Serenity doesn't live up to the series

CAPTAINCDC

Monday, October 31, 2005 12:59 AM

Hey I would love to see Firefly come back to TV with new eps. I just don't think it is going to happen with FOX Network owning the television rights. And if FOX doesn't bring it back, then it will be too late to bring it back using the same actors when the rights expire.

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The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

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RITAK7

Monday, October 31, 2005 2:09 AM

anyway to coerce them?

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RIVER6213

Monday, October 31, 2005 3:32 AM

I went to see Episode III, Revenge of the Sith during the summer, watched it, and went home. I had told myself as I was driving home that I've seen the movie, I can die now knowing I've seen the last Star Wars flick, and I was somewhat comforted with this thought.

Two weeks ago I left my job early on a bleak, cold, rainy Seattle afternoon. All depressed and annoyed with the human race I was. I Wandered into a movie theater without even checking what movie was playing, and two hours later came out all excited; I havent been excited about any movie since I was a child.

Revenge of the Sith was a decent episode. It had cool special effects that comes with all Star Wars movies. Everything was high tech and the story was okay; I found myself yawning when Annakin was killing the younglings.

Revenge of the Sith was one of those movies that once you've seen it, its easy to forget it. It was a good movie, but it was nothing special.

Serenity WAS special and I got that point, five minutes into the film, and even after it was all over and I just rediscovered how to breath, I couldnt get the show out of my mind; it was trapped in my head...there was something about all the characters, and the 'verse that Joss painted, that struck a chord in me, so I went to see it 8 more times.

I've had never heard of Firefly, so I had nothing to compare Serenity too when I 1st saw it, but from the total newbie point of view, its was an eye-catcher.

Later, once I got my greedy little hands on Firefly the Complete Series DVD, I watched them over and over and over again and have come to this conclusion....the series is SO much richer and better than the movie.

The Characters personalities are so rich in the series. Kaylee is so much alive and so cheerful in the series; she's the little sister I've always wanted, but in the movie, she's this thin stranger full of oneliners.

Mal's personality is wonderful in the series, he's hard, bitter and lovable more so than in the movie, where he lets Simon smack him around; in the series he never would have allowed this.

Simon is better in the movie than he is in the series; he's tougher, smarter, and more handsome.

I loved River in the series, but I adored her completely in the movie, and Jayne is more serious in the movie than he is in the series.

Inara is prefect and wonderful in the series, but she's ornamental in the movie Serenity like Padm'e was in Revenge of the Sith....she's background dressing.

Zoe, well I loved Zoe in the series and in the movie. her character stayed consistent.

Wash was Wash in both the series and the movie.

Book was great in the series, but in the movie he had almost no part except for saying a few wise words and then getting a death scene.

So, for a lot of new fans, the movie Serenity is the gateway to the bigger discovery of the Firefly series, and I suspect they will feel just as bitter as I do that this gem of a series was cut down before it could completely bare fruit.






River: "I know, its time to go to sleep"

Simon: "No, its time to wake up"

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NALISSA2

Monday, October 31, 2005 1:47 PM

I liked Serenity. Loved Firefly. I saw Serenity 4 times bought tickets for 8 shows... and counting.

I'd like Serenity to succeed, but I'd really love to have a "Firefly" sequel instead.

*minior spoiler ahead*
One where Mal wouldn't threaten to shoot his crew. That scene really pisses me off everytime I see it.

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STILLTHEREWAITING

Monday, October 31, 2005 2:24 PM

Firstly, let me say that I was/am a fan of the series when originally broadcast, and, of course, I own the DVD. I would also like to add that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but when I left the theater, it was with a sense of disquiet. Something was missing, just not quite right, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
After a couple of days, it finally came to me. What was missing was a sense of the crew’s humanity as we came to know them in Firefly. We never had a chance, in the movie, to get a sense of family, to see the full crew dynamic. And as result, I believe that this is a very different movie depending on whether or not you have seen the original series.
Almost from the get-go, the crew is in conflict; with the Reavers, the Alliance, and with each other. We never see any down time, sitting around the wooden dining table, sharing a family moment, so we never get to clue in on the true dynamic among the crew.
A lot of time and effort went into the series to establish Zoe’s unwavering loyalty to Mal, and Mal’s unconditional loyalty to his crew. That's never really established in the movie. There are no “I love my captain” moments from Kaley. We never really get to see the respect that grew between Mal and Simon, and the almost paternal attitude of Mal towards River that developed by the end of “Objects in Space”, or the sisterhood between Kaley and River.
Jayne is still Jayne, but we don’t get to see his internal conflict between his being a mercenary and his being a part of the family, which was developing in the series.

We never see the true depth of the love between Wash and Zoe, so, if you haven’t seen the series, you can’t truly understand the depth of Zoe’s loss, and the level of sacrifice that going on requires of her.
Aside from one very brief moment, we don’t get to see the level of frustration that Kaley has with Simon’s obtuseness, and so his admission in battle and her resolve to live don’t have the impact that they should.
Without being aware of the past dynamic between Mal and Inara, why she was on Serenity in the first place, and why she had to leave, we can’t understand the conflict within her that causes her to not know what she is going to do.
We are never really given Book’s relationship with the crew. If anything it seems to have been played up in importance between him and Mal in the movie. There seem to have been events between the end of the series and the time of the movie where Book has taken on more of a role of moral guidance to Mal, which even we aren’t privy to. This may have been necessary to increase Mal’s outrage at Book’s murder, which serves to crystallize his resolve.
Without Firefly, I just can’t see a viewer having the same investment in the characters, so I can’t see the movie having the same impact. As was stated earlier these just aren’t the same characters that I came to care so much about during the series, and they aren’t an improvement.
So, as I see it, if you haven’t seen Firefly, the movie still works for you. It is what it is, it’s just not all that it could be. You just don’t know what you’re missing. However, if you have seen Firefly the movie still is what it is, but it is also a little bit of what it isn’t. And for me, what it isn’t, is a little tough to ignore.
I am assuming that this was an intentional compromise to include both fans and newcomers, but unlike most compromises, only one side is actually aware of what has been given up.


Laugh while you can, monkey-boy.

If I were you, I'd run!
If you were me, you'd be good-looking

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