Serenity

Do you have to have knowledge of the show Firefly to enjoy Joss Whedon's sci-fi western transplanted to the big screen?
No, of course not, or they would never have made it. The first fifteen minutes of the movie are an excellent recap of who all the main characters are, and that time is also smartly used to set up the story that follows. But still, if you've never seen the original series, put it in your Netflix queue -- not because you need it to watch Serenity, but because it's just a really good show.

What's it about?
Brother and sister Simon and River Tam are on the run from the Alliance because of secrets that may or may not be in Summer's head. Oh yeah, Summer is a brainwashed 17-year old girl that happens to be a killing machine. The two of them hide out from the Alliance with the help of the crew of the Serenity (that's the name of the spaceship if you haven't figured it out).

What's so good about it?
Let's just say it's nice to see a sci-fi movie with good dialogue and even better characterization. And while there ARE special effects, the actors aren't doing everything in front of a blue screen -- there are REAL SETS.

What else is good?
Two words: Morena Baccarin




FJ