Why kill Wash? Jeopardy. Simple as that. I remember watching Serenity for the first time and Wash getting impaled. I was seriously in disbelief for at least a couple of minutes. My mind did not want to believe that he was dead. But he was, and there was no way around it. All of a sudden, death was a real option. Anyone could die. EVERYONE could die. So in the big stand off, when numerous characters get shot or stabbed or injured in some way, I had no doubts that any one of them was dead/dying/could possibly die. I was completely involved in each and every moment of that finale, sitting on the edge of my seat worried out of my mind that my next favourite character was about to bite the dust. That's why Joss killed Wash, and I curse/thank him for it every day.
Absolutely! It was done to make you feel that way. You feel victimized when he's killed, like you were attacked by reavers. & you need a minute to come to terms with it, but just like Zoey, you don't have a minute, things keep happening & there's no slowing down. I found it very emotional & disturbing. That was the point of his death, & the way he died, to make us feel.
@@Mahendra-bj6vy You can have characters not return in future stories without killing them off. Not being able to commit to sequels isn't the reason they were killed off, but it opens up the opportunity to have characters die.
Watched this movie today and they certainly achieved that reaction out of me! After Wash I was practically 100% certain the film was going to end with the entire crew dying, including Mal, and I was terrified the whole way through! I think I actually cried out loud when Simon got shot.
By the way, I saw this movie before I saw the series, and I was blown away by it. I then rented episode 1 of the series. I got halfway through episode 1... I stopped the disk and returned it, then I went to another store and purchased the entire series and the movie. I almost never buy movies or shows, but I was so blown away by this, I bought them with that little exposure.
Same story here. I saw previews for the movie, bought it, THEN learned it was based on Firefly, borrowed it, binge watched it over the course of a weekend, then bought it.
Same with me. I was in line to watch Corpse Bride and some guy approach my friend and I and said; "you guys want to watch Serenity?" I said, "never heard of it." "It's based on the TV show called Firefly." "Didn't that show get cancelled?" "Yep it did but they made a movie about it, here are two free tickets" After watching it my friend and I went out and bought the series and watched it three times straight through over a week. And enjoyed every minute of it.
@@KrisCasey4 I wish lol, I don't live close to him... I think. nah it was just some random guy. Still one of the best movies ever. I love this movie so much. I've seen it at least a dozen of times, I've watched it 3 times listening to the commentary. I've watched all of the deleted scenes, watched the extended version of it. The best episode is Out of Gas and I've seen it at least 20 times (just the episode) I've watched the series several times, I think at least 7. But I've seen the first true episode Serenity about dozen if not more, i can watch just that episode and be happy. It's the greatest show ever. No weak episodes or weak characters, the chemistry between the actors is amazing, very strong supporting characters, the sets are unique, the dialog is perfect, the timing between the funny moments and dramatic moments is great. The only thing wrong with the show is that it ended way too soon.
What's interesting, and possibly the reason Firefly wasn't so popular on TV, is the producers did not show it in episode series so often it didn't make sense. They jumbled up the sequence. Buying the CDs/DVDs is the way to go.
I completely choked up during the conversation between Shepard Book and Malcolm Reynolds right before the Shepard's death. Book: You cannot tell me what to do. I am not one of your crew. Malcolm: Yes, you are. This gets me every time.
It was sobering....He was so great all through that section of the movie. It killed me to see him die, but I thought it was a very poignant moment that made everything else suspenseful.
Precisely why he was killed so the stakes were real for the rest of the way. Pretty sure Joss says so in the commentary but I haven't watched it in a long time.
I think Washes death was good, because right then you knew, no one was safe and anyone could die, Zoey gets cut up the back, Simon gets hit, River looks like she sacrifices herself and Mal is almost killed if he wasn't Mal.
+JimboisGaming Agreed. Wash's death. Funny, fun, lovable Wash dies and baby, ANYONE can go. Considering Jos was fairly certain at this point that this would be their swansong, he went for broke. Besides, had the show continued who's to say Wash wouldn't have died at season's end?
That's why my son said. He was 13, he loved The Avenger's movie. He said I know how they can make the new Star Wars movie good, they hire Joss Whedon to direct. I told him, nope they hired JJ. He kept saying, no they could hire Joss and I said, no they hired JJ. He didn't like that.
You kill the comic relief, anyone could go. Mal stabbed, Kaylee poisoned, Simon shot, book dead - hell at one point I thought they'd all die. It was great... but I want wash back of course.
+Lefty Hara If we're talking about the reunion vid (which I *love*), Joss was asked if he'd known Firefly was being cancelled ahead of time and the last episode was actually the series finale, what if anything would he have done differently from the movie Serenity. One of the things he said he'd do differently was that no one would die but that movies require higher stakes. I think if the series had had a long run he still would have killed at least one person off. It's Joss Whedon's way. (Look at Buffy and Angel the series.) I adore the guy but he loves putting his characters and viewers through the wringer.
I fucking loved this film. It was probably the best possible way they could have ended firefly. But I have to say that one long continuous shot near the start of the film was brilliant. Not only did it show how skilled Joss Whedon is at directing cinematography, it also showed the sheer scale of the set they managed to work with. It was such a brilliant scene.
I do think that if you just see the scene where you see the reavers they would probably not be that bad, but with the build up and setting they are scary as shit.
The reason they killed Walsh (they explained this in an interview) is because they wanted to raise the stakes. If he hadn't died I wouldn't have had that feeling that someone could potentially die in this movie. They did it so that Mal's speech would take its full effect that he really is asking for everything they've got.
failingtobeoriginal I think it was also to really make it clear that this was the end of the story. Two of the main characters are dead, there will be no revival, this is it for Firefly.
I would like to see a movie or a new TV show where the characters are older, they were split up for a while, Mal and Inara got married at some point, and he's a farmer on an outer world with Serenity stored in his barn, Kaylee and Simon are together and they're living with River under different names, Jayne and Zoe maybe have some kind of mercenary business since Wash died and Zoe is no longer following Mal and she needs some direction. Then they need to get back together for some reason probably having to do with River. Or maybe Mal has to assemble a new crew for purposes.
There's a really good sequel comic called "Leaves on the Wind" which came out last year that takes place after "Serenity." Worth reading. You can get a nice hardcover copy for pretty cheap. It's officially canonical with the film and series as well.
+MaximumMadnessStixon There's a really good fanfiction story on fanfiction(dot)net called "Brown Coat Green Eyes" that really captures the heart and humor of the series and film.
+xyvortex Forward by peptuck on ff.net is a PHENOMENAL continuation of the series. 78 chapters. Brilliant plotting, excellent characterisation, and the author really knows his physics and ballistics. Downside? He hasn't updated in almost 3 years and I'm not sure he's ever gonna finish it. But it's written like season arcs so there are about 5 completed stories within it, which are soooo worth reading. ...is Browncoat Green Eyes the Harry Potter crossover?
My favorite part of Serenity is when they fake sacrifice River. She goes into that room with mass reavers and she closes the door and you're like ow she's sacrificing herself. And five minutes later you're like oh, wait, nope, she just killed them all, okay.
When I first watched the show, I really loved everything with Simon giving so much to protect his sister. That part where he gets shot in the film and River tells him "My turn" was one of the coolest bits of character growth I have ever seen.
The movie is actually a nightmare that River had. She had so many in the Firefly series where she woke up screaming and crying... This movie was just another one. Proof? #1: Her brother Simon in Firefly paid a fortune to have her smuggled out. Believable. In Serenity, Simon is a hero who infiltrates this ultimate secure non-existent facility and in a daring rescue gets her away. Unbelievable for his character. Only in a loving sister's dreams would Simon be a super spy James Bond kind of guy. #2: River is a helpless mess in Firefly with severe damage to her brain and emotions, Simon, the doctor, says "She can't NOT feel overwhelming emotions..." But in her Serenity dream she is a super trained assassin/weapon who is unbeatable and emotionless. #3: Book, or his hair actually, scares her so he was gone in most of her dream, and then killed off by the bad guys. #4: An entire planet with major cities is wiped out of all memory, history, and all computers? Miranda wasn't a small test city that nobody knew, it was a highly developed major planet that would have been a major trade and development post. Get real! Once anything is online it is forever, just ask Paris Hilton. "Can't stop the signal Mal" #5: The Alliance didn't know where the Reavers hung out? Come on! #6: In Firefly, Wash was a nice guy who cared about River so in her nightmare he is pointlessly killed when the Reaver ship fires a log spear through the cockpit. A log spear in a space ship? What did the shoot it with, a slingshot??? Nope, just another bizarre twist in River's nightmare. #7: Everyone is hurt and it is up to River to save the day with her superwoman fighting skills... And so on... If Firefly had been restarted by a more intelligent network than Fox: In the first new episode I can see River waking up screaming at the terror and senseless misery of her Serenity nightmare with Simon holding her close as she sobs. Book comes in to speak his calm and soothing words and while he is still with her, Wash and Zoe come in to sit with her too. Finally Mal comes in and River whispers to him, "I think I know what, or who, the Reavers are..." And the adventure continues!
