Serenity is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. A science fiction picture that's hip without being pretentious (remember that stupid Wing Commander movie? Yuck!). What's more, this flick is edgy without sacrificing it's heart.

The circumstances under which I got to see this movie so early (it doesn't open until September 30) are interesting. Firstly, I'll give you a little insight into the genesis of this project.

Serenity is based on the short lived Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) television project Firefly. After an extremely short run, the plug was pulled on this sci fi show, and I'm first to admit, I never saw a single episode. Strangely enough though, Firefly built an intense cult following. When I say intense, I'm talking Trekkie-intense. These fans (who affectionately refer to themselves as Browncoats) are diehard, and they wouldn't let this show go down without a fight. Sadly, all the petitions in the world weren't enough to save the show, but the fans would support the DVD release, so much so in fact, that those sales alone would inspire Joss Whedon to do a big screen adaptation of Firefly. Universal Pictures decided to give the tenacious Firefly creator a shot, thus Serenity was born. Those familiar with Joss Whedon's career might find this whole scenario a little ironic given that the storyteller's very own Buffy the Vampire Slayer actually started out as a theatrically released film starring Kristy Swanson, then went on to become an extremely popular television series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.

In an interesting marketing move, Universal decided to pull Serenity from it's original April release date. Not because they didn't have faith in it but presumably because they wanted to avoid having their thunder stolen by a little money machine called Star Wars, and to allow proper time for advertising and an interesting word of mouth campaign. Back in May, Universal Pictures did special sneak preview showings of the film. These sneaks consisted of one special 10:00 P.M. screening in ten markets across the country. These showings sold out almost immediately, so Universal opted to do another one later on in the month, only this time, they expanded the showings to more markets. And in fact, they performed this unprecedented marketing move a few more times in the month of June in hopes, no doubt, that they could generate buzz leading up to Serenity's Sept 30th opening. As far as I'm concerned, this was a smart move as they've made a Browncoat out
of me.

Now keep in mind, these screenings weren't rough cut, audience test screenings. These were special advance sneaks and opened to the public to generate buzz. I was fortunate enough to hit one of the first screenings back in May in glorious Sin City. As a special added treat, Joss Whedon was in attendance with Serenity co-star Summer Glau. . Why these two chose to appear at the Las Vegas showing remains a mystery, but I would venture to guess that the party atmosphere that only Las Vegas can bring, had something to do with it. Following the screening, I had an opportunity to talk to Whedon briefly. I confessed to him that I had never seen an episode of Firely, but upon experiencing the film, I had every intention of seeking out the TV. series on DVD.

Now obviously, I can't judge the film as a Firefly fan, but if you think about it, I'm the tougher audience given that I had never seen the show. Having said that, Serenity is the most entertaining science fiction film I've seen in quite a while. In terms of pure entertainment value, I even preferred it to this summer's Revenge of the Sith and War of the Worlds, two other pictures that I quite liked.

Serenity sort of plays as a western in space, and while it's easy to compare
the overall vibe of the film to Star Trek, this tale has a tone all it's own. The movie picks up where the short lived television series left off. Nathan Fillion's dry and fierce Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, leads his band of misfits through the galaxy aboard a mighty space vessel called Serenity. Hot on the crew's tail is The Operative (an outstanding Chiwetel Ejiofor), a quiet but deadly individual who desperately seeks River (Summer Glau), a teenager with a world of inner secrets who lies safely in the hands of Mal and his tough crew.

Many will be quick to point out that Serenity is merely a TV show blown up to big screen size. Those who say this are apparently criticizing the film, but if I was Whedon, I'd take it as a compliment. His tale of family, politics in this galaxy are far far and away more entertaining and infinitely more intriguing than many of the remakes and sequels that have been playing at multiplexes as of late. And as a TV show turned theatrically released movie, it's absolutely golden.

Even though Serenity doesn't offer up much we haven't already seen in the special effects department, it doesn't matter. Serenity isn't about special effects, it's about people. If more film makers would invest as much time and effort in character development and cast comraderie as they do in the look of their pictures, they'd all have much better projects to brag about.

Whedon has fashioned a hip sci-fi saga with perfectly placed humor, and he even gets a few unexpected shocks in along the way. But the reason Serenity really works is because of a game cast who, by the end of the picture, convinced me I was watching an actual family on screen. There is dysfunction and the occasional argument amongst Mal and his fearless crew, but there is also a loving fondness, and genuine chemistry displayed by this terrific cast, and their keen sense of timing elevates the entire film. Nathan Fillian, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, Sean Mauer, Jewel Staite, Ron Glass, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, and Morena Baccarin are to be commended for not only performing as a team, but for their individuality as well. Each member of this terrific cast brings their own unique sensibility to the table, and god bless Whedon for allowing each of them to shine. Also, a special shout out to the amazing Chitwetel Ejiofor who fashions yet another compelling villain, a complete opposite of his baddie role in the recent Four Brothers.

Simply put, Serenity is a fun time at the movies. There are certainly plot elements that were a bit on the confusing side for me (elements that would most likely be cleared up if I watched the TV series), but I was completely won over by an amazingly likable cast, a witty sense of humor, and a taut pace. Captain Whedon and crew, I salute you. Serenity is in a galaxy of it's own.