Few TV series in modern history have left as much impression with as few episodes as Firefly. Joss Whedon’s space western only ran for one season in 2002 before being canceled for low ratings, but has remained a beloved property by its fans ever since. Despite its short run, it helped establish Whedon as a geek culture icon, and made stars out of actors like Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk.
Three years after its cancellation, the show’s cult popularity led to a feature-length movie: 2005’s Serenity, which premiered 20 years ago on September 30th, 2005. While it was as well-received as the series, the film did poorly at the box office, barely making back its $39 million budget and failing to translate the show’s cult success into a larger audience. While this largely ended the onscreen exploits of Mal, Zoe, and the gang, its financial failure only adds to the saga’s legacy as a cult classic.
How ‘Serenity’ Builds on ‘Firefly’
Universal Pictures
Whedon had a tricky job with Serenity, providing both a satisfying extension of the TV series for established fans while also telling a complete story that newcomers could jump into without too much confusion. And for the most part, he managed to pull it off. Serenity works as both a wildly entertaining standalone film, albeit one where certain moments hit a little harder for those who had followed the characters since the beginning.
For those unfamiliar, Serenity follows the continuing exploits of the titular spaceship, a “Firefly-class” craft captained by the tough but compassionate Mal Reynolds (Fillion). He and his crew, first mate Zoë Washburne (Gina Torres), her husband and pilot Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Tudyk), mercenary Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin), and mechanic Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite), travel the galaxy doing odd jobs like smuggling and train robbing and so forth.
Their existence on the margins is further complicated by the arrival of a young psychic named River (Summer Glau) and her brother Simon (Sean Maher), who Mal reluctantly takes on board. An escapee from a lab run by the authoritarian Alliance, River is a surprisingly dangerous entity, leading the Alliance to send out a figure known as The Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to track her down.
One of the most interesting aspects of Serenity, particularly for Firefly fans, is the exploration of the origins of the Reavers, a group of cannibalistic raiders who lay waste to any ship that crosses them. In the series, the Reavers are a mysterious and frightening entity whose true nature is never revealed, all the better to make them effectively terrifying. But Serenity makes their origins an important plot point, revealing the role the Alliance played in their creation. This does have the effect of making them a little less scary, but also positions the Alliance as the true villains in this world.
‘Serenity’s Impressive Double Act
For those few who had watched Firefly before Serenity‘s premiere, it’s impossible to know what the experience of watching the film is like for someone with no knowledge of the characters or their world, but Whedon does an excellent job of catching up newcomers without rehashing things too much or relying too heavily on exposition. The world of Firefly isn’t bogged down by too much lore, and the core characters are so well-written and performed that it doesn’t take long to understand them. A viewer definitely doesn’t have to watch Firefly to still find plenty to enjoy about Serenity.
At the same time, the film is undeniably more effective for those who have watched the original series, particularly when it comes to the fates of certain characters. Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), a pastor with a mysterious past, plays a much smaller role in the film than in the series, having left Serenity to live a more peaceful existence. Still, for fans of the series, his death at the hands of the Operative is devastating.
This goes possibly even more for the wisecracking Wash, a series fan favorite and a source of some of the show’s funniest and most endearing moments. His abrupt death at the end (or more accurately, middle) of a Reaver spear is an incredibly shocking turn that, while undoubtedly effective for non-series viewers, can still boil the blood of Firefly fans all these years later. Whedon has never been shy about surprise character deaths, and Wash’s fate in Serenity might be the most upsetting one of all.
Fans tried for years to bring the show back, largely to no avail, and it remains to be seen if Disney+’s announced reboot will ever actually see the light of day. Whedon’s reputation fell off a cliff in 2020, when allegations of his on-set misconduct dating back to the Buffy days began to come to light, threatening to drag his work down with him. While it’s hard not to think about it while watching Serenity or any of his other projects, it remains an effective and entertaining piece of sci-fi filmmaking, both on its own terms and as an addendum to the series. Even if we never see more of Mal and crew, Serenity provides a strong conclusion while leaving the door open for more adventures. Serenity is available for VOD rental.
- Release Date
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September 30, 2005
- Runtime
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119 Minutes