JagLite48 My mind is blown to read this. I had never put all these points together before. I just chalked all of the inconsistencies up to Whedon compressing the stories he had in mind, such as River's character development, for several seasons into one movie. He most likely had a plan to end the series with the events in Serenity after many seasons, rather than a two hour movie. I would like to see the series continue several years after the events in Serenity.
Good theory. Let's run with it and find someone, anyone (EXCEPT fox) to make more seasons of the series! If I were rich I'd but the rights and hire you as a writer, but I'm not so we will have to hope...
Johnny Appleseed The character was killed simply because Joss wanted the movie to be true...they were in a war and sometimes shit just happens. There was no pay raise dispute no sequel commitments...it was just story
Whedon has said at least twice since the film's release that, had the series continued, Wash would not have been killed. When he reiterated this during the Firefly 10th anniversary reunion at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con International, Tudyk was apparently ecstatic.
Wash's death broke my heart but I liked it. His death was completely pointless, he didnt die saving everyone, he didnt die jumping infront of Zoe or something like that. Horrible as it was, i thought it was a shock to the system. Tv shows (thats arent Game of Thrones) dont do that, pointless deaths piss off so many people, but they happen in real life. I like it.
The guy who played Wash said he made an offhand comment saying he might hold out for more money if the show ever came back because there was no way his character would be killed off. That comment got back to Joss Whedon, and now Wash is dead.
Yeah, I don't think Wash's death was a bad move either. The thing is that in combat, people die. It is just a fact and it infuriates me how many movies, novels, and video games all sugar coat this fact. I remember reading the black magician trilogy for the first time when several main characters die at the end, I was in shock. Later I googled and found a lot of people were upset about it. But the author simply responded, that in war, people die, and that is how it should be. Game of thrones and Firefly are an awesome examples of how stories should play these facts out more realistically.
my only problem with it is that if 'felt' artificial, that he was killed for the sake of killing a character. It jarred badly at the time. (perhaps because whedon kills his characters in finalies)
I remember when on MASH colonel Blake was getting out of the service and going home. His plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan, there were no survivors. None of the crew knew this when they filmed the scene, they gave Gary Burghoff (sp) Radar the script page and shoved him through the door. Fox (theres a shock) got angry letters because of his senseless death. That was the first time I recall that happening.
I didn't know about Firefly until after its cancellation a friend sent it to me on VHS. I binged watched it and eagerly watched Serenity in the theater. There seemed to be little promotion and what ads I saw didn't seem to link it to the series. It didn't seem to have enough studio support to reach a wide audience in theaters.
Speaking of Wash, well if nobody died during the Reaver chase it would have made them look weak and useless. During Firefly they were supposed to be extremely dangerous and odds of surviving them were low.
I saw Serenity in the theaters because I loved Nathan Fillion and it looked good. I had never even heard of Firefly (thanks Fox). In the most bitter of twists it was the finale that in fact made me turn to Firefly... which then turned me into a Browncoat for life. Now I live daily with the pain that all fellow Browncoats have with dealing with the cancellation... and I'd have it no other way.
I actually though, even though Wash's death came out of nowhere, that it worked well. If it hadn't happened, I don't think the next few minutes would've felt as dark as they did, because you wouldn't really have a sense of "holy shit, Joss Whedon is not averse to just killing these people off".
I agree with that. During the series, everyone on the crew gets shot or badly wounded at one point or other, but no one ever snuffs it. Most notably, Kaylee getting shot in the stomach in the pilot, then claiming that she can't feel anything below the waist, but then she turns out to be fine. This led me to think Whedon wouldn't have the balls to kill off one of the central characters, so when it actually did happen, it was all the more shocking. I hated to see Wash go, but it added some needed emotional gravity to the story's conclusion.
First saw serenity when I was just looking for a good Scifi movie. Then I found out about the series. And now? NOW IM A FUCKING BROWNCOAT NOW THAT IS!!!!!!
I didnt enjoy any of the comics, so I never read what Shepherd Book's origin is. But in my head canon, Book himself used to be an Operative, and that's how he knows so much. I think that is badass and that will always be my Firefly.
So there were things I liked in this movie - like the redesigned alliance fleet (seriously, what were those obelisk... things in the TV show?), yet I can't help but think that had it been concluded in the TV show it would have been so much more satisfying. Of course, it would probably have ended with them all just fying off into the sunset (or equivalent), but it's one of those things that should have been allowed to complete, even if it was a financial loss. Also, Joss has stated (on the DVD commentary) that Wash's death was to heighten the tension for the fight against the reavers. He's just demonstrated that he's willing to arbitrarily kill off main characters, which means that when Simon gets hit, and then when River gets locked out with the reavers, you genuinely don't know if they're going to make it.
Tohoku-class cruisers city ships, basically huge mobile bases hence the reason they resemble towers. Made for transport and policing dutys where office space and hangers are needed in large numbers, where as the ships seen in serenity are the alliances warships. And i agree with the other points you raised :).
God i really wish Firefly was never canceled... but it was. God i wish this movie was a financial success, cause a critical success wasn't enough... but it wasn't. WTF!!! I really don't get why life shit all over this series/movie which was just as he said AWESOMETACULAR in every way. But if it did ever return as so many still want...then what, what's next for the surviving crew of Serenity? Alien life really exists and it wants what we have so an invasion of our Galaxy? Doesn't sound very original at all but really what else can be done in the Firefly universe that's so engaging now that the Alliance's true colours are shown, more Rebelling War? I think the movie give us a brilliant conclusion to an amazing series and should be life as is... as much as i do REALLY want it back.
Well the crew just kinda showed the 'verse the alliances true colors, so there could be a thing where a new rebellion is formed. And mal and his crew could rise through the ranks and maybe even lead. There could easily be a season or two about the war. And then after the war there could be different leaders and mal has to decide which side he wants to choose. And the reavers are still out there. And the people know about the reavers. Possibilities are pretty large without aliens. Because I really liked the fact that firefly/serenity didnt have aliens in it.
Ye and they could ignore the fact that wash and book died (pretend the movie never happened) and focus on books mysterious past as was mentioned multiple times throughout the series
I don't know if anyone's already mentioned this, but in case you're interested, the reason Whedon decided for Wash to be killed when it happened was because he wanted to create tension for the final showdown. He wanted to give the audience the feeling that, because he was willing to kill Wash, he would probably kill the entire crew. You still might not like it, but that was the reason.
I dont buy that at all. There was already PLENTY of tension in that scene, with Wash desperately trying to safely crash land the ship and get away from the reavers. Killing him at the end of the crash landing scene was just his way of squashing any hopes of bringing the tv show back. He killed FIREFLY, not Wash. It would have been a far better movie if Wash just got up out of his chair and joined the others. Also, it would have left it open for the possibility of continuing the show someday, somehow. But instead he just gave up on it like a coward, proclaiming he wasnt even going to TRY. So no, i cant forgive Joss for what he did. It was totally unecessary.
I loved Serenity so much, but I found it a lot darker and gloomy than firefly actually is. I was hoping for more closure but you have to remember what was going on, it was only 2 hours to fit everything in. I still think though it has like the best space battle in history, I really loved all the characters but I thought Jane was a bigger asshole though, and Malcolm was also. He was a badass but he didn't do much nice in the film if you know what I mean. I really do love the operative but I wish shepherd got more face time, also favourite scene is defiantly the first one with the 1 camera shot of serenity with that awesome music :) I guess though what really makes me sad is that this is really it, this was the end of the verse and even the signal is still going and us Browncoats still rocking, I just feel really sad inside, honestly there were tears.
For some reason I had a hard time getting into the movie at first. Everything felt either different or set back, for instance Simon and Mal's relationship was almost back to square one. But by the time Mal had his first fight with the Operative I liked it and Mal's speech and the fight afterward gave it the feel of an epic series finale. Plus the whole Miranda sequence gave me the chills. Very well directed, very thought out, however, you can only appreciate it fully if you've seen the show. Sad so few people know about it.
I feel like this was the Mal that Joss originally wanted, and not the Mal that Nathan Fillion brought to life in Firefly. But he definitely had changed between Firefly and Serenity, and that's probably my biggest complaint about the movie.
I loved your review but there's one point I can't agree with you on. You said it's the "conclusion" of Firefly... I refuse to accept this!! BRING BACK FIREFLY!!!! :)
the thing that makes me really sad, is that this show (which had it's time) was light years ahead of the time it had. If Firefly was a thing now, no possible way it would get cancelled... but now the cast and even the great and powerful Whedon himself have all said that a remake/sequel/continuation/etc. will probably never happen. Everyone is busy (Whedon is tied up with Marvel for forever), plus the budget (while not Star Trek level) would have to be astronomical for a film/series. Firefly will just have to be one of those things that we pass down from generation to generation and say, "This could have been great, but we love what we got."
