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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.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for sequences of intense violence and action, and some sexual references

Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:07-10-2005

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; UK critics are listed first)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Nick Funnell

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: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:25 AM

Time Out

tomato
4/5

Olly Richards

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: | comment Comment | Apr., 01 2006 03:27 AM

Empire Magazine

tomato
5/5

Scott Andrews

You don't have to have seen the show to enjoy the film (although we do recommend you go out and buy the DVD set of Firefly because it's bogglingly good).

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 15 2005 03:28 AM

FilmFocus

tomato
4/5

Jonathan Trout

A gently intelligent action sci-fi with wit, drama, and emotion to spare, this is the blockbuster you've been waiting for all year.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 08 2005 03:30 AM

BBC

tomato
5/5

Matthew Turner

Effectively a Western in space, Serenity is a thoroughly entertaining, smartly written, beautifully acted, rip-roaring action-adventure movie, that will appeal to both Firefly fans and newcomers alike.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 08 2005 03:30 AM

ViewLondon

tomato
4/5

David Edwards

Serenity blasts George Lucas’s recent prequels into the ether thanks to some rip-roaring action scenes and a knack of not taking itself too seriously.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 07 2005 03:15 AM

Daily Mirror [UK]

tomato
4/5

Rich Cline

One of the most satisfying action movies in a long, long time.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 15 2005 03:15 AM

Shadows on the Wall

splat
2.5/5

Keith H. Brown

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 03:31 AM

Eye for Film

N/R

Garth Franklin

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 15 2008 03:15 AM

Dark Horizons

tomato
3/5

Rob Gonsalves

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 23 2007 07:03 PM

eFilmCritic.com

tomato
3.5/4

Felix Vasquez Jr.

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: | comment Comment | Jul., 10 2007 04:38 PM

Cinema Crazed

tomato

Andrea Gronvall

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: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2007 09:24 AM

Chicago Reader

tomato
3/4

Todd Hertz

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: | comment Comment | Aug., 31 2006 12:56 PM

Christianity Today

tomato

Steve Schneider

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 27 2006 03:27 AM

Orlando Weekly

tomato
4/5

Jim Lane

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: | comment Comment | May., 12 2006 03:15 AM

Sacramento News & Review

tomato

Ken Tucker

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 12 2006 03:15 AM

New York Magazine

tomato
B

Nick Schager

Has a simultaneously sprawling yet intimate quality.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 05 2006 01:57 PM

Lessons of Darkness

splat
4/10

JoBlo

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: | comment 2 Comments | Dec., 16 2005 03:16 AM

JoBlo's Movie Emporium

tomato
4.5/5

Greg Bellavia

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:37 PM

Film Threat

tomato

Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel

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: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:37 PM

3BlackChicks Review

 
 
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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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