While not everyone may have heard of the television series Firefly, most who have actually feel that it was pretty darn good. The series featured a group of outlaws on a spaceship called Serenity, doing their best just to survive, in a show that blended sci-fi space with Wild West settings and themes. The strong cast didn't hurt either, and each character wound up playing an important role in the series, so much that in contrast to most shows where there was at least one main character you'd wind up loathing, each and every one was likable. Unfortunately, FOX never gave it the chance it deserved, first by airing the series completely out of the intended order, and then by canceling it only three months afterward. The series getting a theatrical movie seemed like a perfect opportunity to get a second chance.
The only problem is, the film messes with EVERYTHING that made Firefly great. The Western theme is forgotten within the first few minutes, and becomes moreso straight up sci-fi than anything else. Two of the beloved characters are killed for no good reason, the first in a role that isn't much other than to be killed, the second done off in what seems like an afterthought. Other than Mal and River, who now suddenly knows kung-fu I might add, none of the characters none of the characters get that much focus or screen time either. The plot winds up becoming completely ridiculous compared to Firefly's somewhat more believability. It also winds up shifting villains, from an embarrassing, would-be, sword swinging "super ninja" called the Operative, to the menacing, flesh-eating Reavers that we've always heard of in the TV series, and who we now finally get to see... but for some reason look like outcasts from an 80's biker gang.
The film can't even keep its continuity straight. For example, late in the film, River battles the Reavers. They overpower her and drag her off, presumably to be tortured and killed. Oh no! It seems that she's done for! It instantly cuts to Mal fighting said embarrassing would-be super ninja, then cuts back to River... who is now smacking Reavers about back and forth with no explanation whatsoever as to how she escaped. Now that is poor. C'mon Joss, you can do better than is. Is it really so hard just to say, add a minute of footage that shows River escaping? Firefly deserved so much better than this.
The only problem is, the film messes with EVERYTHING that made Firefly great. The Western theme is forgotten within the first few minutes, and becomes moreso straight up sci-fi than anything else. Two of the beloved characters are killed for no good reason, the first in a role that isn't much other than to be killed, the second done off in what seems like an afterthought. Other than Mal and River, who now suddenly knows kung-fu I might add, none of the characters none of the characters get that much focus or screen time either. The plot winds up becoming completely ridiculous compared to Firefly's somewhat more believability. It also winds up shifting villains, from an embarrassing, would-be, sword swinging "super ninja" called the Operative, to the menacing, flesh-eating Reavers that we've always heard of in the TV series, and who we now finally get to see... but for some reason look like outcasts from an 80's biker gang.
The film can't even keep its continuity straight. For example, late in the film, River battles the Reavers. They overpower her and drag her off, presumably to be tortured and killed. Oh no! It seems that she's done for! It instantly cuts to Mal fighting said embarrassing would-be super ninja, then cuts back to River... who is now smacking Reavers about back and forth with no explanation whatsoever as to how she escaped. Now that is poor. C'mon Joss, you can do better than is. Is it really so hard just to say, add a minute of footage that shows River escaping? Firefly deserved so much better than this.