Could've been great? It is great! It's better than great, it's fantastic. Probably the best season of tv ever made, no other show has a season that resonates so much with people, that is so re-watchable so often.
James Harris It could've had more brilliant seasons, I know. But it's better to have near perfection and wish for more, rather than get more and be deeply disappointed, like what happened with Arrested Development.
Near the end there where I actually thought everyone was going to die? like, Book died earlier on, and then Wash, and then Mr Universe, and then in that reaver standoff scene with the Reaver, and something happened to Kaylee, and she said she was losing feeling, and river jumped out the door and the others were like "they're gonna get in eventually!", and The Operative was fighting with Mal, and Mal got shot and then stabbed, and at that point, I thought the ending was going to be that they all died in order to get the message out..But I was pleasantly surprised.
Jeremy your completely right in the beginning scene there is a sweep cut hidden in the mal/simon conversation, mainly because they had to change sets :) the reason he killed off wash is because he wanted to portray to the audience that there was a possibility that the crew may not make it through to the end of this and instill that fear of "oh god whos next?"
Having marathoned the last 5 episodes of firefly and serenity back to back (having watched the other 9 over the last week), I can say i really enjoyed it, the only thing that saddens me is how the film feels like it was hotshot but its obvious that it had to be due to the nature of what happened with the show, although it was good to see the universe being presented with a bigger budget and better effects which wouldn't have necessarily happened on the small screen
Books’ death hit me a little harder than Wash’s. I think Book wouldn’t have gone out without a good fight but alas there was no fight scene and no explanation to Book’s mysterious past that the series built up. It’s forgivable though considering Serenity was, as a whole, a spectacular love letter to firefly fans (that most never thought would happen) and a pretty darn good one at that.
i loved firefly and serenity! really wished it had been a multiple seasons show, i could imagine it being huge. the movie was great for closure, but it still left me craving for more. i absolutely loved your reviews, i wish you did them for other tv series like lost too!
I watched serenity and I agree there it was the best possible thing that could be made, even though there are a few unanswered questions it did everything right
This movie made me cry. That is all I need to know that I loved this movie. If a movie can make me cry, I know I loved it. I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved everything about it. You all know what got me, though right? I got choked up at Shepherd Book's death, the last scene got me a little going because it meant the end of Firefly as a whole (pretty much), but it was Wash that got me. So unexpectedly killed off, I legitimately jumped and gasped when it happened. His and Book's memorials near the end got me into tears. I've heard that Joss Whedon said that, if he ever did anything with Firefly again, he would have everyone back, even the one's who died in Serenity. And that Firefly is his favourite of his creations, so that makes me happy.
Joss Whedon is our generation's Rod Sterling. He can entertain you with compact, minute details into story that by the time he wraps it up, you feel you have a tremendous back story when he snaps your neck… with the twist. Well done. And, well done, Jeremy for your affirming review!
Maybe in Serenity 2, a River-like "person" could be after the crew. Like in Terminator. Then River has to go toe to toe with her. Just a thought. CASTS (CAn't Stop The Signal)
Just watched this movie, and... oh my god, this was an amazing movie! That's it, that's all I got, it was amazing! Definitely gonna get Firefly and Serenity on Blu-ray for sure, because both Firefly and Serenity are... Awesometacular! Or both a 5/5 on my scale!
In an interview, Joss said "I killed off Wash to make it clear how high the stakes were. I mean, in that final fight, you honestly beleived after that death that every time someone got shot, they might actually be dead." Plus, you know, he does sh*t like that.
Again awesome review, tight, emotional, and honest. The fact that you said sans the series it would be a blue ray movie. Totally right. There is nothing earth shattering or completely mind blowing. It's a good movie. But as the last chapter in a series that is indescribably good, it is unbelievably shiny.
RandomGeekLord42 Absolutely no offense meant to Serenity cuz (now) I know how awesome it is, but I also saw it before Firefly and thought it was boring as all hell since I had no emotional connection to the characters at all......but on the other hand, when I went back.......Holy Shit!! Rewatching Serenity after completing Firefly? Damn!!! It was an awesome frerakin movie!!!!!
Serenity is actually such a good sci-fi movie on its own, I've given copies of the DVD to people that have never seen Firefly (like my parents and my grandfather, all of whom are movie buffs), and they all loved it.
Serenity was the first 15 rated movie i watched as a kid, i loved it back then, even with no context of the show. Then the other week, now aged 19, i finally watched firefly, loved the show, realized i now recognized the cast; Adam Baldwin from Chuck, Alan Tudyk from Rogue One, Gina Torres from Suits, Morena Baccarin from Deadpool, Nathan Fillion from like, everything. So anyway i thought i would finally rewatch serenity for the first time in like, 10 years. I remembered the action scenes, and the creepy stuff, but not the dialogue and interactions, and then boom. Wash died. I'd forgotten. But then i was heartbroken, started worrying about the other cast members dying, because it had been so long and i was so young, i genuinely couldn't remember how it all played out. I knew no one was safe. R.I.P Wash
Book's and Wash's deaths could have been two great season cliffhangers, but instead they were crammed into the space of 2 hours and not given enough emotional focus. I wasn't as sad about their actual deaths as I was about the fact that their deaths could have been so much greater :/
Griffin Watson Actually I feel like it was the best way to kill him. It was gritty and in a sense realistic. Death typically happens instantly and puts you into complete shock, you don’t expect it, there’s no music, or time to reflect. They’re just there and all of a sudden they’re gone. Wash’s death captured that and if they had given him a typical heroic/cinematic ending it wouldn’t still be hitting us over a decade later. So really it was the best way for him to go
Mathew Lau nahh it wasnt pointless it was to make the last battle more intense. he died to let you know Joss was willing to kill off characters like that meaning no one was invincible.
Mathew Lau He died because he made a passing comment that he was too important to die and maybe if the show was to come back, that he would hold out for a raise. Joss heard that and decided to put him in his place, boom, he is now dead.
I love this movie. And I can get into it at any time. All I have to do is start watching the first few minutes and I'm hooked. But yeah, it's because I watched the series and it all made sense to me. I think if I hadn't seen the series, I'd have been a bit confused and the movie wouldn't have been as epic. Still qualifies, I think, as an awesome action movie! But eh, those poor schmucks who didn't see Firefly. I think they might qualify for disability? heh. One of the biggest problems I have with this movie, though... and I can't ever seem to get over it... is the scene with Simon infiltrating the Alliance's secret installation. I'm pretty sure that doesn't mesh with the story from the series. I mean in the Pilot episode when he's telling the story, he specifically says he doesn't know anything about what they've done to her. But in this scene in the movie, clearly he's got some intel. It's nit-picking and to me it doesn't ruin the movie... it just bugs me a little. OH, and regarding Wash, I loved him very much like I did with all the characters and I was crushed when he died. But come ON people! You put that small group of people in fights to the death like these and yeah, people are going to die. And I always hated that Wash's death was SO SUDDEN that I didn't even really get to mourn him. But that's what made it so realistic, in my opinion. In the real world, people die all the time... walking across the street... driving to the store... going out to get the mail and getting hit by a car or attacked by a maniac... dying of a sudden heart attack or stroke. Death isn't always planned. We don't always see it coming. And that tends to make it even more tragic. R.I.P. Shepherd Derria Book and Hoban Washburne!
I actually saw Serenity first. Also, small trivia: River's fighting scenes were done in one take. Summer is a technically trained ballet dancer and was able to just do them once and do them perfect.
That was just her the soldier trying to keep her emotions under control. But you can see how she's feeling when she start walking up to reavers and hitting them with her shotgun.
ratguy101 That is because his death was not planned, it was thrown in later because the guy who played Wash made a sly comment that if the show ever came back, he might hold out for a raise because there was no way they could kill him. Joss heard about his comment, and now he is dead... When working under Joss Whedon, never think you are unkillable, and if you do, never say it because you will die.
I saw the movie when it came out and thought it was a decent movie. I'd never heard of the TV show. Several years later I saw the show and didn't know it was only a partial season and was pissed because I want more. Then I saw there was a movie that concluded the story. As I start watching the movie, I realize I'd already seen it, but with the back story from the show it was a completely different movie. The movie went from being a fun, decent movie to being an epic film. It also made me even angrier that the show was cancelled. The executives who ruined the release of the show and then cancelled it should never work in the film or movie industry again. They should hang their collective heads in shame for their inability to recognize and support greatness.
I watched this movie when it came out in theatres years ago and was like wtf?! And then some time ago after I got into Firefly and came back to Serenity it was such a revelation. I cried.
