Rising from the ashes of the ill fated television series Firefly, this film continues the story of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his rebel crew as they continue to run from the agents of omnipotent Alliance government onboard the titular spacecraft Serenity. From the outset, for those who did not see the series, we learn that the crew of Serenity is harbouring sibling fugitives Simon and River Tam. River was rescued from an Alliance facility by her brother Simon who had discovered that his sister was being subjected to inhumane testing and conditioning to serve the Alliances own ends. Now a highly skilled operative has been tasked to retrieve River at all costs.

Anyone intimately familiar with Writer/Director Joss Whedon’s scripting will not have to be told that the film is a sold piece of story telling. From plot to dialogue you would be hard pressed to find a person more skilled in his craft. Akin to skill of The West Wing creator Arron Sorkin, Whedon draws you into his world through his vivid fully realised characters and quick witted dialogue and has the rare ability to flip the mood of a scene in a seconds notice. For example; in a tense scene when the crew is facing impossible odds it is remarked by one of them that none of them will survive the fight. To this the most hardened killer among them, the mercenary Jayne (Adam Baldwin, below right), remarks meekly “I might…”

My only criticism concerning the film is that from the outset you may feel as if you are watching an extended television episode. Whedon’s direction seemingly graduates from his small screen origins to the big budget director he is destined to become as set pieces become more elaborate and scenes more explosive as the film progresses. Although this was my apprehension during the movie, and that I feel that it will be critiqued by other viewer, I suspect that this evolution may have been Whedon’s plan all along.

Whedon’s stellar cowboys bring star making performances to the screen, in particular the films central protagonists Mal Reynolds played by Nathan Fillion(left) and Summer Glau(below right with Chitwetel Ejofor) who plays the mysterious River Tam. Fillion aptly plays a man at odds with himself as Captain Reynolds struggles to maintain his tough cold hearted criminal image against his more natural heroic and moral leanings while graceful Glau (She's been a premier ballerina most of her life) plays the part of the mentally unstable little sister and the unstoppable fighting machine with equal vitality. Also standout and separate from the original cast is the films central villain, The Operative, played by Englishman Chiwetel Ejiofor(right) who brings a suitable detached coolness (he’s the film’s most quotable character) to his role as the efficient hunter and killer.

VERDICT
I’m sure many people (read: those who never watched) will be put off of Serenity when they see it is from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spin-off Angel (despite both shows huge critical and commercial success), but if this is the case these people will miss out on a rightful summer blockbuster which has far more intellect, wit, style and heart than any other film they are likely to see this year. Whedon and his cast manage to keep viewers at the edge of their seat, rolling in the isles, standing to cheer and speechless in shock all at once in this soon to be cult classic.