Fellow GMer Aaron and I recently had the opportunity to check out a screening of the new Joss Whedon film Serenity. (Yes, that means he has seen it twice. And the movie isn’t even out yet! Bastard.)

Based on the TV series Firefly, the film encompasses events both before the start of the series, and those that occur afterward … and man, does it shine.

Almost like a complete counterpoint to the current hit Tease, oops, I mean Lost, Serenity actually pays off what it promises in the television series. Do you hear me, JJ Abrams? Joss Whedon can write good dialogue, grab you in with the promise of a good plot, and then actually deliver on it!

Ah well, I digress.

Anyway, the movie opens, and we are witness to the escape of the enigma River from a psychiatric training facility. Her brother Simon (ultimately, the ship’s doctor) is there to protect her, setting up their relationship and soon after, most of the relevant points of the television series. One of the greatest things about this movie, however, is that it provides the viewer with the exact amount of information they need to comprehend a scene, no more, and no less. Important plot points are established early in the story, but not always completely explained, allowing us ample time to examine their mystery until the payoff.

In addition, the manner in which information is provided to us varies throughout the film. The script does not beat the viewer over the head with obvious information. “Hey! Stupid Audience! This is important! We’ll speak veeeerrry slooooooowwwly and directly into the camera so you catch on!” Whedon answers important questions with a simple glance, so effectively conveyed onscreen I wanted to stand up and cheer in the theater. Take a look at my previous reviews, folks, I don’t gush very often. Unless it’s a zombie movie.

Let me take this moment to pause and completely whore the Gig Matrix site out to Universal Pictures by providing a banner link to the movie site (no, we are in no way affiliated with Universal):

The lovechild of Charlie Sheen and Keanu Reeves stars in Serenity! Uh, along with that girl.

Whedon also does a fantastic job of creating the proper amount of tension in a scene by withholding information from us — something that ultimately makes the film so much more enjoyable. He is a master of using humor to defuse a tense situation, only to have the situation get even more tense after the joke. This is seen multiple times in the film (and of course in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series), but nowhere is it more effective than in the final battle sequence of the film. At the time, I could see the moment coming, and started involuntarily rolling my eyes, thinking “Oh god, typical Hollywood moment. The studio heads got to him. Damn it…” I won’t spoil the details, but the joke is actually enhanced by the incredibly inappropriate timing of it. Catch the movie to see what I’m talking about.

Another nicely done part of the filmmaking process is the
careful use of computer graphics and makeups. KNB effects , the company run by Rob Kurtzman, Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero (who is one of my top three favorite effects artists, along with Rick Baker and Rob Bottin), did the makeup on the universally feared Reavers, but Whedon makes a wise choice and does not allow us to see them for long, usually only showing brief glimpses and occasionally single-frame shots of them in action. I suspect this was Whedon’s intention all along, and KNB only ended up doing basic makeups since they would not be featured designs.

Computer effects are very well-done, never distracting, and are never fawned over like so many other sci-fi movies tend to do. I think the ship designs are really interesting to look at, and they are rendered with a healthy dose of dirt and grit, making the ships actually look like they are being used, contrary to certain other franchises of late (ahem, Star Wars).

So the main point I’m driving at here is that this whole movie was clearly a lot of fun for the people involved, and there is such a wonderful attention to detail that you just get wrapped up in the whole thing. For example: At one point, the River character is exploring a dream, and you see a James Cameron-esque shot of her feet on the floor as she walks. River’s cuffs are sort of randomly turned up a bit and not completely smooth against her leg. In most movies, she would be wearing a sleek bodysuit that’s perfectly matched to her features, and has perfectly symmetrical and flat lines all around. Showing River’s lack of attention to her own appearance further enhances the character without spending time on lame dialogue to discuss it.

I must say a word or two about the plot itself (hey, you want a summary, go read some other site): I have come to be very cynical and disillusioned with the predictibility of Hollywood’s movies. It seems everything’s been done, even the premise of Serenity — a western set in space — has been done before. Well, let me tell you, I didn’t see any of the twists coming. Not one. There are so many surprise sequences (some exciting, others sad) that it keeps your adrenaline rushing throughout the movie. My heart was actually racing during the grand space battle at the end of the film. How many movies can you say that about?

To be fair, there are a few clunky moments in the dialogue and two scenes with poorly delivered lines that seemed to be a result of a rushed overdubbing session, but all in all, you walk out of the theater impressed with how much went into the film, and how much you get back out.