*Serenity* was the most impressive movie I've ever seen. That is a *HUGE* statement to make, because there have been some truly and overwhelmingly *AWESOMETACULAR* movies made in the past 50 years. But *Serenity* had some near-impossible barriers (created by the *Firefly* series) to hurdle to be "real", to be "impressive", to be "satisfying", to provide worthy "closure" to the series ... while at the same time potentially be the "beginning" of a new movie franchise had the marketing been sufficient (and humans smart enough to spend $10 or $20 or $30 at the movie theater to watch this awesome movie 1, 2, 3 times.). As someone who has written a few screenplays and understand how difficult creating a great story and screenplay is ... my mind was blown at how fantastic the *Serenity* story accomplished everything that could be asked of the closing story of the Firefly/Serenity saga ... or the start of a whole new movie saga. I want to address one issue mentioned by this excellent review, namely, why kill Wash? If you think deeply, you will know the answer. Namely, to kill wash at that point, and in that [seemingly] unnecessary way sends the audience a signal that ... *quite possibly every one of our beloved characters may be killed.* That event raised the stakes of the whole Firefly/Serenity franchise ... and this movie ... to the most extreme possible level. Whether you are aware of this or not, one of the most common and obvious ends of this kind of story (especially since the movie was nominally to serve as the end of the Firefly/Serenity franchise) ... was to have the characters make the most extreme and ultimate sacrifice (all get killed) in order to deliver the ultimate good to all good folks in the solar system, namely *show them what the alliance is all about, show them exactly what authoritarianism is all about.* They would be the ultimate big honking heroes, in part because they paid the ultimate price (which they damn near did). And it was the death of Wash that sent us (the audience) that message. Not only was the [now semi-independent] preacher dead, but the Serenity pilot *and husband of second in command* is dead too. This also gave Joss the perfect way to show how *TOTALLY* bad-ass his wife is ... as she snapped into "military no-holds-barred fight mode" to do whatever was necessary to try to survive, save everyone she could, and most importantly ... *make sure the mission was a success.* I could write for hours about the many ways this screenplay and movie was awesometacular. But I won't. Too much to say. The quality of this story-writing blows my mind. It was literally "the greatest". *On a scale of 0 to 5 stars, Serenity gets 10 stars.*
Whenever I finish watching Firefly, Serenity and Dollhouse I always watch your reviews for them. They're like the perfect little companions to each of these amazing shows and movie. Thanks for the reviews Jeremy
@jeremy jahns. So I watched Serenity and Firefly for the hundreds time. Do you know there are five books now on Audible? They are like listening to season two of firefly. Hope you know about them, if not. Time to listen to the five books.
i just finished watching the series and the movie. before i came across this video i had never heard of this show, but now i cant get enough of it. like you, i stayed up and watched it all without stopping, loved every minute of it. i may be a little late in joining this community of firefly lovers, but im here to stay.
One of my favorite movies. Oddly enough I couldn't make it through an episode of Firefly when it originally aired. I had expected it to be a Star Trek or Star Wars like universe and just didn't understand why there were revolvers and cowboys in space. Then I heard about Serenity a few years later, and then I saw a trailer. Despite the fact I hadn't really watched the show, the trailer had me convinced this would be a good movie. I also seem to recall being disappointed at certain aspects of the new Star Wars movies, the last of which had just been released earlier the same year. So I went to see Serenity on opening weekend and Bam! It blew my mind. Here was the story and dialogue that was missing from all 3 of the new Star Wars movies. Here were characters that someone had actually taken the time to flesh out and that a director had clearly given direction to the actors and in which the actors had improved upon a script. The movie amazed so much that I went back home and starting watching the episodes of Firefly on Hulu. While the show clearly didn't have the special effects budget of the movie, nor the cameras, I couldn't believe what I was now seeing and hearing. This was the same show that I couldn't even watch a full episode of. Now I was laughing and oohing and awing. I felt so ashamed that I hadn't watched it when it was on had never really given it a shot. I told my friends and family about the show, and eventually bought the dvd set and watched it all over again. More than once over the years. Same with Serenity. I've watched the dvd and on Netflix multiple times. It breaks my heart that Joss says he's done with it and not to expect another movie or show. All I have now are the graphic novels which I've yet to read. Shiny. :(
I had never even heard of Firefly when Serenity came out. A friend suggested I see the movie. I loved the movie so much that I immediately went out and bought the Firefly series. I am now as avid a fan as exists. There were a couple small things about the movie that I don't think fit (like Zoe chiding Mal for not picking up the people on the planet who were begging for help to escape. Her character in the series would have been the one to kick them off!). And then there's the Wash thing. But I love this review and your review of Firefly. Perfect series!
Not having anything to do in a weekend, family decided to go to the movies, decided to see Serenity even tho didn't know a thing about it or the progarm. Absolutely LOVED the movie, went homd looked online to get more info on it and the actors, found out they had a tv series and brought the series early the next morning! Didn't get any house work done as we all sat down and watched the series from start to finish! BEST WEEKEND EVER!!!!
If I ever get the opportunity to hang out with Jeremy Jahns, that'd be swell. On a different note, I'd love to see you (Jeremy) review Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's my personal favorite of Joss Whedon's works, and I'd love to hear what your thoughts are.
It would be cool to see a video about the possibility of a re boot! That is in progress. My reboot would be each character have their own ships get together to fight as an armada each story like ship is like a character in the first story.
Firefly is my favorite series ever made, and it is always sad to think that it could have had about 7+ seasons. The short season it has is brilliant, there is really not one episode that is bad. And the movie is also a great movie with some of the best dialogue and characters, and even though most people think that the death of Wash is very unnecessary, you can't deny that you got really into the whole last fight at the end because of it. It would be awesome if Telltale made a firefly game tbh.
Why kill Wash? Jeopardy. Simple as that. I remember watching Serenity for the first time and Wash getting impaled. I was seriously in disbelief for at least a couple of minutes. My mind did not want to believe that he was dead. But he was, and there was no way around it. All of a sudden, death was a real option. Anyone could die. EVERYONE could die. So in the big stand off, when numerous characters get shot or stabbed or injured in some way, I had no doubts that any one of them was dead/dying/could possibly die. I was completely involved in each and every moment of that finale, sitting on the edge of my seat worried out of my mind that my next favourite character was about to bite the dust. That's why Joss killed Wash, and I curse/thank him for it every day.
Absolutely! It was done to make you feel that way. You feel victimized when he's killed, like you were attacked by reavers. & you need a minute to come to terms with it, but just like Zoey, you don't have a minute, things keep happening & there's no slowing down. I found it very emotional & disturbing. That was the point of his death, & the way he died, to make us feel.
Actually Ron glass and Alan tudyk couldn't commit sequels(back then if it was a possibility) so yea joss had killed off
@@Mahendra-bj6vy You can have characters not return in future stories without killing them off. Not being able to commit to sequels isn't the reason they were killed off, but it opens up the opportunity to have characters die.
@@ohbigstretch that and the reason I mentioned above..just google it up
Watched this movie today and they certainly achieved that reaction out of me! After Wash I was practically 100% certain the film was going to end with the entire crew dying, including Mal, and I was terrified the whole way through! I think I actually cried out loud when Simon got shot.
By the way, I saw this movie before I saw the series, and I was blown away by it. I then rented episode 1 of the series. I got halfway through episode 1... I stopped the disk and returned it, then I went to another store and purchased the entire series and the movie. I almost never buy movies or shows, but I was so blown away by this, I bought them with that little exposure.
Same story here. I saw previews for the movie, bought it, THEN learned it was based on Firefly, borrowed it, binge watched it over the course of a weekend, then bought it.
Same with me. I was in line to watch Corpse Bride and some guy approach my friend and I and said; "you guys want to watch Serenity?"
I said, "never heard of it."
"It's based on the TV show called Firefly."
"Didn't that show get cancelled?"
"Yep it did but they made a movie about it, here are two free tickets"
After watching it my friend and I went out and bought the series and watched it three times straight through over a week. And enjoyed every minute of it.
Sau'l Ramirez ...and that guy was Joss Whedon
@@KrisCasey4 I wish lol, I don't live close to him... I think. nah it was just some random guy. Still one of the best movies ever. I love this movie so much. I've seen it at least a dozen of times, I've watched it 3 times listening to the commentary. I've watched all of the deleted scenes, watched the extended version of it. The best episode is Out of Gas and I've seen it at least 20 times (just the episode) I've watched the series several times, I think at least 7. But I've seen the first true episode Serenity about dozen if not more, i can watch just that episode and be happy. It's the greatest show ever. No weak episodes or weak characters, the chemistry between the actors is amazing, very strong supporting characters, the sets are unique, the dialog is perfect, the timing between the funny moments and dramatic moments is great. The only thing wrong with the show is that it ended way too soon.
What's interesting, and possibly the reason Firefly wasn't so popular on TV, is the producers did not show it in episode series so often it didn't make sense. They jumbled up the sequence. Buying the CDs/DVDs is the way to go.
I completely choked up during the conversation between Shepard Book and Malcolm Reynolds right before the Shepard's death.
Book: You cannot tell me what to do. I am not one of your crew.
Malcolm: Yes, you are.
This gets me every time.
Because of Wash, I thought everyone was gonna die.
it would've been a nice sent off since they cancelled the show. they would've died heroes raising a new form of resistances
Tom Sproson...oh, heck. When K-2SO was killed in Rogue One--also played by Alan Tudek--that's when you figured everyone was going to die then, too.
