Serenity (spoilers sold separately)

[JaFO]

Interesting movie, it did a good job of explaining the background (1 big solar system with a few dozen terra-formed planets ... )

A bit too predictable near the end (bad guy surviving crash, fight with captain surviving an attack because of an 'old' wound ... yeah right ) ...

And why did the

Spoiler

director kill 2 members of the crew (= priest and that pilot) ? Pilot's death was rather trivial. They've also pretty much eliminated all 'friendlies' (any hidingspot they've been to), which makes it rather difficult for them to get a place to stay next time. At that rate there won't be anyone left to fly the ship ...

Movie seems to suggest that the 'priest' was an agent like the 'villain'.

Also a rather 'convenient' way to give them new enemies. Simply let them 'suspect' that the girl 'accidentaly' read someone's thoughts/secrets and *poof* another reason to kill her.

Spoiler something like that god dammit.

-Beeb

 

[geogob]

Spoiler

Well, I doupt they needed any further reason to capture/kill her and those who where in contact with her (considering the TV-serie).

Also, considering the TV-serie, nothing new considering Shepherd.

As for the rest, well... to me it sounds like laying down the setting for an eventual new season, killing everyone not willing the renew their contact with the producer.

Edit: lets calm crac down... auto-censorship is fun.

 

[DEFkon]

Spoiler

I got the impression that the 2 characters that were killed off for emotional impact for the TV show's fans as well as open up roles for future characters if the TV show was picked up again. Shepheard's history is never spelled out in the series (something that was probably planned to happen a few seasons in) but it's obvious that he has connections with Alliance. -- In one episode he's seriously wounded and they're forced to flag down an Alliance crusier and ask for medical aid.. at first they're not co-operative till they pull up his records, and promptly give him 1st class treatment. In other episodes he displays skill with weapons, hand to hand combat and knowledge of various technologies used in criminal behavior.

River's run from the Alliance is something that's established right from the pilot episode, though it's not detailed exactly why. For about 90% of the series her character is simply recovering for the experiements and her character is delicate both physically and mentally.. this changes in the last few episodes where her ability to read people's minds is featured as well as a high profiency with firearms, and forming tactical plans. I always got the impression that she was a prototype for a super soldier or improved person. In the movie she's gone full slayer.

Wash (the pilot) to me seemed somewhat under developed or unpopular as a character. I wasn't even fully sure he was married till i saw the series after having seen the movie. It just seemed that that there wasn't much history to him, and that being married from the get go, a character arc would've been dificult to write in an intresting manner.

I liked the movie, but i enjoy the series much more. I think that the movie was to be sort of a combination of events from what would've occured over the first 2-3 seasons squezed into about 2 hours of screen time. If you liked the film i'd highly suggest buying or borrowing the DVD set that has the 10 aired episodes as well as 3 unaired ones.

 

[cracwhore]

What don't you fucking idiots understand about 'spoilers sold separately'?

Jesus. So stupid.

 

[geogob]

indeed. the series was much deeper and far more interesting, although suffering from a very low budged (especially for science-fiction, which tends to be a bit expensive).

edit: crac, what if we bought them separately and then bring them here. does that work?

 

[DEFkon]

I didn't really consider it a low budget series, but then again i think that the original starwars was the best of the bunch and it was low budget as well. Maybe it just shows that science fiction shows are best when not provided an unlimited budget... forces the director/writer to focus more on character development, ambiance, and less on CGI.

 

[Cap'n Beeb]

I forgot that this thread was spoiler free, apologies.

 

[JaFO]

I doubt this movie is going to have any more viewers, because it's competing with the latest Harry Potter.

Spoiler

River's run from the Alliance is something that's established right from the pilot episode, though it's not detailed exactly why.

I've only seen a few episodes, but from what I gathered it was the standard 'stolen secret experiment'-excuse

For about 90% of the series her character is simply recovering for the experiements and her character is delicate both physically and mentally.. this changes in the last few episodes

Of course it does. Having a vegetable onboard is 'fun' for an episode or two, but for the series to advance she's got to be a little more aware of the real world.

