Serenity
So I've been going back and forth in my head about what to write regarding the movie. Let me start by saying, I'm not going to do a cut and hide anything. If you haven't seen it yet and you want to, probably best to just skip my post.
I will start like this: I love, love, love Firefly. The drama, comedy, action it has it all and then some. The show was fricken awesome. Being that I was raised with the TV and movies are my life, I tend to see things sometimes other people who just casually watch may or may not. When James and I watch a TV show or movie, and I'll say the next line (without having ever seen it before) or guess the twist, we say that I should write the stupid things. I just know formulas when it comes to movies/film and I know what works and what is just plain wrong. Firefly works. It had everything from creativity to excellent plot, great sense of timing, etc. That brings me to Serenity.
So we watched it the other night with Bryan/Noe/Xine/Kurt, all of which had seen it at least twice if not dozens of times. James and I had not yet seen it, but we knew from others that two characters die. James apparently saw a post on Slashdot that some jackass gave away the two deaths and James chewed the guy out. So he knew who was going to bite it. I had guessed: Sheperd as he is a great character (I love monks and was playing one in James' D&D game) but he wasn't essential to the plot, even though he had background that was never flushed out, he could easily leave the plot and the show could continue. My other guess would've been Inra. Yes, yes she is the sexual tension love interest of Mal, but, her character wasn't interesting enough to merit that she stay on the ship. She didn't really do anything on the ship. She, like Sheperd was exteraneous. You may have feld some connection on some level with these two characters, but the bonding of really knowing them, and feeling their feelings, weren't really there. At least not for me.
Anyhow, so the movie had me from the opening scene. How could it not? I enjoyed the 6 months having past, that any number of things could've happened that we didn't get to see. When tensions are being thrown up there, and interactions that are not where we left the characters, are imaginations start coming up with scenerios of what may have happened to cause these feelings. It gets you thinking about the character interactions, but as the 6 months seemed to not have essential plot material, we don't need to waste the time to get it on screen. I really enjoyed using my own mind to conjure the possiblities while watching the movie - I feel this is something not too many movies do. Kudos to Joss for that!
Sheperd comes and goes and I get teary, but I know that it makes sense that he leaves. I understand why he goes and I feel Mal's emotions and I care. It provides more plot for later on. Will Mal find his faith again? How will this loss of this spiritual factor in his life affect him? Sheperd's death leaves lots of options and is well timed. Then we go on until the beautiful battle scene with The Aliance and The Reevers. Where at the end, at his moment of Zen, Wash is killed. WTF? I lost it. Up until that point I was in love with the movie, at that point, I stopped. I couldn't accept the death of Wash, it just doesn't make sense. He was the character I could relate to the most. He had his area of expertise, and was damn good at it. But he was a normal guy. He wasn't an expert marksman or great strategist, he didn't automatically jump into a situation because Mal was telling him to. He was a guy who looked at things from both sides. He was a loving husband struggling with jealousy issues. To me he was the one character I could identify with on every level. My empathy with his character was there. Then he dies. Doesn't make emotional sense for me. Doesn't make movie/TV plot sense either. You need him. He is a core character.
Otay, yes, Joss does tend to throw that in his stories, loss of a core character. However, in this situation, I think he choose the wrong one. Seriously, okay, Mal couldn't go either, but just about any other character besides River could go and the show could possibly continue. Even Simon dying would add an new element of what to do with River, Kailee would have even more issues with listening to Mal, what would they do when someone was injured? Things like that add to plot, even if you miss the character. Wash dying didn't add any element and in fact took away. Zoe and Mal aren't going to hook up. In fact, Zoe will go on like nothing happened. The ship will still be flown. The loss is the character who I cherished for being like me. He had his one great talent, but was just a normal guy otherwise. I'm an excellent accountant/office manager (ego boosting), but I'm normal or subnormal in just about every other way.
The movie totally lost my interst at that point. I stopped really caring. I figured, let them all die now, I just don't care. I was pissed. I kept saying it over and over to James (bless his heart for listening). Even if he were to continue the show/movies (I know he isn't) I wouldn't watch. I couldn't care less what would happen now. The remaining characters I barely connect with emotionally. Superficially maybe, but I've lost interest. Without Wash the show wouldn't work. Joss really, really fucked that up. I understand that the actor who played Wash had another gig, but seriously, gigs come and go, and killing off Wash killed the whole show. He can't be replaced. Have him go into a coma or something so the possiblity of him coming back would be there.
I feel that when Joss gives up on something, he doesn't really care where it goes. Look at Buffy. Season 7 blew fucking huge ass chunks! The final episode? Worst ending to any series ever! Spike dying, well that I could deal with, I mean he was dead already any how, but the supernatural exists and he has brought characters back before. Spike (who did come back on Angel) could live on even if the show didn't in my mind and it's imagining of future Buffy life. Sunnydale getting swallowed by the Hellmouth - stupid fucking shit right there. All the Potentials being activated? That was lame. Anya dying - why not kill a useless character like Dawn? Anya was fun and interesting. I just think Joss gave up on it and started making up random dumb crap to completely end Buffy. Worse ending EVER! I can't emphasize it enough. That is exactly what he did with Serentity, gave up on caring how the fans would react or care about the ending.
There you have it. In one scene, one moment if you will, Joss lost me. I'll watch Firefly over and over and try to block out yet another lame ending to a series he has done. All I can say is for all his greatness, he certainly has moments of complete and utter gimpness. Hate me if you will for my slam of Serenity, but that is my opinion.