It was sobering....He was so great all through that section of the movie. It killed me to see him die, but I thought it was a very poignant moment that made everything else suspenseful.
Precisely why he was killed so the stakes were real for the rest of the way. Pretty sure Joss says so in the commentary but I haven't watched it in a long time.
He could be an ai hologram on reboot where black girl is captin of that ship just for the imprint left on the hard drive from her dead ex husband.
I'm subscribing because Jeremy likes Firefly and Serenity. Anyone who digs this series and movie can obviously be trusted.
I agree so I subscribed as well :-)
couldnt agree more...also gonna cover it soon:)
Same
Yup definitely
"Do you want to run my ship!"
"Yes"
"Well....you can't....."
just watched it again still funny
I think Washes death was good, because right then you knew, no one was safe and anyone could die, Zoey gets cut up the back, Simon gets hit, River looks like she sacrifices herself and Mal is almost killed if he wasn't Mal.
+JimboisGaming Agreed. Wash's death. Funny, fun, lovable Wash dies and baby, ANYONE can go. Considering Jos was fairly certain at this point that this would be their swansong, he went for broke. Besides, had the show continued who's to say Wash wouldn't have died at season's end?
David S. Exactly, there was meant to be 7 seasons, so anyone could of died within the 7 seasons.
+JimboisGaming How does a Reaver clean a spear. They put it through the Wash!
Oh no ;-; :')
+JimboisGaming ... well they couldn't very well have Wash running around saying " I WILL fong you!"
Its a crime that Twilight made more money than this..
+Crona “Thunderhaz2274” Gorgon What did you expect?
Its a bad dream 🤣
It’s a crime that twilight made money period.
I wish Joss Whedon had been given episodes 7-9 of star wars - he would have knocked it out of the park
Still Kathleen Kennedy would still control him and still ruin it
That's why my son said. He was 13, he loved The Avenger's movie. He said I know how they can make the new Star Wars movie good, they hire Joss Whedon to direct. I told him, nope they hired JJ. He kept saying, no they could hire Joss and I said, no they hired JJ. He didn't like that.
You kill the comic relief, anyone could go. Mal stabbed, Kaylee poisoned, Simon shot, book dead - hell at one point I thought they'd all die. It was great... but I want wash back of course.
Jeremy Neilsen At a San Diego Comic Con Joss actually said if he had it to do over again he wouldn't have kill off Wash.
+Lefty Hara If we're talking about the reunion vid (which I *love*), Joss was asked if he'd known Firefly was being cancelled ahead of time and the last episode was actually the series finale, what if anything would he have done differently from the movie Serenity. One of the things he said he'd do differently was that no one would die but that movies require higher stakes.
I think if the series had had a long run he still would have killed at least one person off. It's Joss Whedon's way. (Look at Buffy and Angel the series.) I adore the guy but he loves putting his characters and viewers through the wringer.
I see no luv for Jayne and Inara in this section
As an ai hologram on the ship the black chick flys around.
Maybe they'll clone him.
How do Reavers clean their spears? They put them through the Wash.
Connor Veenstra Would they clean there spears?
Connor Veenstra Too soon.
Connor Veenstra you fuckin'...
+Connor Veenstra
daaaaaaaamn....
ASS
I fucking loved this film. It was probably the best possible way they could have ended firefly. But I have to say that one long continuous shot near the start of the film was brilliant. Not only did it show how skilled Joss Whedon is at directing cinematography, it also showed the sheer scale of the set they managed to work with. It was such a brilliant scene.
Solarstar10 a set they had to completely rebuild as Fox had torn the old one down.
Fox causing inconvenience and hardship? Never thought that would happen.
Mal shot first.
dude out of every monster and everything ive seen in supernatural and dr who and all id have to say the by far scariest things ive seen are reavers
I know! The part where they were flying through reaver territory and the light turned on almost made me shit myself
I do think that if you just see the scene where you see the reavers they would probably not be that bad, but with the build up and setting they are scary as shit.
***** First time they're talked about jayne, JAYNE quivers like a baby
Carson Casmirri Joss told the plots of some of the reaver shows they had planned for the series... they would have been brutal and quite frightening.
+Carson Casmirri Because they have the most build-up and they are the most brutal. How many monsters in Doctor Who rape people to death?
The reason they killed Walsh (they explained this in an interview) is because they wanted to raise the stakes. If he hadn't died I wouldn't have had that feeling that someone could potentially die in this movie. They did it so that Mal's speech would take its full effect that he really is asking for everything they've got.
Plus Joss Whedon. Guns don't kill people, Joss does.
George R. R. Martin, Joss Whedon, and Steven Moffat walk into a bar
...and everyone you've ever loved dies.
Tommy Sedin But Moffat brings them all back rebooting the Universe or without any explanation at all, so it doesn't really count.
failingtobeoriginal I think it was also to really make it clear that this was the end of the story. Two of the main characters are dead, there will be no revival, this is it for Firefly.
valinor100 It wasn't the end of the story, it continued in Dark Horse comics. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not the same, but still.
I would like to see a movie or a new TV show where the characters are older, they were split up for a while, Mal and Inara got married at some point, and he's a farmer on an outer world with Serenity stored in his barn, Kaylee and Simon are together and they're living with River under different names, Jayne and Zoe maybe have some kind of mercenary business since Wash died and Zoe is no longer following Mal and she needs some direction. Then they need to get back together for some reason probably having to do with River. Or maybe Mal has to assemble a new crew for purposes.
There's a really good sequel comic called "Leaves on the Wind" which came out last year that takes place after "Serenity." Worth reading. You can get a nice hardcover copy for pretty cheap. It's officially canonical with the film and series as well.
+MaximumMadnessStixon There's a really good fanfiction story on fanfiction(dot)net called "Brown Coat Green Eyes" that really captures the heart and humor of the series and film.
+xyvortex Forward by peptuck on ff.net is a PHENOMENAL continuation of the series. 78 chapters. Brilliant plotting, excellent characterisation, and the author really knows his physics and ballistics. Downside? He hasn't updated in almost 3 years and I'm not sure he's ever gonna finish it. But it's written like season arcs so there are about 5 completed stories within it, which are soooo worth reading.
...is Browncoat Green Eyes the Harry Potter crossover?
Yes, and very well done (and complete)
Interesting... will have a look
Have you read Forward? I really do recommend it.
My favorite part of Serenity is when they fake sacrifice River. She goes into that room with mass reavers and she closes the door and you're like ow she's sacrificing herself. And five minutes later you're like oh, wait, nope, she just killed them all, okay.
OsefKincaid it was a cool reveal too.. I loved the gore dripping from her axes when she faces the alliance at the end.
When I first watched the show, I really loved everything with Simon giving so much to protect his sister. That part where he gets shot in the film and River tells him "My turn" was one of the coolest bits of character growth I have ever seen.
The movie is actually a nightmare that River had.
She had so many in the Firefly series where she woke up screaming and crying...
This movie was just another one.
Proof?
#1:
Her brother Simon in Firefly paid a fortune to have her smuggled out. Believable.
In Serenity, Simon is a hero who infiltrates this ultimate secure non-existent facility and in a daring rescue gets her away. Unbelievable for his character.
Only in a loving sister's dreams would Simon be a super spy James Bond kind of guy.
#2:
River is a helpless mess in Firefly with severe damage to her brain and emotions,
Simon, the doctor, says "She can't NOT feel overwhelming emotions..."
But in her Serenity dream she is a super trained assassin/weapon who is unbeatable and emotionless.
#3:
Book, or his hair actually, scares her so he was gone in most of her dream, and then killed off by the bad guys.
#4:
An entire planet with major cities is wiped out of all memory, history, and all computers?
Miranda wasn't a small test city that nobody knew, it was a highly developed major planet that would have been a major trade and development post.
Get real! Once anything is online it is forever, just ask Paris Hilton.
"Can't stop the signal Mal"
#5:
The Alliance didn't know where the Reavers hung out? Come on!
#6:
In Firefly, Wash was a nice guy who cared about River so in her nightmare he is pointlessly killed when the Reaver ship fires a log spear through the cockpit.
A log spear in a space ship? What did the shoot it with, a slingshot???
Nope, just another bizarre twist in River's nightmare.
#7:
Everyone is hurt and it is up to River to save the day with her superwoman fighting skills...
And so on...
If Firefly had been restarted by a more intelligent network than Fox:
In the first new episode I can see River waking up screaming at the terror and senseless misery of her Serenity nightmare with Simon holding her close as she sobs.
Book comes in to speak his calm and soothing words and while he is still with her, Wash and Zoe come in to sit with her too.
Finally Mal comes in and River whispers to him, "I think I know what, or who, the Reavers are..."
And the adventure continues!
totally agree with this idea
JagLite48 My mind is blown to read this. I had never put all these points together before. I just chalked all of the inconsistencies up to Whedon compressing the stories he had in mind, such as River's character development, for several seasons into one movie. He most likely had a plan to end the series with the events in Serenity after many seasons, rather than a two hour movie. I would like to see the series continue several years after the events in Serenity.
