operative. Mostly, though, the movie is about River. *g* The move is not, however, about the Hands of Blue, which I found disappointing cosidering how much they featured in the show.

Simon
The first scene in the film is at the Alliance facility experimenting on River. The doctor is boasting about his success with the program and we see Simon dressed in some Alliance uniform asking questions about River. And then suddenly we get kickass Simon who has some bizarre flash bomb that knocks out everyone standing in the room. For a second it seemed really out of character for Simon to be that involved in River's escape, but when I think about it, Simon has always done what was necessary to protect River -- like the job on Ariel. Simon hasn't been hanged too much from the series -- he's still the civilized man among the outlaws who's doing everything he can to protect his sister. Even hitting Mal.

River
She's more lucid this time around and it seems like they're trying to imply that her craziness is caused at least in part by the secret she pulled from some official's mind. We learn more about River and Simon in this film than we ever did on the series and it's a really interesting look into what was done to River at the Academy and how exactly Simon got her out. I absolutely loved when they brought her on the first job to read the guards. The look she gave Zoe when she pointed out the guy about to pull the gun was classic. As the movie progresses, River gets a little more crazy before she gets better -- more dangerous than she'd ever been in the series. She basically takes out Simon and Jayne and evades the crew to find Miranda, part of the secret buried in her brain. Also, people need to not piss of River ever because she will totally kick your ass.

Mal
Big Damn Hero indeed. We get to see a side of Mal that we probably only got a glimpse of in the series. When you harm his, he will be a ruthless son of a bitch. He's funny and snarky and generally pretty considerate of his crew -- so much so that we forget that he is, in fact, the Captain. When things get dire, he's in charge and people need to shut the hell up and do what he says. Yeah, we forget that sometimes.

Inara
Woefully underused, but what we saw was pretty impressive. People who haven't seen the show won't know what a Companion is, but it really isn't important here. What is important is that she is smart and at least has some training, what with the flash bomb incense and even thinking she has enough skill to stand up to an Operative.

Zoe
Zoe is still as kick ass as ever, but we get to see how she's starting to disagree with Mal when he starts to become a bit more ruthless than she'd like. "In a time of war, we'd never leave a man behind," she tells Mal. His only response is to wonder if maybe that's why the Browncoats lost. We didn't see enough of her relationship with Wash to understand how what happened to him affected her. If you've never seen the show, you don't understand how she let her guard down around him so when she turned into that cold, vengeful warrior at the end? The impact isn't the same.

Wash
I love Wash. He's funny and the best damn pilot ever. He is a leaf on the wind, damn it and (to crossfandom squee) could give Sheppard a run for his money even if a puddle jumper is more maneuverable. The problem with Wash inthe film is that if you haven't seen the series, you don't has as much of an emotional connection to him. You don't have 13 episodes of humor to fall in love with him, so when he dies... I don't think it has as much of an emotional impact. Oh sure, it has some impact because Wash just pulled a crazy landing after flying through a ton of Reaver and Alliance vessels and you even get out a chuckle because he's smugly saying, "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I--" and BAM! Dead. Dude. I hate you, Joss. I really don't feel that Wash needed to die. At all. I am still upset.

Kaylee
I love Kaylee. She's so cute and.. not so innocent. But yeah, genius mechanic and you do get to see that in the movie. Kaylee is basically everyone's little sister. Erm. Well, not Simon's because, you know, she wants to get with Simon so bad it's funny.

Jayne
Jayne kicks ass and loves his weapons. Mal should just let him take whatever he wants whereever he wants because those grenades would really have been useful. Jayne often seems self involved and more interested in himself than anyone else, but when Mal tells him to strap in before a crash? He checks everyone else before even trying to get himself strapped in. There's no doubt though that Jayne is the muscle on the crew.

Book
Don't see much of him at all and you really don't even know he was part of the crew... except for his death scene where Mal is trying to keep it together. His function is still the same: he provides Mal with the guidance he needs. I do understand why he had to die and I wasn't so upset with that.

The Operative
Scary, scary dude. He is so well mannered and comforting it's freaking weird. He believes so strongly that he's helping to make a better world that he has to make you feel better that you're dying for this better world. I'm not sure he even knows what he even really knows or wants to know what it is he's told to do. ie: he's told to kill River, but probably not why or whatever else. So it was interesting that he totally changed his directive after he saw the Miranda video. He has a strange sense of morals, but he does have them.

Simon & Mal
Uh. Not in a shippy way. Simon and Mal's relationship is an interesting one. Mal kept Simon on board because they needed a doctor. Now Mal's going to use River on a job and Simon is not amused. So unamused that when they get back from the job he punches Mal and then they decide to get off the ship at the next stop. Damn it, Simon. Of course, as soon as River gets triggered both of the men work together to save her.

Mal & River
I'm bordering on shipping these two and it's sort of weird. I love that Mal understands River and believes that she is useful in some way. That she's a troubled girl and not just a weapon. The way he interacts with her is just beautiful from the very beginning when he's helping her onto the mule and dragging her out of the trade station.. and the potential 'ship totally hit me when he was carrying her out of the bar. omg so sicksadwrong. But there it is.

