They couldn't take the sky from them, our big damn heroes made a film...

[fan_elune]

Serenity. Third time on Friday night, at the Parisian premiere, which, well, wasn't much of anything crowd-wise. Thank Joss for our few but lovely fellow Browncoats. I hadn't gone into details about it back when I'd seen it first, because few people on my flist had, but I guess now it would be much pointier. So, behold, spoiler-full rant ahead!

So. It's not an extra episode of the series, granted. Many people I know resented the film for, well, being a film. Personally, I don't. It's a film, precisely, it can't be the series. And considering all he had to deal with, I do think Joss made a very good job of it.

I love the first scene, pre-"credits." I know, I know, it used to be canon that River had been delivered to Simon by that underground movement, but that's just what Simon said, and clearly the lad's been distorting the truth here and there, or maybe he just meant they helped him get her out and they put her in stasis, I don't know. And honestly, I'm not that bothered, because Joss simply couldn't afford to introduce those underground characters, and all that for nothing. For scenaristic reasons, it had to be Simon. And then, the Operative scene? I love the Operative. The more I see our BDM, the more I love him. Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance is spot-on, and all in nuances here and there, and he's just... he's not creepy like the blue-gloves, granted. As he says, he doesn't exist. That's the thing with him. It's like... things slide off of him, or through him, and he's just this force, this concept, not really a human being at all. Just a force at work.

Then, the credits, and our first look at Serenity, and Wash and Mal. This being my third time, just seeing Wash there, piloting, just being himself, I got teary already. I'm still not convinced by the first Mal/Simon bit, but otherwise that long one-shot is just perfect for me. Yeah, it lays it heavy on, like, Kaylee who's got grease all over for the only time in the film, but it had to. I think it's a great introductory sequence to everybody. For the non-fans, it explains who everybody is, and for the fans we just squee at each of our BDH that we're just so happy to see again.

River's "do you?" at Mal is one of the pivotal lines of the film, imho. It says who the movie is about, and how it's told. It's about Mal, through River. It's perfect, and it's funny, and I love it.

The whole robbery is great as well, and then we get to the Reavers. I know some people got all shifty that we actually see them, but. How else could he have done? And - especially the first time you see the film - you really never see them long enough to get a good look at what they're like. It's only now that I have a really clear visual on them. I mean, I completely agree that it takes away some of their scare power, but it had to be done. (Hell, now I sound like the Operative.) For me, the scariest Reaver moment is the one with the hologram, when we don't see what they're doing to her. So, yeah. But.

Barn swallow. "Talkin' ain't doin'." I love Wash and Zoe. I get all squishy inside each time he calls her baby.

Since now's when Simon punches Mal and calls him a son of a whore, I might as well take this opportunity to discuss our good doctor. I know he's changed. A lot. And I kinda miss the good ol' clumsy Simon who couldn't punch someone correctly to save his life. But it makes sense that he would have changed - six months since the end of the series, people - and Mal says River's been on his boat for eight months. Which means the series was two months out of eight. Imagine getting three times what we had of the series, and how much Simon can have evolved in the meantime - and his relationship with Jayne, too. That was... different. (It's a bit heartbreaking to think of it that way though, because... three times what we had of the series!! I want it! Fox, go and die a slow and agonising death!)

Fanty and Mingo. Oh how I love them. Twins, with Cockney accents... was that just for me, Joss? I love 'em love 'em love 'em. (And shall soon post a fic about them. Yessir.) They just ooze promiscuity, untrustworthiness, and all manners of selfishness and greed. Heee.

...and River kicks arse. ("And oh River, I love River, I wish River were my sister-er-er...") Which doesn't bother me, in the "omg Buffy rip-off!!!" way. Honestly. Because apart from the fact that she's a teenager that can kick arse? Not many common points, I'm happy to report. The mythology behind it is utterly different (Buffy was given her powers for a "Good" reason, whereas the whole process of how River got kick-arse-y is everything Mal stands against, "making people better"), the psychology of each girl is obviously so not the same, and the fighting styles... I could watch River fight for hours on end. It's a dance. It's fascinating.

