"Serenity" follows a crew 500 years in the future that will take on any mission for money, money which shouldn't be spent on watching this film in theaters.
The adaptation of the TV show "Firefly" written and directed by Joss Whedon tries to cover all bases. The action/sci-fi/drama/adventure/comedy is much like a track star trying to run a 400, a relay, and poll vault all at once - it is just too much.
"Serenity" follows captain Malcom "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his crew as they run a transport-for-hire ship around the outer edge of the galaxy. The crew of the Serenity has recently taken on Dr. Simon Tam (Sean Maher) and his telepathic sister, River (Summer Glau). They are hiding from The Alliance, the coalition that is running the universe.
River was taken as a child and had been brainwashed as part of The Alliance's plan to create the "perfect weapon." Her brother's "daring" rescue of her sister from The Alliance lasted 30 seconds and was about as visually stunning and entertaining as a cardboard box.
After escaping from The Alliance, Mal and his crew have a run in with the Reavers, a cannibalistic group of people that sweep in and kill everything they see. No one knows where the Reavers came from, or how they have become the way they are, but The Alliance seems quite content with denying they even exist.
"Serenity" has a few high points that make the movie worth renting once it comes to video, which probably won't be that long. Seemingly out of nowhere River snaps and literally wipes out everyone in a bar and doesn't even get touched. By far the best fight scene in the movie, she knocks out 30 grown men in a matter of minutes and would have killed Mal if her brother wouldn't have said the safe word, which immediately causes her to pass out. The other two major fight scenes are involving the assassin sent by The Alliance (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Mal, which are mildly entertaining but still dissatisfying compared to the destruction that River rains down upon the bar.
The other upside is the twist, it keeps the movie going (and is somewhat creative). It comes at a time when you start to wonder what exactly is the point of this movie. The crew, thanks to River, finds out a secret that The Alliance will do anything to keep. Mal and his crew go through a transformation that everyone can see coming. They put aside their own agendas and fight for the greater good, they fight to make sure that everyone knows The Alliance's secret.
"Serenity" is not overly predictable, but that is largely based on the fact that a majority of the movie the audience is left wondering what exactly is the purpose. It is rated PG-13 for scenes of intense violence and some sexual references, most of which come seemingly out of nowhere and are actually pretty funny. Do yourself a favor and wait until it comes out on video, get some microwave popcorn, buy a 2-liter, and save yourself 10 dollars.
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