Miranda
The Alliance covered up an entire planetary disaster. They created the Pax drug to control the population of Miranda and well... clearly nothing the Alliance does to modify behavior works out well. So I'm thinking they'd sent an expedition craft to figure out exactly what happened and the craft was attacked by Reavers. The doctor on the vessel was the last one left and recorded a record before getting killed by Reavers.

Reavers
So very scary. I don't think we have all the answers about Reavers. 10% of the population of Miranda turned into Reavers over 10 years ago. Now, Reavers are scary and violent and apparently like to kill and rape things and wear them as funny hats. They're violent predators and it's been asked how they even sustain themselves. I'm thinking that they're violent but recognize other Reavers enough that they only pick off the weak ones. They have to reproduce somehow, right? Though if it's only been 10 years, that's likely not enough time for anyone to raise children. So maybe they have the Pax gas and like... gas people?

River part deux
I need to talk about River - the one we see at the end. The whole movie she's just trying to piece herself together and after some bizarre braindump as I've seen it called she's better. I don't believe that figuring out the Miranda mystery totally cured her, but that was probably the loudest noise in her brain with all the people that had died there. Everyone is falling around her and when Simon finally gets shot, she sort of snaps out of it. She becomes the weapon she was programmed to be and slaughters all the Reavers. Buffy who? I want the River Tam movie rightthehellnow.

Mandarin
The Mandarin in the film was way better than the series so I'm thinking they invested a bit more time perfecting it. Heh. This time around, there wasn't any cursing that I could understand (possibly something after Simon punched Mal), but here's what I got:

River's teacher: Bai tuo. An jing yi dian. [Please, calm down.]

Mal: Dong le ma? [Understand?]

Zoe (on the mule): Da jia zuo xia [Everyone sit down.] - I thought this was poorest pronunciation in the film.

Wash said something when Zoe said they were being chased by Reavers and River was babbling some on Miranda.

Quotes
I really wish I remembered more of the dialog (and more accurately) because it was all so great. Joss gives good script.

Mal: Hey there, Little One. Do you understand your part in all this?
River: Do you?
Mal: It's what I do, darlin'. It's what I do.

[the mule crashes into the hanger after the Reaver chase]
Kaylee to Simon: Are you okay?
Mal: Is he okay?!

Kaylee: Been more'n a year since I had anything twixt my nethers didn't run on batteries!
Mal: I don't want to hear that!
Jayne: I could stand to hear a little more.

Mal: Dear Buddha, I want a pony and a plastic rocket...

Mal to Inara: Yes, I have read a poem. Try not to faint.

Wash: Can I suggest something that doesn't involve violence, or is this the wrong crowd for that?

Wash: Can we start with the part where Jayne gets knocked out by a 90 pound girl, 'cause I don't think that's ever getting old.

Mal: Do you want to be Captain?
Jayne: Yeah, I do.
Mal: Well.... you can't!

Wash: I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.

Wash: It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind.
Mal: What does that mean?!

[Simon has just told Kaylee he would have liked to have been with her]
Kaylee: You mean to say... sex?
Simon: .. I mean to say.
Kaylee: The hell with this. I want to live!

The Operative: Do you know what your sin is?
Mal: Oh, I'm a big fan of all seven... but right now, I'm gonna have to go with wrath.

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End Serenity Spoilers

Uhm. Yeah. I don't think I covered everything I wanted to, but I've been working on this for hours and I can't think any more. Maybe when I see it again I can write another review or add to this.

Comments

[shoemaster.livejournal.com]

Book was so an Operative. And Mal and Simon were so shippable in the beginning when Simon was all cranky.

You forgot the "I ain't had nothin' tween my nethers that wasn't run on batteries in over a year" line :D

I totally loved how Jayne was checking everyone else's straps before securing himself. He is so... eee *hugs*

I cried when Wash bit it. People who haven't seen the show, will not, of course.

I also wondered at the lack of Blue Hands, especially when it seemed like they were the ones in charge of the experimentation, and then suddenly we have this other doctor guy? Very weird.

[amezri.livejournal.com]

I think I added that line as you were commenting XD Because Kaylee is so not as sweet and innocent as we think.

WASH! I'm still sad about that.

[thepeopleseason.livejournal.com]

Wash said something when Zoe said they were being chased by Reavers

I think the whole thing's "Ai ya, tian a" or roughly, "Oh, Heavens"

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

First time I heard that, I had a weird moment of "whoa. I understood that. Firefly really *did* teach me Mandarin!"

(okay, so it's the equivalent "Oh God..." but still!!!)

What's bizarre is that, years later, I *still* say "ai ya" all the damn time. Most normal people picked up "Shiny" (which I used to say before Firefly, so all FF did was increase the frequency in my every day speach) but for some reason, I gotta pick up random bits of Chinese colloquialisms.

[amezri.livejournal.com]

But Chinese colloquialisms are fun! ^^

I am, however, a wee bit scared of the Mandarin people have learned from Firefly XD

[amezri.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks! I remember the "Ai ya," but not the rest. "Wo de tian" was my best guest, but that was probably me trying to correcting the poor grammar in my head...