"Can I make a suggestion that doesn't involve violence, or is this the wrong crowd?" This is a lot of what I love about Wash. He's always the guy that doesn't wanna hurt anybody, the guy that's just doing this because he's in love with that amazing woman who's dead loyal to her captain, and, well, he just loves her that much. But he's so not violent, unlike them all. Unless you torture him for hours and cut his captain's ear off, of course. Special circumstances and all.

Mr. Universe - well, I'm not absolutely crazy about the guy. I think that I actually consider him as one of the weakest points of the film. He's just not that compelling or funny, only mildly so, and I'd expect more coming from Joss. But, well. I do love his line to Zoe. "Zoe, you sultry minx, stop falling in love with me. You're just gonna embarrass yourself."

Now, the River and Simon scene where he tends to her wound? I found that it gave more weight than ever to the fact that Simon's love for River is just a little bit more than it should be. Bordering on incestuous. I don't believe they'd ever sleep together - no matter that River wants to marry him, heh - but, yeah. There was something about the intimacy of that scene, the way it was shot, the way Sean acted it, and... on a more shallow note, the amount of skin Summer was showing. Which definitely played into the intimacy.

Then, Book. Yeah, I know, people-not-Browncoats can't realise he used to be aboard Serenity. But, well, does it matter that much? We Browncoats care, and we Browncoats know. The rest of the audience, they see what matters - that the crew has ties with Book and his community, and that there's a special sort of interaction between Mal and Book - sure, they can't get all the subtleties of that one, but it's a movie! You can't sum that up in a movie, not when it has nothing to do with the plot. And! Book brings up the theme of belief, which I hold very dear to my heart.

Then comes that shot that I personally love, of the Operative coming up to Inara. I love it because it only takes her a few seconds to read him, he doesn't have to say anything. And again, people-not-Browncoats might not realise it, but we full well know that it's so her Companion training that allows that. Companions rock.

Hmm. Mal. Those pants ride... low. They're not tight, but... hmm. *eyes glaze over* No, seriously though, that was... well, I'm glad for the die-hard Mal lusters, but I have to say it didn't do much of anything for me - which was a surprise. I enjoyed the sight, but felt no lust. What's wrong with me? And, also, I enjoyed the scar, so maybe I'm still the Fan' you all know and (hopefully) love.

And can I point out that - that's a male Companion! Walking in the hallways of the training house!! Finally!!! *takes a breath* Yeah. I'd been waiting for that.

"Dear Buddha, please send me a pony, and a plastic rocket..." I LOVE YOU JOSS! Lines like that make me giggle like crazy. I'm a sucker for Joss's type of humour, what can I say.

Great confrontation there. The Operative is a very interesting character - and I like that you wouldn't expect him to use the word "moron," but he does, except personally I still don't feel like he has (if that makes sense to anybody but me). That's Chiwetel's performance, I'm sure. And I absolutely adore that Serenity outsmarts the Alliance on that one, with the pulse beacon and the nav sat. Heh, Mr. Operative, Sir, those guys are so very used to giving the Alliance the slip. Shouldn't have underestimated them.

Then, the guys talk it out. Jayne says what he thinks ('cause yeah, he can actually think(ish) in the film). And it's a tiny detail, but I adore the fact that when Mal turns to go, what Jayne says isn't "I'm talkin' to you!" but "I'm talkin' at you!" Because "at" makes it aggressive, makes it non-dialogue-like but in-your-face-like, and it's so Jayne. It's one of those thousand little ways Joss has to give so much flesh to the characters through words. He's a wordsmith, if you ask me.

And then Book dies. After shooting down an Alliance ship, way to go! And Book dies, and tells Mal that it doesn't matter what you believe in, you just gotta believe. And that is so gorram right, and the way that I live my life. So, yeah. I'm so on board with Book on that one.