Good theory. Let's run with it and find someone, anyone (EXCEPT fox) to make more seasons of the series! If I were rich I'd but the rights and hire you as a writer, but I'm not so we will have to hope...
I preformed Mals monologue for my drama class. It was well received
I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how *Splat*
"That will teach you for making a comment that you are unkillable and could hold out for more money is the show came back!" -Joss Whedon
He didn't want a raise he just couldn't commit to a sequel so joss had to kill him off.
BeastArmorKing Link please.
Johnny Appleseed
The character was killed simply because Joss wanted the movie to be true...they were in a war and sometimes shit just happens. There was no pay raise dispute no sequel commitments...it was just story
Whedon has said at least twice since the film's release that, had the series continued, Wash would not have been killed. When he reiterated this during the Firefly 10th anniversary reunion at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con International, Tudyk was apparently ecstatic.
Wash's death broke my heart but I liked it. His death was completely pointless, he didnt die saving everyone, he didnt die jumping infront of Zoe or something like that. Horrible as it was, i thought it was a shock to the system. Tv shows (thats arent Game of Thrones) dont do that, pointless deaths piss off so many people, but they happen in real life. I like it.
The guy who played Wash said he made an offhand comment saying he might hold out for more money if the show ever came back because there was no way his character would be killed off. That comment got back to Joss Whedon, and now Wash is dead.
Yeah, I don't think Wash's death was a bad move either. The thing is that in combat, people die. It is just a fact and it infuriates me how many movies, novels, and video games all sugar coat this fact.
I remember reading the black magician trilogy for the first time when several main characters die at the end, I was in shock. Later I googled and found a lot of people were upset about it. But the author simply responded, that in war, people die, and that is how it should be.
Game of thrones and Firefly are an awesome examples of how stories should play these facts out more realistically.
my only problem with it is that if 'felt' artificial, that he was killed for the sake of killing a character. It jarred badly at the time. (perhaps because whedon kills his characters in finalies)
I remember when on MASH colonel Blake was getting out of the service and going home. His plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan, there were no survivors. None of the crew knew this when they filmed the scene, they gave Gary Burghoff (sp) Radar the script page and shoved him through the door. Fox (theres a shock) got angry letters because of his senseless death. That was the first time I recall that happening.
I need more Serenity Movies!!!
I didn't know about Firefly until after its cancellation a friend sent it to me on VHS. I binged watched it and eagerly watched Serenity in the theater. There seemed to be little promotion and what ads I saw didn't seem to link it to the series. It didn't seem to have enough studio support to reach a wide audience in theaters.
Speaking of Wash, well if nobody died during the Reaver chase it would have made them look weak and useless. During Firefly they were supposed to be extremely dangerous and odds of surviving them were low.
***** Just out of curiosity, who do you think they could have killed off instead of Wash?
I saw Serenity in the theaters because I loved Nathan Fillion and it looked good. I had never even heard of Firefly (thanks Fox). In the most bitter of twists it was the finale that in fact made me turn to Firefly... which then turned me into a Browncoat for life. Now I live daily with the pain that all fellow Browncoats have with dealing with the cancellation... and I'd have it no other way.
I actually though, even though Wash's death came out of nowhere, that it worked well. If it hadn't happened, I don't think the next few minutes would've felt as dark as they did, because you wouldn't really have a sense of "holy shit, Joss Whedon is not averse to just killing these people off".
I agree with that. During the series, everyone on the crew gets shot or badly wounded at one point or other, but no one ever snuffs it. Most notably, Kaylee getting shot in the stomach in the pilot, then claiming that she can't feel anything below the waist, but then she turns out to be fine. This led me to think Whedon wouldn't have the balls to kill off one of the central characters, so when it actually did happen, it was all the more shocking. I hated to see Wash go, but it added some needed emotional gravity to the story's conclusion.
First saw serenity when I was just looking for a good Scifi movie. Then I found out about the series. And now? NOW IM A FUCKING BROWNCOAT NOW THAT IS!!!!!!
I didnt enjoy any of the comics, so I never read what Shepherd Book's origin is. But in my head canon, Book himself used to be an Operative, and that's how he knows so much. I think that is badass and that will always be my Firefly.
So there were things I liked in this movie - like the redesigned alliance fleet (seriously, what were those obelisk... things in the TV show?), yet I can't help but think that had it been concluded in the TV show it would have been so much more satisfying. Of course, it would probably have ended with them all just fying off into the sunset (or equivalent), but it's one of those things that should have been allowed to complete, even if it was a financial loss.
Also, Joss has stated (on the DVD commentary) that Wash's death was to heighten the tension for the fight against the reavers. He's just demonstrated that he's willing to arbitrarily kill off main characters, which means that when Simon gets hit, and then when River gets locked out with the reavers, you genuinely don't know if they're going to make it.
when i saw him die i thought it would be a one way ticket for everybody...
Tohoku-class cruisers city ships, basically huge mobile bases hence the reason they resemble towers.
Made for transport and policing dutys where office space and hangers are needed in large numbers, where as the ships seen in serenity are the alliances warships.
And i agree with the other points you raised :).
You summed up washes death perfectly
“If you can’t do something smart, do something right”
God i really wish Firefly was never canceled... but it was.
God i wish this movie was a financial success, cause a critical success wasn't enough... but it wasn't.
WTF!!! I really don't get why life shit all over this series/movie which was just as he said AWESOMETACULAR in every way.
But if it did ever return as so many still want...then what, what's next for the surviving crew of Serenity? Alien life really exists and it wants what we have so an invasion of our Galaxy? Doesn't sound very original at all but really what else can be done in the Firefly universe that's so engaging now that the Alliance's true colours are shown, more Rebelling War? I think the movie give us a brilliant conclusion to an amazing series and should be life as is... as much as i do REALLY want it back.
Well the crew just kinda showed the 'verse the alliances true colors, so there could be a thing where a new rebellion is formed. And mal and his crew could rise through the ranks and maybe even lead. There could easily be a season or two about the war. And then after the war there could be different leaders and mal has to decide which side he wants to choose. And the reavers are still out there. And the people know about the reavers. Possibilities are pretty large without aliens. Because I really liked the fact that firefly/serenity didnt have aliens in it.
Ye and they could ignore the fact that wash and book died (pretend the movie never happened) and focus on books mysterious past as was mentioned multiple times throughout the series
for me the only loose end was 2 by 2 hands of blue. I loved the operative but the blue hands guys that scare the fuck out of river,,,, amazing
Just watched all of firefly and then this. Sad for the missed potential, but what a great ride.
The cinematography and direction in this movie is incredible. Damn impressive for a first film.
I don't know if anyone's already mentioned this, but in case you're interested, the reason Whedon decided for Wash to be killed when it happened was because he wanted to create tension for the final showdown. He wanted to give the audience the feeling that, because he was willing to kill Wash, he would probably kill the entire crew. You still might not like it, but that was the reason.
I dont buy that at all. There was already PLENTY of tension in that scene, with Wash desperately trying to safely crash land the ship and get away from the reavers. Killing him at the end of the crash landing scene was just his way of squashing any hopes of bringing the tv show back. He killed FIREFLY, not Wash. It would have been a far better movie if Wash just got up out of his chair and joined the others. Also, it would have left it open for the possibility of continuing the show someday, somehow. But instead he just gave up on it like a coward, proclaiming he wasnt even going to TRY. So no, i cant forgive Joss for what he did. It was totally unecessary.
I loved Serenity so much, but I found it a lot darker and gloomy than firefly actually is. I was hoping for more closure but you have to remember what was going on, it was only 2 hours to fit everything in. I still think though it has like the best space battle in history, I really loved all the characters but I thought Jane was a bigger asshole though, and Malcolm was also. He was a badass but he didn't do much nice in the film if you know what I mean. I really do love the operative but I wish shepherd got more face time, also favourite scene is defiantly the first one with the 1 camera shot of serenity with that awesome music :)
I guess though what really makes me sad is that this is really it, this was the end of the verse and even the signal is still going and us Browncoats still rocking, I just feel really sad inside, honestly there were tears.
Is this a review of serenity or a summary?
For some reason I had a hard time getting into the movie at first. Everything felt either different or set back, for instance Simon and Mal's relationship was almost back to square one. But by the time Mal had his first fight with the Operative I liked it and Mal's speech and the fight afterward gave it the feel of an epic series finale. Plus the whole Miranda sequence gave me the chills. Very well directed, very thought out, however, you can only appreciate it fully if you've seen the show. Sad so few people know about it.
I feel like this was the Mal that Joss originally wanted, and not the Mal that Nathan Fillion brought to life in Firefly. But he definitely had changed between Firefly and Serenity, and that's probably my biggest complaint about the movie.
Did Jeremy ever use "Washed" again?
"It's worse than you know."
"It usually is."
