I just want to post this here to say if you havent seen the movie, avoid the Official US Browncoats Forum. There's someone posting multiple threads with major spoiler on the title. Alas, no serenity_leader.

Mr Universe | October 01, 12:58 CET

He's the man behind [...] the second highest-selling series in DVD history.
Did we know this? I mean, it's sold amazingly well but second highest ever?!

Djungelurban | October 01, 13:26 CET

I mean, it's sold amazingly well but second highest ever?!

Read the article again - it is refering to "Buffy" and its DVD sales. Of course that accounts for all seven seasons of which most people would have bought at least five years worth - so that ups the total a lot.

Which of course makes the 300,000+ sales for Firefly's one-shot half-season release still damn impressive but not in the same ballpark.

crossoverman | October 01, 14:05 CET

That's a very good review from a broadsheet - bodes very well indeed.

Gill | October 01, 15:38 CET

A superb article indeed.

One thing that surprises me so far, though, is that a lot of the positive reviews focus largely on the "fun" aspect of the movie...a great ride...the theater rocks, etc. All true, and the trademark Joss humor is everpresent, even in the most unexpected places...but this is also a deeply serious piece of work about several deeply serious themes...surprised no reviewer (to my knowledge) has picked up on that at all as of yet.

Still, great article!

Chris inVirginia | October 01, 16:30 CET

look here Chris:

quote: "As filmmaking, it's big, bold and spectacular, yet built on a human scale, with complex characters and relationships. It's bursting with action and adventure, but underpinned by serious ideas."

Not enough for you? It's from this same article.

[ edited by Harpy on 2005-10-01 15:09 ]

Harpy | October 01, 17:08 CET

Actually quite a few reviewers have noted the serious themes but many of them have also bemoaned the fact they aren't explored or are brought up too late in the film for serious examination. Hell, it's enough for me that they are even in a blockbuster film - even when I expect serious themes from Whedon. But I never expected "Serenity" to cover difficult and complex themes in the same way Joss' television shows have.

crossoverman | October 01, 17:23 CET

I think, to be honest, exploring those films would be dangerous in Serenity.

Why?

America is pretty divided over issues involving politics. And you can read a lot of politics into Serenity. You don't want to alienate a lot of your audience by getting heavily into themes people can't agree with (control/the right to be wrong/spreading values etc etc etc).

gossi | October 01, 17:31 CET

America is pretty divided over issues involving politics.

Which is probably why people from both sides of the political spectrum - I'm thinking mostly of bloggers here, not critics - have recommended the film. Because politically it's open to interpretation.

crossoverman | October 01, 17:44 CET

Exactly. Because it doesn't go over the top with the messages.

I think it works. In reality I'm sure most people who follow Joss' work can figure out where he was going with it... but like I say, it's not overly hammered home.

gossi | October 01, 17:49 CET

I was referring to the multitude of reviews in the US media that call Serenity a thrill ride and such, not this article, which obviously takes a different approach.

The whole concept of belief, which figures so prominently, isn't addressed in many of the positive reviews. Three particular segments of the movie deal explicitly and powerfully with it, and (admittedly, I haven't read all the reviews) I haven't seen anything substantive about it. I'd be much obliged to be pointed to a review that does, of course.

Keith G is right, I think, about how the political dimensions can be analyzed (and have been) from various parts of the political spectrum (see National Review Online and Daily Kos for radically differing perspectives.) Personally, I'll stay away from any political analysis, as it always seems to be polarizing. Agree totally with gossi on that.

[ edited by Chris inVirginia on 2005-10-01 16:22 ]

Chris inVirginia | October 01, 18:05 CET

I'm surprised there hasn't been a review with the title "The Operative = Bush. Making a better world". Certainly, not all of our UK tabloid reviews are out yet, so it could happen.

gossi | October 01, 18:23 CET

I saw "Serenity" last night with ten friends, several of whom were brand new to the Joss-verse. They loved the movie, and this article is a GREAT way to get them excited about all his other work! Will use!

Ronald_SF | October 01, 18:35 CET

Ronald_SF, that's about as good news on a personal level as I could hope for...great stuff!

[ edited by Chris inVirginia on 2005-10-01 17:25 ]

Chris inVirginia | October 01, 18:50 CET

Chris - I agree that the whole "just a thrill ride" group of reviews and comments does some injustice to Serenity and to Joss, but I also think that it's very easy to overlook the more serious aspects of the film if you aren't expecting them. (I think the most common misconception of this sort is the description of the Alliance as evil, which it emphatically is not.)

In addition, a lot of the character development and political ideas build on things set up in the series, and will be less apparent to people new to the universe. I discovered this myself when I had a long argument trying to convince my girlfriend that Serenity had real philosophical and political substance to it, and I found myself referring again and again to character and thematic elements first established in Firefly, and even kinda cheating by mentioning interviews with Joss.

That said, the politics are definitely there for people who watch and listen closely, but are presented in a way that, to use Joss' words, is "political but not partisan." Hopefully, this won't put off intelligent viewers of any political stripe.

bobothebrave | October 02, 00:30 CET