And, he dies mid-sentence. Which, thank you. I'm tired of people dying once they get through their death speech.

Okay, so what Mal says after his confrontation with the Operative, many people have an issue with. Because he threatens to shoot his crew. But I really don't. Have an issue with it, I mean. He's giving them a choice - help him or leave him - and making sure they don't see trying to talk him out of it as a third option. Because yes, he's in that bad of a mood - and that makes it sound like he's PMSing, I know. But you know what I'm saying. Things have got that bad. He just can't take it anymore, and he's gonna do what he has to carry this out. Because the only thing he believes in is keep flying, and right now that's seriously jeopardised. So he'll keep flying, even if it means through a fleet of Reavers.

Even if it means disfiguring Serenity.

Then, that next shot. Him, aboard Serenity, leaning back against a wall. Taking comfort from her. Just being totally ruined by it all, but doing what he's gotta do, and hating it, and leaning against his boat. I love this shot. So much.

They get to Miranda, yaddi yaddi yadda. Weird freakish corpses. And then River freaks - and I love that moment, so much. Her performance, the way Simon comes forward to cradle her, "please God make me a stone," Jayne's reaction to her, and the way the camera turns all around her and stops on Wash, and then cuts closer to him - I did notice it the first time around, and had no clue what it meant. Now that I do... I actually love it even more, because it's another one of those moments that get to me so much.

The hologram bit - I love the way Summer plays it, how River is looking at Caron and it all looks like Caron's actually talking to her. And, of course, the best (as in creepiest) Reaver moment, when you can only hear her scream.

"So now I'm asking more of you than I ever have before. Maybe all." Again with the "argh!" Wash. My lovely, funny, endearing, peaceful Wash. Who was just on this boat because he fiercely loves that warrior woman he's gone and married.

And behold, Jayne shares alcohol with Simon. ... Wait, rewind that? Did those two start getting it down in the missing six months between show and movie? And - Simon doesn't choke on it? Who are you and what have you done to the clumsy doctor guy!! ...yeah, okay, I know. It's entirely plausible (I didn't mean the shagging, but... that too, yeah). But still, those were my original thoughts.

Yaddi yaddi yadda, and Wash is a leaf on the wind. Oh, watch how he soars, because it will be the last time. Until the next time you go to the cinema, and eventually until you get the DVD and watch the scene repeatedly and cry and cry and cry over it... or not, you know.

The best worst best thing about his death is how unexpected it is. On many levels. If Kaylee had died, I really wouldn't have been that surprised. Really not. It would have made sense, because... she's Kaylee. She's the sweetest. But Wash... no, I hadn't seen it coming. Because he's Wash, and you just don't kill Wash. Except Joss did, and I couldn't believe it, except I did because man, I was crying. Was I crying... Less so the second time, more so the third. But the first time? I couldn't stop crying until the end of the movie. No matter what was going on on screen. And then the credits rolled and I wasn't crying, I was sobbing. It was something. Man.

And it's all the more shocking because it's such a rush. And he doesn't take his sweet time dying, with words of love to his dear autumn flower. He's just living, and next second he's not. Next second he's dead, and they gotta keep moving, and there's no time. No time to mourn or grieve or realize, you just gotta keep moving, and it's agonising.

But as much as it kills me that he died, I love that he did. Emotionally and dramatically, it is a stroke of genius. Because emotionally - any film that makes me cry like this, I gotta love. Because it made me feel this much. And dramatically - because once he killed Wash, he could have killed them all. That showed us that he was able to do anything, anything. And that worked extremely well for the rest of the film, because nobody was safe. (Well... Jayne might have been?)

Okay, so Simon suddenly realises he really wants to have sex with Kaylee. Great. Don't get me wrong, I love Kaylee and Simon, and it's ever so sweet that they got together at last (and good for Kaylee that she finally got something with no batteries 'twixt her nethers), but the first time round? I was still crying over Wash!!! And Joey was making squeeing sounds of shipper joy next to me, and all I could think was, "Wash is dead." But yeah, those two are all with the cuteness.

Then. Everybody gets hit, and I know it was predictable but I still love what snaps River out of it, or into it, or whatever you wanna call it. And that sequence of her running, jumping through the opening, kicking a couple arses, pushing that button, throwing that bag in, and finally getting pulled away by the Reavers? Whoa.

The screwdriver! And may I say that it could have been a little more sonic? I'm really wondering whether it's any sort of a Who reference or if I'm just obsessed - very, very likely... but with Joss you never know. It might well be!

Anyway, the screwdriver was great - as a gag, first, because. Heh. And then, when he actually used it - as a weapon, because. OUCH. And I just love the whole fight, and the dialogue that goes with it. About sins, and being a fan of all seven, and the bit about his nerve, and everything. Mal just really isn't the best fighter, too, and I love that about him.

The image of River standing over the Reavers' corpses? For me, it evokes Fray. And I love it, it's so beautiful.

Then, the funeral. I know, I know, Mr. Universe bleedin' betrayed them, and really shouldn't be put on the same level as Book and Wash. I agree. I totally do. It hurts me each time. But I do think he should be mourned, and also, mostly, the guys can't know he betrayed them! There's no way for them to know. And so to them, no matter how not-completely-true it is, that guy is a fallen comrade. (And if I say "not completely true" instead of "so not true", it's because he sort of is. Really. The Operative showed up, what was he supposed to do? Throw himself on a sword? Mr. Universe had no code of honour, no motto, precisely. But he cared about them, I believe, and about the truth, and without him the signal might just have been stopped.)

The last scene with the Operative I really liked. I liked that Mal didn't offer him a job, and said he'd kill him if he saw him again. I liked that all he had to reply was that there wasn't anything to be seen - back when I still had hope about further movies, I also had hope about seeing him again, later. *fights away the plot bunnies*

The bit where Mal and Zoe talk about Zoe Serenity? Lovely, and spot-on, and I just wish you'd change your top Zoe!!! Please! Simon and Kaylee getting it down in the engine room, shiny, but the shiniest would be River sneaking a peek. Definitely. And, finally the love speech.

Okay, so I have big issues with the love speech, I'll grant you that, but by now I feel less hostile about it. Because what Mal oughta have said was "Keep flying." Which is his one belief, the one that carried him through this all. But no, he goes on about love instead. And it's been remarked before, as I'm about to do, that that speech isn't Mal talking. It's Joss. That speech highlights the parallelism between Serenity, the ship, and Serenity, the film. Mal is Joss, and we are River, because Serenity-the-film is all seen through River's eyes. And that's Joss thanking us, and giving us his secret, and I believe it's the big damn truth. It's the key to any creative process, love is. Or at least, that's the way I work as well. I create anything, I have to love it, otherwise it won't be any good. And not just the pretty shiny happy stuff, but the vicious characters and the angst and... everything.

Anyway. I'm still not 100% happy with that speech, but that, and the fact that everything Mal's gone through might just have had an effect on him, well it helps me accept it.

And, of course, "What was that?"

Just keep flying, guys. We'll keep watching.

Comments

[houses7177.livejournal.com]

That was a fantastic review. I loved the depth of it and it really helped those of us who came late to the playground appreciate some of the subtleties of the film. Thanks!

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I wasn't sure it had any purpose besides me finally rambling my little heart away about the film, so I'm glad you found it of interest. :)

[grimma.livejournal.com]

YES !

I think we saw the same things in Serenity. And the more I watch it, the more I love this movie. There are so many details!

Re : the exposition scene : I heard peeps commenting on it "I don't get it, it's bad". Geez, guys, let the film roll (and rock you) and everything will be sorted out. Kind of :-)

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

I know! Each time I see it I notice new things. (Like the male Companion woohoo!! ...ahem. Sorry 'bout that.) But, yeah, totally. And this time around I think I spent the whole film looking at Wash. *nods* *wants to cling to him*

You mean the one-shot through Serenity, right? And what did they expect? It's exposition. Joss has to expose things.

Kind of. *wants to cling to Wash again*

[grimma.livejournal.com]

(linking to this post in my LJ right now)

And where'd you get the pic for your icon?

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pimping!

It's in the Visual Companion. And that's a deleted scene I really can't wait to see. Mal/Inara really got the worst of the cuts.

[grimma.livejournal.com]

I saw it in the Companion when I went to bed but didn't feel like getting up and going back to the comp to let you know about it :-)

Can't wait for this scene either!

[roniabirk.livejournal.com]

Here via grimma. Great review/summary. I think reading this would help a lot of people who had issues with various parts of the movie. :)

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I didn't think it was much but me rambling away, so I'm glad to know it's potentially helpful.

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

"that's a male Companion! Walking in the hallways of the training house!! Finally!!! *takes a breath* Yeah. I'd been waiting for that."

Hmm... Reminds me of a discussion related to that...

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

I'd talked about male Companions with you? Clearly I talk about those more than I think I do. (Obsessed, moi?)

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

Not your fault. *I* had started it. If that's any relief for you....
Though you didn't really seemed reluctant to keep talking about that topic. *wbeg*

Actually, the topic quickly evolved to be about the possibility for male Companions to sometimes have male clients.... O;-)

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Really? See, now that's a surprise. That you'd have started it - well, not so much a surprise as a disappointment. ;)

Sometimes? Heh. Not so very sometimes. Not at all talking of a RP character of mine, nope!

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

Yep. We were discussing the possible existence of existing characters in the Firefly-verse, and I started speculating on what A could do for a living. O;-)
Disappointment? In which way? *eg*

Really? Ah, and when I think that back then I thought it was possible and you thought it was rather unlikely. *shaking head*

And unfortunately for you, I have proofs of that.
*makes a quick search through her Yahoo mails, just to be sure, even though I'm always right and yadda yadda*
Alas. Indeed I have.
But it's ok, it's ok *pats you on the shoulder and offers you a kleenex*, you're beyond that stage now and were enlightened, I am so glad of that.

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Makes sense.
In the way that I wouldn't have brought it up myself...

Really? Hmm. Why would I think that? Because I don't think the 'verse is that sly-friendly, maybe? Well, I still don't. I still think homophobia exists. A lot. But... I'm sure the Companion academies are open-minded enough. It can't always be easy for the male Companions, especially when they're the "pretty boy" type *pats her character on the shoulder comfortingly*, but... yeah.

*takes the offered tissue* Thanks. *sniffles* I'm better now.

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

I can send you back your whole speech if you like. ;-P
But yeah, it was mostly about the not sly-friendly thing. However, now that I finally managed to get my own DVDs at home for an additional week which double the time they spent here see the serie a second time, the ep with the tin-foiled whorehouse shows that pretty-males-not-companions-but-the-closest-thing-to-it offering their services to male clients are definitely not unheard of. And that not everybody reacts badly to it.
Which means that the offer and demand was there, even if it may have to not be too blatant. At all.
*wonders if she should include A in her Firefly fic.
*remembers there's already obvious gay content at the beginning anyway*

See? It wasn't that bad. Just bad memories, that's all. Everything's fine now. *leaves the kleenex box behind and go crash somwhere because champagne at 18h00 with nothing in your stomach isn't that good*

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

"Not everybody" really is Mal. And I don't see anybody on the Serenity crew throwing a fuss over male(-to-male) Companions anyway... Jayne might make a remark, but that would be it. But the "sly" thing in itself shows that things still aren't all good and homophobia-free. "Sly" by opposition to "straight" makes sense, but it holds negative connotations. Sly isn't something good to be. "Gay" is about happiness, "sly" is about being dishonest.

Besides, writing-wise, it's more interesting if homophobia is still afoot. ;)

Come on. Good Champagne is always good.

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know. There's homophobia alright in my Firefly fic. That's actually what leads to a total disaster: messed up mission, accidental killing of a senior officer and run-away state.

Champagne is bubbly, and I think my stomach is gonna make me pay *that* in not too long. I start to feel it already, and I'm not sure those frelling bubbles will let me eat much tonight. I need beer to make them leave. Bubbles come from hell.
But that's not the topic, is it? ;-) Actually, I'm not fond of champagne, and not just because of the bubble. I prefer a nice sweet white wine, or something like pineau, muscat, pommeau... But hey, how can I say no to a champagne made by a guy wearing the same name than my street? ;-)

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I can never say no to any champagne, so... *is looking forward to Sunday night, when free champagne shall be available due to volunteering at the gay and lesbian film festival yay!*

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

Just champagne, or also good stuff to eat? ;-)

What are you helping with?

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it'll be any good, but I do believe there will be food as well.

Well I'm "opening" for several movies here and there during the festival, and on Sunday there's the closing ceremony or whatever, where I'll be more-or-less waitressing (probably a behind-the-tables-pouring-of-champagne sort of waitressing), and according to friends who did it the previous years, it's a lovely opportunity to get drunk drink for free.

I can't believe I don't have a 'drinking' icon.

[heikki-cheren.livejournal.com]

I would recommand you to wait 'til the end is close to get drunk take a few more glasses ('cause of course you'll definitely have to sample the champagne at the beginning. You have to be sure you're giving them good stuff. It wouldn't be a very professional behavior otherwise.)...

Someone well informed mentionned to me one day that you haven't yet reached your 100 icons quota.
Right now all I can think about is a Methos one, but I'm sure you know plenty of other alcoholics fine drinks amateurs. Oh... Jack Sparrow is now queuing with the Old Man.

[shadesofbrixton.livejournal.com]

agh. it's still so hard to read these reviews. like a train wreck. i just can't not look. and it still hurts so much....

but it's good to know that, as someone who's seen the film a few times over a longer period of time than the rest of us, the story holds up and is desirable and all those sorts of things. and i'm sure i'll be able to accept that. just as soon as i can stop crying.

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Aw. Don't cry honey. *offers a shoulder for you to cry on* To us he'll always be alive. And also, always be dead, but I guess I shouldn't mention that right now. And he'll always be a leaf on the wind, and we'll keep watching him soar.

[the-swordman.livejournal.com]

You know what, you're bloody brilliant !! :)
almost as much as I am

Can I forward that to the Mad Team :)
You should post your review on a Firefly board somewhere, seriously, it's good.

You've got a way with words... You wouldn't happen to be a writer by any chance ? :p

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Ok. I don't really post on any Firefly boards. I'm not a very forum-y person.

Who's the Mad Team? But, yes, sure.
And talking of Mad - totally forgot that we need to talk about when we can see her! Either get her over here or go see her.

You've got a way with making me feel better when you don't even know I'm feeling low... You wouldn't happen to be an awesome friend by any chance?

[the-swordman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Team: writers from Mad Movies :)

About our Mad, I'm gonna see her next month for graduation day. She's graduating same day as I do. She passed... I think it's even more a steal than my own degree :)
And she's thinking about moving back in UK for good... We'll see.

I think we're both awesome in our own special way ;)

*hugs*

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Ah. Well then, no. Feel free to send them poisoned pies or cleverly camouflaged time bombs, though.

Yeah I know, she called me after she had you on the phone, we talked for a long while. She said we were welcome to her place whenever (when she got the new place, you know) and that we'd go up to Zurich and party.

Also! I wanted to ask you - temp agencies (or however you call agences d'intérim), do you have to pay anything to sign up there?

*hugs back*

[twixou.livejournal.com]

Loved your review!
/enough said :p

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)))