I do think that the girl is the achilles-heel of the series. Where other series have the 'element of the week' Serenity uses the 'unexpected gift' far too easily. She's a tool to be used (no need for a weaponsdetector, just use the girl ...) and I wouldn't be suprised if they'd start using her weapon-talent as soon as she wakes up. They've pretty much given her the role of the pilot by the end. Perhaps that's why the pilot had to die ? Now the little girl can "earn her pay" as pilot in addition to serving as a somewhat unreliable bad-guy detector ...

(enough spoiler tags ? ... )

Is "Mr. Universe" a known character in the series ?
It seems odd that they somehow know this one in the movie ...
It also serves as a rather convenient plot-device to tell the crew who is hunting them.

 

[DEFkon]

Spoiler

No, as far as i can recall during the entire series there's no mention what-so-ever of Mr. Universe. I think he's strictly inserted into the movie for the above mentioned reasons.

As far as River being used strictly as a tool, i doubt it. While although it sounds like a logical decision for the crew to ask her to handle all the fighting, flying, fixing, ect ect There's no way that the doctor would be cool with her being put in harms way for every situation. Besides however well she's recovered from whatever they did to her... she has one other major hurdle to jump. She's a teenager. That by itself is a minefield of emotional instability. Sooner or later the hormones are gonna give her nerons a run for their money. It's a shame the killed the show so early i'd be intrested what kind of arc she would've had over the typical 7 year syndication.

 

[geogob]

Spoiler

she has one other major hurdle to jump. She's a teenager. That by itself is a minefield of emotional instability.

Spoiler

Oh great! just great. "Firefly Season 2: The Soap". We already have a handsome doctor and his chick and a second chick that lost her husband. Now all we need is someone in a coma. We have a troubled kid too. If they reintroduce Wash as being in a deep coma isntead of somewhat dead, I think they could attract a whole new fan base.

 

[JaFO]

Considering the dialogue between that child-engineer (or is she supposed to be a grown up ?) and the doctor near the end of the film it could happen.

 

[Cap'n Beeb]

I always considered Kaylee to be an adult.

 

[Arethusa]

Jewel's around 27 or something, I think, but Kaylee's supposed to be closer to 19-21, I believe.

 

[geogob]

Jewel's born in 1982. do the math

 

[Arethusa]

The hell? I could've sworn I'd read she was 27. Maybe it was a different cast member (Morena's about that) or the site was just wrong.

 

[G36]

So, if this keeps going in movie or series form, how will River become an adult? Summer Glau is already all grown up. Will they start stuffing tissues down her top?

On a different note, Glau is actually quite attractive when she isn't playing a psycho hose-beast

Spoiler

I too was disappointed with killing Wash and Shepherd. I really liked those two characters (was I the only one?). Also how can you kill of Shepherd without explaining his background? ARGH.

The Operative was damn cool though. Just a pity about the oh-so-convienient escape by Mal.

 

[Arethusa]

River's attractive as she is, and as for growing up, there's makeup. And there's her clothing, which plays an important role. There's also, you know, acting.

Spoiler

If there are further movies, I doubt you've seen the last of Wash and Book. The Constant Gardener starts off with a main character dying, and she's there through the rest of the movie. There is far too much story left with Book and too many relationship and character issues surrounding Wash for their exits to be simple, and I doubt that was ever the intent.

 

[geogob]

The hell? I could've sworn I'd read she was 27. Maybe it was a different cast member (Morena's about that) or the site was just wrong.

Morena Baccarin (Inara) is born in 79. that would make her 27.

 

[DEFkon]

I could be wrong but i think that firefly was originally filmed / aired in 2002, or 2003? that being the case it would make Kaylee/Jewel between 20-21 years of age during the series. That would probably make senes since during the series there's an episode (out of gas?) which features flashback sequences... one of which shows how she came to be the mechanic of the boat. When the job is offered to her, she replies something along the lines of "For real?! I just have to ask my folks!" -- There's no reference that i recall that gives a date as to how old the flashback is, but i'd guess it's probably between 1-2 years... which puts her somewhere in the range of 18-19 at the time..

 

[geogob]

Or younger. The "war" ended what? 6 years before?. I doupt Zoe et Mal took 4 years to get a ship and start their business