Nobody, but nobody can make that as classy as Mal.
I loved your review but there's one point I can't agree with you on. You said it's the "conclusion" of Firefly... I refuse to accept this!! BRING BACK FIREFLY!!!! :)
the thing that makes me really sad, is that this show (which had it's time) was light years ahead of the time it had. If Firefly was a thing now, no possible way it would get cancelled... but now the cast and even the great and powerful Whedon himself have all said that a remake/sequel/continuation/etc. will probably never happen. Everyone is busy (Whedon is tied up with Marvel for forever), plus the budget (while not Star Trek level) would have to be astronomical for a film/series.
Firefly will just have to be one of those things that we pass down from generation to generation and say, "This could have been great, but we love what we got."
Could've been great? It is great! It's better than great, it's fantastic. Probably the best season of tv ever made, no other show has a season that resonates so much with people, that is so re-watchable so often.
but it could have been so much more, you know...
James Harris It could've had more brilliant seasons, I know. But it's better to have near perfection and wish for more, rather than get more and be deeply disappointed, like what happened with Arrested Development.
Near the end there where I actually thought everyone was going to die? like, Book died earlier on, and then Wash, and then Mr Universe, and then in that reaver standoff scene with the Reaver, and something happened to Kaylee, and she said she was losing feeling, and river jumped out the door and the others were like "they're gonna get in eventually!", and The Operative was fighting with Mal, and Mal got shot and then stabbed, and at that point, I thought the ending was going to be that they all died in order to get the message out..But I was pleasantly surprised.
When i saw this in theaters i had never heard of Firefly. It was still one of my alltime greatest theatrical experiences.
I still cry for the leaf on the wind
Jeremy your completely right in the beginning scene there is a sweep cut hidden in the mal/simon conversation, mainly because they had to change sets :) the reason he killed off wash is because he wanted to portray to the audience that there was a possibility that the crew may not make it through to the end of this and instill that fear of "oh god whos next?"
Rivers fight scene against the reavers is so great that I'm at a loss for words. And now I have to re watch Serenity. Again.
I Loved that series and the Movie! RIP Wash.
Having marathoned the last 5 episodes of firefly and serenity back to back (having watched the other 9 over the last week), I can say i really enjoyed it, the only thing that saddens me is how the film feels like it was hotshot but its obvious that it had to be due to the nature of what happened with the show, although it was good to see the universe being presented with a bigger budget and better effects which wouldn't have necessarily happened on the small screen
This was an amazing film done by the visionary behind the avengers.I had less issues with it compared to other Sci Fi movies I have seen lately.
Amazing movie*
Rest in peace Book.
Serenity was badass. Loves the film
Books’ death hit me a little harder than Wash’s. I think Book wouldn’t have gone out without a good fight but alas there was no fight scene and no explanation to Book’s mysterious past that the series built up. It’s forgivable though considering Serenity was, as a whole, a spectacular love letter to firefly fans (that most never thought would happen) and a pretty darn good one at that.
i loved firefly and serenity! really wished it had been a multiple seasons show, i could imagine it being huge. the movie was great for closure, but it still left me craving for more.
i absolutely loved your reviews, i wish you did them for other tv series like lost too!
Ok, so this is how you do a review of Serenity, I tried to do one but I pale in comparison to you, you're awesome bud!!!
I watched serenity and I agree there it was the best possible thing that could be made, even though there are a few unanswered questions it did everything right
I love this review, especially the Reavers part- "hey Reavers -*KISS*KISS*KISS- follow me"... epic.
This movie made me cry. That is all I need to know that I loved this movie. If a movie can make me cry, I know I loved it. I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved everything about it. You all know what got me, though right? I got choked up at Shepherd Book's death, the last scene got me a little going because it meant the end of Firefly as a whole (pretty much), but it was Wash that got me. So unexpectedly killed off, I legitimately jumped and gasped when it happened. His and Book's memorials near the end got me into tears. I've heard that Joss Whedon said that, if he ever did anything with Firefly again, he would have everyone back, even the one's who died in Serenity. And that Firefly is his favourite of his creations, so that makes me happy.
Joss Whedon is our generation's Rod Sterling. He can entertain you with compact, minute details into story that by the time he wraps it up, you feel you have a tremendous back story when he snaps your neck… with the twist. Well done. And, well done, Jeremy for your affirming review!
Maybe in Serenity 2, a River-like "person" could be after the crew. Like in Terminator. Then River has to go toe to toe with her. Just a thought.
CASTS (CAn't Stop The Signal)
Just watched this movie, and... oh my god, this was an amazing movie! That's it, that's all I got, it was amazing! Definitely gonna get Firefly and Serenity on Blu-ray for sure, because both Firefly and Serenity are... Awesometacular! Or both a 5/5 on my scale!
I got really sad when wash died. ='(
I had no idea the series ever existed. I grabbed the movie at Blockbuster on a whim. I was completely blown away and had to watch the series.
2021 and still Cinema Gold!!
Joss is awesome when he makes stuff,
Josstes League wasn't his to make tho...
I loved it all, except for Wash getting FUCKING KILLED.
i loved this movie. River tam went crazy in this movie
In an interview, Joss said "I killed off Wash to make it clear how high the stakes were. I mean, in that final fight, you honestly beleived after that death that every time someone got shot, they might actually be dead." Plus, you know, he does sh*t like that.
Again awesome review, tight, emotional, and honest. The fact that you said sans the series it would be a blue ray movie. Totally right. There is nothing earth shattering or completely mind blowing. It's a good movie. But as the last chapter in a series that is indescribably good, it is unbelievably shiny.
It just goes to show that back in the day, .....
... JOSS WHEDON WAS A VERY DIFFERENT PERSON!
In the last episode of the series, Zoe and Wash decide they want to have a baby, then Wash dies. Saddest thing ever
Never watched Firefly. Watched serenity out of the blue and I loved it! (Not only because I have a weak spot for women who can kick ass). =)
When you go back and watch the Firefly episodes, you'll fall in love. Just letting you know 8-) Welcome to the Browncoats
Hey, I'm not the only one who saw it before Firefly! :D
Seriously though both Serenity and Firefly are fricking AMAZING
RandomGeekLord42 Absolutely no offense meant to Serenity cuz (now) I know how awesome it is, but I also saw it before Firefly and thought it was boring as all hell since I had no emotional connection to the characters at all......but on the other hand, when I went back.......Holy Shit!! Rewatching Serenity after completing Firefly? Damn!!! It was an awesome frerakin movie!!!!!
Serenity is actually such a good sci-fi movie on its own, I've given copies of the DVD to people that have never seen Firefly (like my parents and my grandfather, all of whom are movie buffs), and they all loved it.
Serenity was the first 15 rated movie i watched as a kid, i loved it back then, even with no context of the show. Then the other week, now aged 19, i finally watched firefly, loved the show, realized i now recognized the cast; Adam Baldwin from Chuck, Alan Tudyk from Rogue One, Gina Torres from Suits, Morena Baccarin from Deadpool, Nathan Fillion from like, everything. So anyway i thought i would finally rewatch serenity for the first time in like, 10 years. I remembered the action scenes, and the creepy stuff, but not the dialogue and interactions, and then boom. Wash died. I'd forgotten. But then i was heartbroken, started worrying about the other cast members dying, because it had been so long and i was so young, i genuinely couldn't remember how it all played out. I knew no one was safe.
R.I.P Wash
I have a feeling that the show would've given Wash a better death if the show wasn't canceled.
Book's and Wash's deaths could have been two great season cliffhangers, but instead they were crammed into the space of 2 hours and not given enough emotional focus. I wasn't as sad about their actual deaths as I was about the fact that their deaths could have been so much greater :/
Same here
Griffin Watson Actually I feel like it was the best way to kill him. It was gritty and in a sense realistic. Death typically happens instantly and puts you into complete shock, you don’t expect it, there’s no music, or time to reflect. They’re just there and all of a sudden they’re gone. Wash’s death captured that and if they had given him a typical heroic/cinematic ending it wouldn’t still be hitting us over a decade later. So really it was the best way for him to go
i fucking love serenity.
Why do people hate this movie?
I can't imagine a single reason.
Well, Wash did die. Randomly. Pointlessly.
Mathew Lau nahh it wasnt pointless
it was to make the last battle more intense. he died to let you know Joss was willing to kill off characters like that meaning no one was invincible.
Mathew Lau He died because he made a passing comment that he was too important to die and maybe if the show was to come back, that he would hold out for a raise. Joss heard that and decided to put him in his place, boom, he is now dead.
BeastArmorKing
This is like the only comment you make
I love this movie. And I can get into it at any time. All I have to do is start watching the first few minutes and I'm hooked. But yeah, it's because I watched the series and it all made sense to me. I think if I hadn't seen the series, I'd have been a bit confused and the movie wouldn't have been as epic. Still qualifies, I think, as an awesome action movie! But eh, those poor schmucks who didn't see Firefly. I think they might qualify for disability? heh.
