Serenity [Widescreen]

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It takes a lot to get me to the theaters these days. I´m put off by the awful crowds who don´t know the etiquette of cinema, mediocre projection, speakers that crackle and hiss more than they project sound, and bad movies. LOADS of bad movies. That´s gone a long way to ruining the mythic "Cinema Experience" my father continually harps on. Gone are the days that I would line up to see the latest and greatest film. Hell, I didn´t even see "Episode III" until the day after it premiered. And then there was "Serenity."

I´ve got to get this out of the way first… I love "Firefly." I´ll admit, I am a Johnny-Come-Lately to the sci-fi/western genre, having only picked up the DVDs on Scott Kurtz´s (of PVP fame) recommendation. It was a blind buy that I wasn´t particularly happy with after watching the first couple episodes. They were slow, character builders that didn´t feature any of the action that one would expect from a show trumpeting both the genres of "Sci-Fi" and "Western." Where are the gunfights? The romance? The gee-wiz technology? It was there, but the pacing seemed off. The show just didn´t seem right.

And then, something happened. After the fourth episode, the show hit its stride and rocketed into the stratosphere of not-only great television, but a wonderful cinematic experience. The show was most certainly NOT an ordinary program, looking more like a miniature movie with a dynamic and often unexpected narrative flow. And the best part was that those seemingly slow first few episodes helped map out a world for the crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class ship (thus the title of the show), to exist and play in. And my stars, was it ever wonderful.

I´m of two minds trying to describe the wonders of "Firefly." At once a simple show about people of mixed moral character just trying to get by in a new frontier and the complex dynamic of an ensemble cast full of amazingly diverse characters in a cloistered environment, "Firefly" was unlike anything I´d ever seen before. Being new to the world of creator Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), I didn´t know what exactly to expect from the show. But boy was I ever amazed at what I experienced.

The easiest way to break down the show is to introduce you to the characters and their motivations. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is the captain of the ship, pulling the strings and pointing the crew toward their next big adventure – which usually ends up being bungled by forces beyond Mal´s control. Mal fought in a galactic civil war for the Independence (A.K.A Browncoats) against the Alliance, who sought only to make the galaxy safe by creating utopian societies. At his side during one of the most tragic and bloody battles in the war (The Battle of Serenity… ah, that name again…) was Zoe (Gina Torres). A fierce warrior and steady friend, Zoe is the cool and calculating head that is needed to brace Mal´s oft abrasive decisions.

Piloting Serenity is Zoe´s goofy-yet-skilled husband Wash (Alan Tudyk). Wearing Hawaiian shirts and sounding off as the voice of sanity, Wash brings levity to the proceedings and a softer side to Zoe. Rounding out the regular ship mates are Kaylee (Jewel Saite), the sweet and innocent mechanic who has a knack for fixing a rusted ship that seems ready to give the Millennium Falcon a run for its money as best-worst pirate ship; Jayne (Adam Baldwin), a mercenary for hire who is the sketchiest member of the crew, a man who watches out only for himself and would gladly sell Mal up the river if it meant his own skin; and Inara (Morena Baccarin), a "companion" (read: prostitute) who adds a sense of legitimacy to the crew, allowing them to areas they may not otherwise have access to.

In the first episode, Serenity picks up three unexpected passengers who are more than they seem. Shepard Book (Ron Glass) is a preacher who espouses the word of God… but seems to know a lot about the Hell that is the galaxy. Simon (Sean Maher) and River (Summer Glau) are a brother and sister who are hiding from the Alliance after Simon broke River out of a facility where they were doing strange experiments on the young girl, turning her into a weapon.

But before I knew it, my ride on Serenity had come to its conclusion. There were bits of the world that were tantalizingly placed out before me as a viewer, like the "Reavers," a group of humanity that has gone cannibalistic and are hyper-aggressive. Like the Alliance agents that will kill anyone who gets into their way in their search for River and the secret locked in her brain. So many questions, and no resolution in sight.

But thank the Lord for Cable TV and DVD. When it was released on DVD (after being cancelled by Fox after only 11 episodes aired out of order), "Firefly" became a hit. Much the same way that Cartoon Network was behind the revival of "Family Guy," DVD brought new life to "Firefly." That surge of popularity was enough to prompt the suits at Universal to put the faith in Joss Whedon to create a sort of resolution… and possible franchise… with a feature film adaptation (or continuation if you prefer) of "Firefly."

So after that protracted introduction, you´re likely saying, "Damn it, Justin, we know all this already. Is the movie any good?"

Oh, yeah.

Picking up shortly after where the show left off, Mal and his crew are broke. Dead broke. Inara and Book have left the ship, their last few heists have left the ship in a horrible state of disrepairs and to top it all off, River´s been getting wonky. So wonky, in fact, that she flips out and takes down an entire bar, nearly killing Jayne and Mal in the process. And what´s worse; the Alliance has stepped up their pursuit of her, determined to recover her at all costs. That includes the lives of Mal and his crew.

What follows is a rollercoaster ride of emotions as the crew of Serenity tries to unlock what it is in River´s brain that´s so valuable, pick a fight with some Reavers, and generally try to figure out what´s going on in the universe. To say much more would be to spoil the (admittedly surprising) twists and turns of the story and its themes of peace at the cost of freedom.

So what´s good? Well, of course, more of the crew that we all came to love in "Firefly." They´re all back, to varying degrees, and the chemistry is great. There are minor differences that become apparent to the nitpicky eye but most viewers won´t have a problem getting past it and becoming immersed in the world of "Serenity." And let me tell you, the effects and cinematography really raise the bar for the Sci-Fi genre. While I thought the television program was decent for the limited budget that it had to work with, the film is amazing. Everything in the universe has a great sense of palpable fidelity, like it all has a place and belongs.

And the cinematography. My goodness, how wonderful is it to see a D.P. behind the lens who has an eye for composition. Maximizing the action beats without making the obvious cops to "The Matrix"-style, which would have been easy, Jack Green and director Whedon use two shots, mixed perspective and zoom-tilts in magnificent fashion, rarely sticking out as gimmicky or forced.

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