I will start like this: I love, love, love Firefly. The drama, comedy, action it has it all and then some. The show was fricken awesome. Being that I was raised with the TV and movies are my life, I tend to see things sometimes other people who just casually watch may or may not. When James and I watch a TV show or movie, and I'll say the next line (without having ever seen it before) or guess the twist, we say that I should write the stupid things. I just know formulas when it comes to movies/film and I know what works and what is just plain wrong. Firefly works. It had everything from creativity to excellent plot, great sense of timing, etc. That brings me to Serenity.
So we watched it the other night with Bryan/Noe/Xine/Kurt, all of which had seen it at least twice if not dozens of times. James and I had not yet seen it, but we knew from others that two characters die. James apparently saw a post on Slashdot that some jackass gave away the two deaths and James chewed the guy out. So he knew who was going to bite it. I had guessed: Sheperd as he is a great character (I love monks and was playing one in James' D&D game) but he wasn't essential to the plot, even though he had background that was never flushed out, he could easily leave the plot and the show could continue. My other guess would've been Inra. Yes, yes she is the sexual tension love interest of Mal, but, her character wasn't interesting enough to merit that she stay on the ship. She didn't really do anything on the ship. She, like Sheperd was exteraneous. You may have feld some connection on some level with these two characters, but the bonding of really knowing them, and feeling their feelings, weren't really there. At least not for me.
Anyhow, so the movie had me from the opening scene. How could it not? I enjoyed the 6 months having past, that any number of things could've happened that we didn't get to see. When tensions are being thrown up there, and interactions that are not where we left the characters, are imaginations start coming up with scenerios of what may have happened to cause these feelings. It gets you thinking about the character interactions, but as the 6 months seemed to not have essential plot material, we don't need to waste the time to get it on screen. I really enjoyed using my own mind to conjure the possiblities while watching the movie - I feel this is something not too many movies do. Kudos to Joss for that!
Sheperd comes and goes and I get teary, but I know that it makes sense that he leaves. I understand why he goes and I feel Mal's emotions and I care. It provides more plot for later on. Will Mal find his faith again? How will this loss of this spiritual factor in his life affect him? Sheperd's death leaves lots of options and is well timed. Then we go on until the beautiful battle scene with The Aliance and The Reevers. Where at the end, at his moment of Zen, Wash is killed. WTF? I lost it. Up until that point I was in love with the movie, at that point, I stopped. I couldn't accept the death of Wash, it just doesn't make sense. He was the character I could relate to the most. He had his area of expertise, and was damn good at it. But he was a normal guy. He wasn't an expert marksman or great strategist, he didn't automatically jump into a situation because Mal was telling him to. He was a guy who looked at things from both sides. He was a loving husband struggling with jealousy issues. To me he was the one character I could identify with on every level. My empathy with his character was there. Then he dies. Doesn't make emotional sense for me. Doesn't make movie/TV plot sense either. You need him. He is a core character.
Otay, yes, Joss does tend to throw that in his stories, loss of a core character. However, in this situation, I think he choose the wrong one. Seriously, okay, Mal couldn't go either, but just about any other character besides River could go and the show could possibly continue. Even Simon dying would add an new element of what to do with River, Kailee would have even more issues with listening to Mal, what would they do when someone was injured? Things like that add to plot, even if you miss the character. Wash dying didn't add any element and in fact took away. Zoe and Mal aren't going to hook up. In fact, Zoe will go on like nothing happened. The ship will still be flown. The loss is the character who I cherished for being like me. He had his one great talent, but was just a normal guy otherwise. I'm an excellent accountant/office manager (ego boosting), but I'm normal or subnormal in just about every other way.
The movie totally lost my interst at that point. I stopped really caring. I figured, let them all die now, I just don't care. I was pissed. I kept saying it over and over to James (bless his heart for listening). Even if he were to continue the show/movies (I know he isn't) I wouldn't watch. I couldn't care less what would happen now. The remaining characters I barely connect with emotionally. Superficially maybe, but I've lost interest. Without Wash the show wouldn't work. Joss really, really fucked that up. I understand that the actor who played Wash had another gig, but seriously, gigs come and go, and killing off Wash killed the whole show. He can't be replaced. Have him go into a coma or something so the possiblity of him coming back would be there.
I feel that when Joss gives up on something, he doesn't really care where it goes. Look at Buffy. Season 7 blew fucking huge ass chunks! The final episode? Worst ending to any series ever! Spike dying, well that I could deal with, I mean he was dead already any how, but the supernatural exists and he has brought characters back before. Spike (who did come back on Angel) could live on even if the show didn't in my mind and it's imagining of future Buffy life. Sunnydale getting swallowed by the Hellmouth - stupid fucking shit right there. All the Potentials being activated? That was lame. Anya dying - why not kill a useless character like Dawn? Anya was fun and interesting. I just think Joss gave up on it and started making up random dumb crap to completely end Buffy. Worse ending EVER! I can't emphasize it enough. That is exactly what he did with Serentity, gave up on caring how the fans would react or care about the ending.
There you have it. In one scene, one moment if you will, Joss lost me. I'll watch Firefly over and over and try to block out yet another lame ending to a series he has done. All I can say is for all his greatness, he certainly has moments of complete and utter gimpness. Hate me if you will for my slam of Serenity, but that is my opinion.