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Movies / On DVD / Serenity
Serenity

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Serenity (2005)

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Reviews Counted:172

Fresh:139

Rotten:33

Average Rating:7.1/10

Consensus: Snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous.

Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

US Box Office: $25,335,935

Synopsis: Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but... Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL) makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but short-lived sci-fi series, FIREFLY. A mix of space western, comedy, and drama, SERENITY follows captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his ragtag crew as they trade their way around the edges of civilized society. Of particular interest are two passengers they take on, Simon and River Tam (Sean Maher, Summer Glau), a brother and his telepathic sister on the run from the corrupt governing Alliance. As notorious former members of the anti-Alliance opposition, Mal and his crew make it difficult for Simon and River to stay hidden. Everything goes completely awry when a government assassin is sent to retrieve River. As Mal is forced to choose between his close-knit crew and the brother and sister newcomers, it becomes apparent that River harbors both a dangerous secret and astounding fighting powers, and Mal decides that discovering the truth about what she knows might just be worth his time. Many of the film's action sequences revolve around Summer Glau's martial arts skills in her portrayal of River. Glau prepared for her role with Hong Kong stuntwoman Ming Lu, as well as stunt coordinators Chad Stahelski and Hiro Koda, and as a resulted performed nearly all the stuntwork herself. In addition to the stellar stunts, realistic graphics, and an often haunting score, the film's actors display a rare chemistry that brings viewers both into their lives and into a possible version of humanity's future. [More]

Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin

Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chjwetel Ejiofor, David Krumholtz, Michael Hitchcock, Sarah Paulson

Director: Joss Whedon

Director: Joss Whedon
Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
Composer: David Newman
Studio: Universal Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Serenity

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: In Film Australia | comment Comment
12/06/05
In Film Australia
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
09/30/05
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Good old-fashioned entertainment that delivers primarily through its storyline, it’s a bit like Star Wars with a dash of Indiana Jones-style action.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
09/23/05
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Eye for Film | comment Comment
10/18/08
Keith H. Brown
Keith H. Brown
Eye for Film

For what it is -- viewed as filmmaking in and of itself -- Serenity is tense and smoothly put together.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

A magnificent closer to the series, and Whedon shows how much love he has for his fans by giving us a quality finisher...

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
07/10/07
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Joss Whedon makes a rousing feature-directing debut, exploiting the cult status of his short-lived series Firefly to continue it on the big screen.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/06/07
Andrea Gronvall
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader

Firefly finally has the triumphant finale fans longed for: the excitingly tense, often surprising and even more frequently comical Serenity. Fans will rejoice.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
08/31/06
Todd Hertz
Todd Hertz
Christianity Today

The settings and tone are hyper-real, yet the human behaviour is grounded and credible, the moral conflicts complex and involving. Shiny, intelligent fun.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Nick Funnell
Nick Funnell
Time Out

In the context of an action cinema driven by false hope, misogyny and sadism, Serenity is an inspiring respite.

Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
05/27/06
Steve Schneider
Steve Schneider
Orlando Weekly

The movie is a sci-fi buccaneer swashbuckler; Whedon hits all the obligatory space-opera notes, and he does it with a degree of verbal wit and agile pacing that could teach George Lucas a thing or two.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
05/12/06
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

Go out and see Joss Whedon’s witty whizbang of an action movie, or we will kill a kitten.

Full Review Source: New York Magazine | comment Comment
05/12/06
Ken Tucker
Ken Tucker
New York Magazine

Has a simultaneously sprawling yet intimate quality.

Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment Comment
05/05/06
Nick Schager
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness

If you’re a novice, this is a plucky introduction to Whedon’s world and the most fun sci-fi of the year. If you’re a devotee, this is the magnificent return you’ve been praying for.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Olly Richards
Olly Richards
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

I personally didn’t care when anyone died, I was bored for most of the way, wasn’t impressed by its few action scenes.

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment 2 Comments
12/16/05
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

It has everything the TV series possessed, but also manages to elevate the tension to the next level.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Greg Bellavia
Greg Bellavia
Film Threat

Any fan of Sci-Fi should enjoy this one. It's a bit too gory for the little people,but older kids and the parents, should have a blast.

Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
12/06/05
Kamal  'The Diva' Larsuel
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
3BlackChicks Review

The film features plenty of exciting action and fight sequences blended with interesting and believable narrative.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
11/17/05
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy

Serenity pulls off more honestly thrilling action with a fraction of Lucas' average budget.

Full Review Source: Peterborough This Week | comment Comment
11/16/05
Mike Sage
Mike Sage
Peterborough This Week
 
 
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Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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Latest News for Serenity

July 01, 2008: Edinburgh 2008: What to Watch
We share twenty of the best films screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, currently running in the Scottish city. More...

August 21, 2007: RT on DVD: The Lives of Others, RoboCop 20th Anniversary, and More Out Today
It's Tuesday, and you know what that means. New DVD releases! This week we have 2007's Best Foreign Oscar winner The Lives of Others, a Serenity Collector's Edition, and other... More...

February 05, 2007: Whedon Walks On "Wonder Woman"
Just before the weekend we learned that Warner Bros. had commissioned a second "Wonder Woman" screenplay, and now we now why: Fan favorite filmmaker Joss Whedon is... More...

October 06, 2006: Whedon Confirms It: No "Serenity" Sequels
Fanboy favorite Joss Whedon has given his supporters a whole bunch of fun stuff over the years, but it certainly looks like his "Firefly" & "Serenity"... More...

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