One of the biggest problems I have with this movie, though... and I can't ever seem to get over it... is the scene with Simon infiltrating the Alliance's secret installation. I'm pretty sure that doesn't mesh with the story from the series. I mean in the Pilot episode when he's telling the story, he specifically says he doesn't know anything about what they've done to her. But in this scene in the movie, clearly he's got some intel. It's nit-picking and to me it doesn't ruin the movie... it just bugs me a little.
OH, and regarding Wash, I loved him very much like I did with all the characters and I was crushed when he died. But come ON people! You put that small group of people in fights to the death like these and yeah, people are going to die. And I always hated that Wash's death was SO SUDDEN that I didn't even really get to mourn him. But that's what made it so realistic, in my opinion. In the real world, people die all the time... walking across the street... driving to the store... going out to get the mail and getting hit by a car or attacked by a maniac... dying of a sudden heart attack or stroke. Death isn't always planned. We don't always see it coming. And that tends to make it even more tragic.
R.I.P. Shepherd Derria Book and Hoban Washburne!
I actually saw Serenity first. Also, small trivia: River's fighting scenes were done in one take. Summer is a technically trained ballet dancer and was able to just do them once and do them perfect.
I didn't like zoe's reaction to wash dying. Her husband died and she's just like "oh yeah. wash isn't with us anymore"
That was just her the soldier trying to keep her emotions under control. But you can see how she's feeling when she start walking up to reavers and hitting them with her shotgun.
ndwwrestler2 I felt like more emotions should have been shown. I get that she has to do the whole soldier thing but she's still a human.
ratguy101 That is because his death was not planned, it was thrown in later because the guy who played Wash made a sly comment that if the show ever came back, he might hold out for a raise because there was no way they could kill him. Joss heard about his comment, and now he is dead... When working under Joss Whedon, never think you are unkillable, and if you do, never say it because you will die.
STOP SPOiLING MOVIES IN THE REVIEWS
Jack Package 1. Never look at the comments while watching a review 2. Jeremy gave a spoiler alert in the beginning
I saw the movie when it came out and thought it was a decent movie. I'd never heard of the TV show. Several years later I saw the show and didn't know it was only a partial season and was pissed because I want more. Then I saw there was a movie that concluded the story. As I start watching the movie, I realize I'd already seen it, but with the back story from the show it was a completely different movie. The movie went from being a fun, decent movie to being an epic film. It also made me even angrier that the show was cancelled. The executives who ruined the release of the show and then cancelled it should never work in the film or movie industry again. They should hang their collective heads in shame for their inability to recognize and support greatness.
I watched this movie when it came out in theatres years ago and was like wtf?! And then some time ago after I got into Firefly and came back to Serenity it was such a revelation. I cried.
Watching it right now, i totally agree with you
I saw Sarenity before I'd even heard of Firefly. But after seeing one I had to see the other, and I still want more!
*Serenity* was the most impressive movie I've ever seen. That is a *HUGE* statement to make, because there have been some truly and overwhelmingly *AWESOMETACULAR* movies made in the past 50 years. But *Serenity* had some near-impossible barriers (created by the *Firefly* series) to hurdle to be "real", to be "impressive", to be "satisfying", to provide worthy "closure" to the series ... while at the same time potentially be the "beginning" of a new movie franchise had the marketing been sufficient (and humans smart enough to spend $10 or $20 or $30 at the movie theater to watch this awesome movie 1, 2, 3 times.). As someone who has written a few screenplays and understand how difficult creating a great story and screenplay is ... my mind was blown at how fantastic the *Serenity* story accomplished everything that could be asked of the closing story of the Firefly/Serenity saga ... or the start of a whole new movie saga.
I want to address one issue mentioned by this excellent review, namely, why kill Wash? If you think deeply, you will know the answer. Namely, to kill wash at that point, and in that [seemingly] unnecessary way sends the audience a signal that ... *quite possibly every one of our beloved characters may be killed.* That event raised the stakes of the whole Firefly/Serenity franchise ... and this movie ... to the most extreme possible level. Whether you are aware of this or not, one of the most common and obvious ends of this kind of story (especially since the movie was nominally to serve as the end of the Firefly/Serenity franchise) ... was to have the characters make the most extreme and ultimate sacrifice (all get killed) in order to deliver the ultimate good to all good folks in the solar system, namely *show them what the alliance is all about, show them exactly what authoritarianism is all about.* They would be the ultimate big honking heroes, in part because they paid the ultimate price (which they damn near did). And it was the death of Wash that sent us (the audience) that message. Not only was the [now semi-independent] preacher dead, but the Serenity pilot *and husband of second in command* is dead too. This also gave Joss the perfect way to show how *TOTALLY* bad-ass his wife is ... as she snapped into "military no-holds-barred fight mode" to do whatever was necessary to try to survive, save everyone she could, and most importantly ... *make sure the mission was a success.*
I could write for hours about the many ways this screenplay and movie was awesometacular. But I won't. Too much to say.
The quality of this story-writing blows my mind. It was literally "the greatest". *On a scale of 0 to 5 stars, Serenity gets 10 stars.*
so awesome i watched firefly through in a couple days and watched serenity it all was AMAZING
Whenever I finish watching Firefly, Serenity and Dollhouse I always watch your reviews for them. They're like the perfect little companions to each of these amazing shows and movie. Thanks for the reviews Jeremy
Serenity was my introduction to the Firefly universe and I would call it awesometacular regardless of whether or not you have seen the series first.
@jeremy jahns. So I watched Serenity and Firefly for the hundreds time. Do you know there are five books now on Audible? They are like listening to season two of firefly. Hope you know about them, if not. Time to listen to the five books.
I didn’t see firefly before I saw this movie and really liked the movie!
i just finished watching the series and the movie. before i came across this video i had never heard of this show, but now i cant get enough of it. like you, i stayed up and watched it all without stopping, loved every minute of it. i may be a little late in joining this community of firefly lovers, but im here to stay.
One of my favorite movies. Oddly enough I couldn't make it through an episode of Firefly when it originally aired. I had expected it to be a Star Trek or Star Wars like universe and just didn't understand why there were revolvers and cowboys in space. Then I heard about Serenity a few years later, and then I saw a trailer. Despite the fact I hadn't really watched the show, the trailer had me convinced this would be a good movie. I also seem to recall being disappointed at certain aspects of the new Star Wars movies, the last of which had just been released earlier the same year. So I went to see Serenity on opening weekend and Bam! It blew my mind. Here was the story and dialogue that was missing from all 3 of the new Star Wars movies. Here were characters that someone had actually taken the time to flesh out and that a director had clearly given direction to the actors and in which the actors had improved upon a script. The movie amazed so much that I went back home and starting watching the episodes of Firefly on Hulu. While the show clearly didn't have the special effects budget of the movie, nor the cameras, I couldn't believe what I was now seeing and hearing. This was the same show that I couldn't even watch a full episode of. Now I was laughing and oohing and awing. I felt so ashamed that I hadn't watched it when it was on had never really given it a shot. I told my friends and family about the show, and eventually bought the dvd set and watched it all over again. More than once over the years. Same with Serenity. I've watched the dvd and on Netflix multiple times. It breaks my heart that Joss says he's done with it and not to expect another movie or show. All I have now are the graphic novels which I've yet to read. Shiny. :(
I had never even heard of Firefly when Serenity came out. A friend suggested I see the movie. I loved the movie so much that I immediately went out and bought the Firefly series. I am now as avid a fan as exists. There were a couple small things about the movie that I don't think fit (like Zoe chiding Mal for not picking up the people on the planet who were begging for help to escape. Her character in the series would have been the one to kick them off!). And then there's the Wash thing. But I love this review and your review of Firefly. Perfect series!
watching this in 2019 on my 4th watch through on firefly and serenity
I love watching old Jeremy... but new Jeremy is well refined and polished at his craft.
Not having anything to do in a weekend, family decided to go to the movies, decided to see Serenity even tho didn't know a thing about it or the progarm. Absolutely LOVED the movie, went homd looked online to get more info on it and the actors, found out they had a tv series and brought the series early the next morning! Didn't get any house work done as we all sat down and watched the series from start to finish! BEST WEEKEND EVER!!!!
Only complaint is that I wish Universal continued firefly after Serenity
If I ever get the opportunity to hang out with Jeremy Jahns, that'd be swell. On a different note, I'd love to see you (Jeremy) review Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's my personal favorite of Joss Whedon's works, and I'd love to hear what your thoughts are.
It would be cool to see a video about the possibility of a re boot! That is in progress. My reboot would be each character have their own ships get together to fight as an armada each story like ship is like a character in the first story.
Firefly is my favorite series ever made, and it is always sad to think that it could have had about 7+ seasons. The short season it has is brilliant, there is really not one episode that is bad. And the movie is also a great movie with some of the best dialogue and characters, and even though most people think that the death of Wash is very unnecessary, you can't deny that you got really into the whole last fight at the end because of it. It would be awesome if Telltale made a firefly game tbh.