Amateur Megalomania

THE FOLLOWING POST IS BY CHRIS GIDMAN – he was my guest at the Serenity blogger screening some time back.

Wasn’t there once a saying that science fiction was just western opera in space? Joss Whedon’s television series Firefly and its culminating movie Serenity has taken this literally. He introduced us to a universe where there is a gap between the rich and the poor. Where technology is not magical, but has reached a pinnacle. Yet, not everyone has access to it. The fringes of society use whatever means they have available. The people dress in whatever they have, raise cattle, crops, and even harvest mud. Humanity has expanded into space, but we are still human.

The setting is refreshing. The culture is a blend of English and Chinese tradition. The premise being that these were the only two nations that were able to expand upward. At first, the intermittent Chinese in the script is disconcerting. But, after a while, it starts to seem natural—even enjoyable. I am amazed at how well it is woven into the background without being heavy-handed. It breathes life into the scenery while letting the characters shine.

Technology takes a similar role in the story. It is there, but it is usually in the background. Too often, science fiction makes technology and man’s achievement of it the main character of the story. Serenity is not about the ship, cool weapons or inventing the latest gadget in order to solve a problem. It’s about getting dirty and getting the job done. That gritty feel brings something new to the genre.

Movie producers would kill me for calling it Dukes of Hazzard in space. But, in some sense, that is what it is. They are civil war rebels who are making their way the only way they know how, and that’s just a little bit more than the law will allow. Captain Malcolm Reynolds is very much the individualist. He is the kind of man who might champion state’s rights. He takes no crap from anybody. It is his ship and his word is law. In that regard, the story is like Master and Commander.

Whedon turned everything upside-down with this story. He created a shepherd who seems lost; a harlot who is more like a priestess, and a hero who is a criminal. There are six other cast members who are equally complex. And, once you get to know them, they seem like family. Perhaps they are likable because they are as twisted as family members. Even the movie’s villain was likable!

The series and the movie really should be taken together. It is almost as if the collection is a mini-series with the movie as the final episode. It takes bold steps that we don’t normally see in a television series spin-off. While several loose threads are tied off, there are some things that will never be resolved. And, hey, isn’t that just like real life?

That is probably one of the biggest selling points. It is a lot like real life. If you took today’s society and extrapolated it into space, you would have Serenity. There is a feel that is genuine, practical and easy to believe. It does not appear to be a statement about the utopia of the future. It does not seem to moralize about current events. It is real people facing real problems and coming up with real solutions.

And, it’s real fun! Go see it.

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Filed under: Reviews (Books and Movies)