[whisperwords.livejournal.com]

Someone commented to my Serenity post saying that the blue hands thing was wrapped up in the Serenity comics. I feel a little gypped about it, personally, because, well, I don't really do the comics thing.

Though I'm thinking I might go get the Serenity comics, because I want to knooooowwww.

Also, both my best guy friend (who never, ever agrees with me on anything) and my father (whose favorite films are Titanic and Armageddon, and who can't be bothered if the movie doesn't have Liv Tyler in it these days) LOVED Serenity, so I think that says something. :)

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

Buh buh... I swear I read the Serenity Comics!

Obviously not closely enough, as I uhh, don't have any clue what's up with the blue hands.

*must go and read them again now*

-Bree

[fyrdrakken]

That reminds me about the thing I read in Neal Stephenson's sort-of review of SW: RotS in which he says that the movie was like a PowerPoint presentation because of all the background that was in the comics and animated series and technical manuals and novelizations -- basically that Lucas seemed to be figuring that the geeks who'd care about about backstory and inner workings would have already read the supplementals and would already know Anakin was a walking poster child for PTSD by the time of the movie, so the movie could just hit the high points and focus on making things pretty for the people who were just there to see light saber duels and space battles.

But, yeah. I think I ran across someone complaining elsewhere in a post or comment (too many posts on the same topic coming one right after another right now) that it's unfair to expect the audience to have bought supplemental materials just to be able to figure out what's going on. I think that Joss did a hell of a job in telling a story that hits harder for the fans but that FF-innocents can still enjoy (especially if one compares it to RotS), but I do agree that it's a tricky line to straddle between sneaking in bits you have to be a fan to appreciate and keeping the movie accessible to the new viewer.

[amezri.livejournal.com]

I agree. Joss did an excellent job on Serenity, balancing the story for fans and newcomers.

Lucas irks me and RotS made no sense... but was very pretty. You know X3 is going to be a Powerpoint presentation too, right? :-P

[amezri.livejournal.com]

... I still haven't read the comics, but from some other comments it doesn't seem like it was really all that wrapped up XD

It seems that lots of people who aren't scifi fans or Firefly fans ended up going in cold at the urging of friends and came out loving it. So yay team Joss!

[trixalicious.livejournal.com]

About the Reavers:

I think it was 1/10 of 1% of the population that turned Reaver. And the video was made 10/12 years earlier, but the Reavers were already made, and the bodies were already all mummified at that point, so I think we can date the Miranda event back a little bit earlier. I don't think that Reavers reproduce, but we saw in Bushwhacked that sometimes the survivors of Reaver attacks turn themselves into Reavers.

That's what I took away from the film anyhow...

[amezri.livejournal.com]

I have to watch the movie again. (Oh noes, what a chore!) I really thought I heard 10%, but I could be wrong.

[antheia.livejournal.com]

I really don't feel that Wash needed to die. At all. I am still upset.

I am totally wrecked by this, but I think he did. I think you needed to go into the final battle knowing that everything was on the line, and not everyone would make it out alive.

He checks everyone else before even trying to get himself strapped in.

I loved that, and him pulling Zoe back onto the line. I just think that this is the point where he accepts them all as his family.

The dialogue throughout? I am so Joss Whedon's bitch.

[amezri.livejournal.com]

No! There was no necessary killing of Wash ;_; I mean, I would have taken a big fake out but that death? No coming back from that one.

Joss Whedon is a tiny god.

[antheia.livejournal.com]

It does suck, muchly. It still makes me sad. But, plot-wise? Whoa.

[fyrdrakken]

Yesterday I was running across Mal/River stuff on the friendslist, and someone pointed out that it kind of punches a lot of the same buttons as Wolverine/Rogue, so no surprise.

And someone else on my friends list did a translation of the Mandarin and speculated that they had a translator/dialect coach sitting with the cast in ADR and taking the time to make them record and rerecord until they got a decent take.

I'm just giddy to have shifted gears back to someone who loved the movie, after having come away from a review that gave me that sandpapered feel you get from reading stuff written by a person who loves what didn't impress you and loathes your favorite things. I actually was going to mention it in the LJ post I'm composing, with a snarky aside about there being no hope for her since she apparently hated the LotR movies, but then I checked her userinfo because I wanted to see what she did like and we have three mutual friends. So I deleted that segment of my post from the draft.

[amezri.livejournal.com]

Yes, it totally does. Except I think I like River way more than I ever like Rogue. Heh.

I absolutely love this film and will probably go see it every week as long as I can get someone to tag along with me :)

Also? I know what you mean about having to filter what you say because of mutual friends. I'm slowly working my way towards not caring.

[fyrdrakken]

Generally I'm finding that the trick is to not make snarky comments that actually name people unless I'm seriously pissed off enough for it to be worth the effort to make a filter just for bitching about them. And then I cut out anyone sharing a fandom with them just to minimize the risk of saying something to a person who actually knows them, whether a friend of theirs or not.