8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Captain Malcolm Reynolds, is a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family -- squabbling, insubordinate and undying loyal. When Mal takes on two new passengers -- a young doctor and his unstable, telepathic sister -- he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from the coalition dominating the universe, who will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl. The crew that was once used to skimming the outskirts of the galaxy unnoticed find themselves caught between the unstoppable military force of the Universal Alliance and the horrific, cannibalistic fury of the Reavers, savages who roam the very edge of space. Hunted by vastly different enemies, they begin to discover that the greatest danger to them may be on board Serenity herself.
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam BaldwinAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 87% |
Adventure | 83% |
Thriller | 30% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Japanese: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French (Canada): DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Spanish dubs both Latin and Castilian. Quebec and Parisian French dubs available
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
From the mind of the revered writer Joss Whedon comes Serenity, the theatrical followup to the critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged television show “Firefly.” Serenity’s path to theaters is a strange one, indeed. Most film adaptations of television material tend to come from shows that enjoyed mass popularity and high ratings. That was not the case with “Firefly.” The show, while being lauded as a masterpiece of serialized science fiction, floundered on the Fox network and found cancellation a mere 11 episodes into its debut season. Strong DVD sales and a very vocal fan base convinced Universal Pictures to option the film rights to the series in the hopes that the show’s numerous and outspoken fans could turn a relatively low-budget sci-fi adventure into an unexpected box-office hit. Much like the series, Serenity didn’t quite meet expectations in theaters. The film received positive reviews and fans of the original show were thrilled with the film, but the mass audiences that Universal had hoped for never materialized. Serenity has performed well on video, but it seems likely that this single film is the last we’ll hear from the characters that inhabit this beautifully conceived universe.
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my - - wait, wrong movie.
Serenity finds its way to Blu-ray with a brand-spanking-new 1080p transfer in the film's original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Universal has chosen to stick with VC-1 as their compression scheme of choice for the film, and the results are quite impressive. The majority of the film is rather dark and it would be easy for a lesser encode to fail to produce acceptable black levels and shadow detail. Fortunately, Universal has done a fine job in delivering an outstanding and detailed transfer. When the film moves into brighter scenes, colors are remarkably saturated and fine detail shines through in a stunning manner. I was particularly impressed with the film's exceptional fabric and skin detail - - every thread and pore is easily distinguishable. In addition, I didn't detect a trace of artificial sharpening or any vulgar picture anomalies. Serenity is the very definition of demo material and is a stunning addition to the ranks of stellar Blu-ray video experiences. Highly recommended!
Serenity is as aurally pleasing as it is visually. Universal has provided the film's action packed and explosive soundtrack in full 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless glory. To say this is an exciting and dynamic track would be an understatement. Surround activity is massive with loads of effective panning effects. Explosions, gunshots and rockets blast from each channel with an intense and immersive sense of ambience and separation. The film's score, by David Newman, builds on themes from the "Firefly" television show and helps to deliver the emotion behind the action. Dialogue is also handled exceptionally well while low frequency information will engage your subwoofer in a thunderous cacophony of deep, rumbling bass. Serenity will tick off your neighbors, impress your friends and scare the living hell out of the cat. