By David Server

What is Serenity?

That's probably the question on a lot of people's minds right now. With advertising for this sci-fi western flick in full swing, you'd be hard pressed not to have at least of heard of it. But I find there's still some lingering confusion as to what Serenity is, exactly. Well, there are two answers to that question. The technical answer is that it's the name of their spaceship. But the more important answer is that 'Serenity' is one of the freshest and most enjoyable sci-fi romps of the past 10 years.

A continuation of writer-director Joss Whedon's cancelled television series 'Firefly', the film follows the continuing story of a renegade spaceship crew 500 years in the future. In the wake of a devastating Galactic Civil War, Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) scrapes by with a bickering crew and a ship that's falling apart, robbing banks and generally misbehaving just to get by. But making things even trickier for Mal are his two newest crewmembers, siblings Simon and River Tam (Sean Maher and Summer Glau, respectively). River, a former wunderkind, was twisted into a not-quite-sane psychic by the sinister totalitarian government that rules the galaxy, before Simon rescued her and brought her to Mal's crew. As the film begins, the government sends a dangerous Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to 'retrieve' River from Serenity, before she can reveal one of their darkest secrets.

I know it seems like a lot of back-story to catch up on (don't forget, there's 15 episodes of television that would do it in much more detail), but Whedon deftly brings you up to speed within the first 10 minutes of the film, and then it's off to the races. As a longtime fan of the television series and Whedon's work in general, I obviously went into this with a positive mindset. But even as a fan, my expectations were far exceeded. What makes Serenity such a rousing and successful flick is that it embraces emotion above all else. Bobbing and weaving between action and comedy, horror and drama, Whedon's trademark crackling writing style (no one slings a one liner like Whedon) keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole ride. And it really does feel like a ride; the adventure in this film feels far closer to that found in classics like 'Indiana Jones' or the original 'Star Wars' trilogy than anything we've seen in the big screen for years. This is due in no small part to the film's terrific cast. And while you may not have heard of many of them before, you can rest assured you'll be hearing a lot about them after.

Nathan Fillion (Captain Reynolds) is the brightest star in this flick. Mal is a layered and dense character, and Fillion hits every note dead on. Balancing his stoic leadership, fiery anger, and ever-present wise-ass sense of humor, Fillion is at once a throwback to classic Harrison Ford, while simultaneously bringing his own bag of tricks to the table. Alongside Mal are his tough-as-nails first-mate Zoe (Gina Torres), and hired muscle Jayne (Adam Baldwin). Both actors' slip effortlessly into their roles, with Torres' restrained dry sense of humor and Baldwin's hilariously crude bravado both perfectly timed amidst the gunplay. Summer Glau is also excellent as River, the brilliant but damaged psychic. A difficult part to play, often speaking in fragments and nonsense, Glau brings a delicate dignity to the fragmented River. Filling out the rest of the crew are Simon (Sean Maher), kooky comedic-relief pilot Wash (Alan Tudyk), adorable mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite), and wise former crew-mate Shepard Book (Ron Glass). Each of these characters get their moments to shine, despite Book's greatly diminished role from the series. Chiwetel Ejiofor also provides a chillingly refined performance as the devious Operative, a brilliant mass-murdering psychopath without a drop of remorse.

The technical work on the film only further augments the experience. The film looks gorgeous, with eerily darkened cinematography from Jack Green, who enriches Whedon's sets with a moody, inky blacks. Special effects by Zoic Studios are strong, despite a low production budget (under $50 million). And David Newman's score is consistently enjoyable, but truly soars when with his recurring themes for both Serenity and her crew (a jaunty, twangy string plucking amidst epic horns), and River. The River theme is a simple and elegant piano solo that fades in and out, muffled by a murky haze; this is not only a pleasure to listen to, but functions as a beautiful metaphor for the character herself, a beautiful elegant young girl, lost behind a haze of mental damage.

Serenity is truly not to be missed for any fan of the sci-fi or adventure genre. While a history with the series will help you to appreciate some of the more subtle nuances of the characters or universe, anyone can be dropped into Whedon's exciting and meticulously crafted spin on the future and have a rollicking time. Stuffed to the bursting point with vibrant characters, edge of your seat thrills, and the sharpest dialogue this side of the 'verse, Serenity is a return to truly great genre filmmaking. Check it out - I promise you won't regret it!