Firefly

Back when the television show Firefly was on FOX, I never gave it any thought. It didn’t look like anything that would interest me at all. The commercials played it up as director Joss Whedon’s next big hit after Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. This made me turn away just as quickly because of the fact that I absolutely hated those shows. Add in the factor that Firefly was supposed to be a space flick mixed with the old west (two genres that don’t interest me at all) and you pretty much end up with me not changing the channel or leaving the house on Friday night. Later on, when I got to Piedmont, I had a friend try to introduce me to the show. He gave me DVD’s of episodes and everything, but because of my busy schedule mixed in with my skepticism, they just sat on the shelf until I gave them back. In the last couple of weeks, Serenity hit theatres. This is the continuation of the show, since its cancellation. Once again I was skeptical, but I decided to give it a shot. I was truly amazed by this film. The direction was very well done. For those who have never seen the show Firefly, this film does a great job of introducing all of the main characters and setting up the premise for the story. Serenity derives its name from the ship that a crew of bandits travel in while they hop around space trying to make a decent living. Each member of the group has his or her own distinct personality that makes it easy for the average person to differentiate him or her from others. There is a character for everyone to like which is good, considering some of the things they do, don’t make them good people, such as robbing other individuals. Despite the bad things they do, they are likeable people. This is in strong part due to actors such as Nathan Fillion, who plays Malcolm, the captain of the crew with a chip on his shoulder, and Gina Torres, who plays Zoe, the strong woman who carries a big gun. There are other eclectic cast members as well who deliver great performances. Overall, Serenity delivered a solid film that showcased filmmaking at its best. It did the one thing that very few films can do for me: it made me REALLY feel like I was at the movies. I have to admit, after seeing this movie, I still wouldn’t give this show a chance. But if Serenity gets a sequel, I’ll definitely go to see it.