Other "Serenity" Reviews

Consider me a biased content aggregator, but here are a few reviews of interest:

Ebert & Roeper
"Two thumbs up"

Roger Ebert
"it has the rough edges and brawny energy of a good yarn, and it was made by and for people who can't get enough of this stuff."


The New York Times (free registration required)
It probably isn't fair to Joss Whedon's "Serenity" to say that this unassuming science-fiction adventure is superior in almost every respect to George Lucas's aggressively more ambitious "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith." But who cares about fair when there is fun to be had? Scene for scene, "Serenity" is more engaging and certainly better written and acted than any of Mr. Lucas's recent screen entertainments."


BBC
"A gently intelligent action sci-fi with wit, drama, and emotion to spare, this is the blockbuster you've been waiting for all year.

"The characters and their relationships are more credible than in most serious dramas, while Whedon's unique dialogue - a self-aware jumble of teen-speak, technobabble, literary swagger and merciless Cantonese swearing - serves up some dazzling one-liners."


LA Times
"Engaging, ragtag characters blend with action-packed script in Joss Whedon's universe."

"There's no need to have seen a single episode of "Firefly" to digest any of this as Whedon craftily weaves the complex exposition into the main story."

"A strongly acted, well-written story fortified by riveting action sequences — a rarity these days among studio releases — "Serenity" should delight Whedon novices as much as the already converted."


Chicago Tribune - Robert K. Elder
"And oh, what a movie it is. "Serenity" is a brash, funny, action-packed bit of sci-fi ecstasy"


Boston Herald (contains minor spoilers)
"Joss Whedon's "Serenity" is "Buck Rogers" on Red Bull, a hipper, funnier, action-packed throwback to the original "Star Wars."


Entertainment Weekly
"Serenity, despite its simple chase plot and elegant narrative ductwork, is unmistakably a TV season's worth of roller-coastering drama, most of it balanced on the capable shoulders of [Nathan] Fillion, a natural leading man. Jaw set but never stiff, he gets both the Whedon wit and the Whedon grandiloquence between cheek and gum, and gives the whole enterprise the heft of a real saga. Which it most certainly is — especially for those who were already saddled up for the ride."


Village Voice (contains spoilers)
"Of course, it remains to be seen whether anyone who couldn't be bothered to watch Firefly for free will pay $10.75 to see Serenity, but those who do will be too engrossed by the film's effective blend of humor, horror, and action to contemplate what they've missed."


TV Guide (contains spoilers)
"Fans of the short-lived TV series are this film's built-in audience, but you don't have to have seen a single episode to enjoy it immensely."


Associated Press
"You can see how "Firefly," the short-lived TV show that provided the basis for "Serenity," could have gotten addictive if given the chance. The movie is a spirited mix of the familiar and the futuristic, of fast-paced chase scenes and butt-kicking brawls, of witty banter and well-drawn characters."


Slate's David Edelstein (contains spoilers)
"Having missed the fleeting run of Joss Whedon's TV series Firefly, I arrived at Whedon's feature-film follow-up Serenity in a state of absolute ignorance. And I couldn't believe what I was watching: an outer-space Western with smartass Whedon banter! Cool! I had such a good time I couldn't wait to get hold of the complete series on DVD.

"Well, now it's 10 days later and I'm afraid I've almost forgotten Serenity. In the interim, I've become a Firefly freak. What a show..."


US Congress of Catholic Bishops (no joke!)
"The movie weds the science fiction and Western genres resulting in a sly, offbeat and witty hybrid, full of gunslinging space cowboys and dusty one-horse planets -- Buck Rogers meets Roy Rogers."