Saw it twice over the weekend. I was satisifed. I thought it was a bit hokey at times, and the gunplay really got to me. But I don't take the movie that seriously. I guess I watch it because it is a combination of action, drama, sci-fi and even had a couple horrifying parts to it too, if you're into that. I read through this whole thread and have a couple thoughts:
Here2Learn:
I don't know if I'm as enthralled with Firefly/Serenity now.
Or should I say: River the Reaver Slayer?
Petite girl/woman kills human flesh eating monsters with medievalish weaponry, while her plucky back-up team exchanges wisecracks. Hmmm, where have we seen that before?
I agree, I am getting sick of the whole Jackie Chan style, Jedi-Buffy the Agent Smith Killer. It's getting old, and is never done that well anymore. Fortunately Whedon refrained from doing a five mintue, let's battle a hundred Reavers scene.
Hunter Rose:
Ummm... there's nothing to say Book's mysterious past WON'T be the subject of a further story. Maybe somebody from his past comes hunting him, and they target the crew as friends of his?
Yeah, he could still be around. Similar to Obi Wan. Hey George killed him off because he figured he'd only do one movie. But no, Guiness went the full three episodes.
Justin:
Regarding the death of Wash, I have to say, it was a really, really risky thing for Whedon to do. Most film makers wouldn't dream of taking a character who already had somewhere around 14 hours of character development and story arc involvement and then simply kill them off for no good reason.
Wash's death was without meaning, it wasn't heroic, or poignant or special in any way. He was simply there, and then dead.
What can I say? I'm a psycho. I was happy someone died, I was especially happy Book is gone. I never did like his character, probably because his beliefs are not compatible with mine. So I'll just let that go. I liked Wash though, I had kind of wished it was Gina Torres or the doctor that got whacked. But I've changed my mind;
----------------------
Here's where I would like to see this series go;
I believe Whedon should take a break and let the movie simmer in his mind for the next couple years. Likewise I believe some time should pass in the 'Verse. Perhaps five years or so from this movie, and they should drop us right into the middle of a vicious Alliance war. Just plop us right into it.
1. Here2 learn is correct, River is "too powerful". I would like to see somewhere within this next movie something really, really bad happens. She becomes physically disabled. She can no longer go "Neo" on people. I don't know if it's a lucky bullet smacks her in the spine or what, but this takes care of the "nothing in the "Verse can stop e" problem, and sets up some great drama.
2. At first I was mad Wash died, I thought it should have been Torres. But I realized something. Reynolds and Inara are not going to get it on. Face it. They are just too different. I see Whedon is at a fork, he has to decide if his sotry here is about Malcom Reynolds or if it's about Serenity. This is not like "Buffy", you know she will always be arond in the series. Duh it's named after her. Not so with the Firefly universe. So this is what I would like to see; Reynolds can have some romantic involvement with Inara, but look, it just won't work out. Kill her or have her take off. Torres is the one Reynolds is in love with. Okay? Anyway, if the story is about Serenity kill Reynolds, but not before finding out Zoe is really the one Reynolds would have married. And in the process introduce his child, either by Torres or Inara. Reynolds dies, Torres gets the ship, and raises Reynold's kid. How 'bout them apples?
3. Book is not out, he can be reintroduced via flashbacks, I am thinking both as an old man, and the sort of the younger Darth Vader version of Book, in all his badness. Truly evil though, have him raping, pillaging and killing in all it's glory. That has to be the true story of Book. There can't be another.
So you got that? River hurt, physically disabled, leading to more psychosis from the disturbingly attractive lady. Perhaps not wheelchair bound, that's too Professor X. But someone debilitate her from the now overdone Kung Fu. I'm okay with not hurt enough she can't gunsling.
Introduce the young, evil Book and explain his change of life.
And decide if the story's lead character is Mal or the ship. If it's the ship kill Malcolm and intro his son (or daughter). (
Nobody would expect that, even though I just typed it.) If it's Mal the ship has got to be destroyed. They need a new ship anyway. In fact I was a bit disappointed they fixed Serenity.
