Whenever there's a show conceived that is hailed as a masterpiece by an enthusiastic fan base but fails as far as the ratings are concerned, it gets canceled. Such happened to Josh Whedon's "Firefly", the sci-fi series often dubbed "Western in space", which indeed went west just after 14 episodes. Yet concerted fan reaction resulting in strong DVD sales finally brought the characters back for one more time to the big screen, so that with the "Serenity" movie at least a couple of loose threads could be resolved. Even though the concluding action packed picture perhaps wasn't the perfect end point to a series that thrived on episode based character development, at least the short-lived saga now has a beginning and an end, and that's reason enough to be thankful for anyone who likes his sci-fi with a twist.
In Whedon's own words "Firefly" tries to bring the drama of the pioneering days depicted in John Ford's classic "Stagecoach" to space, capturing a gritty tale of renegades who had fought on the losing side of a war and now hire themselves out to do all kinds of jobs in a universe with an uncertain future. Said universe is still very much like Earth in the 21st century, only that mankind has extended its reach into space and spread its problems, inadequacies and animosities in the process. "Firefly's" reality is undoubtedly dystopic, dirty rather than pristine as is the common cliché and the three dimensional characters of the Serenity reflect the insecurities of the times with their internal struggles making their place in the world believable. Also the show is beautifully crafted and shot mainly with hand-held cameras adding to its realistic look and feel, especially in on-board scenes with tight spaces. And while there's technology and enough special effects that enhance the experience, these aspects don't dominate, but let the characters live. It's really all about these very different people and their relationships on the ship around which Whedon's creative mind has built a universe that fits them like a glove and coincidentally is also sci-fi. Most of all it's suspenseful, entertaining, thrilling, with dark secrets making up the main story lines, there are even philosophical themes touched upon - and a strong dose of snarky humor. An oddity perhaps, but it shines brilliantly.
In Whedon's own words "Firefly" tries to bring the drama of the pioneering days depicted in John Ford's classic "Stagecoach" to space, capturing a gritty tale of renegades who had fought on the losing side of a war and now hire themselves out to do all kinds of jobs in a universe with an uncertain future. Said universe is still very much like Earth in the 21st century, only that mankind has extended its reach into space and spread its problems, inadequacies and animosities in the process. "Firefly's" reality is undoubtedly dystopic, dirty rather than pristine as is the common cliché and the three dimensional characters of the Serenity reflect the insecurities of the times with their internal struggles making their place in the world believable. Also the show is beautifully crafted and shot mainly with hand-held cameras adding to its realistic look and feel, especially in on-board scenes with tight spaces. And while there's technology and enough special effects that enhance the experience, these aspects don't dominate, but let the characters live. It's really all about these very different people and their relationships on the ship around which Whedon's creative mind has built a universe that fits them like a glove and coincidentally is also sci-fi. Most of all it's suspenseful, entertaining, thrilling, with dark secrets making up the main story lines, there are even philosophical themes touched upon - and a strong dose of snarky humor. An oddity perhaps, but it shines brilliantly.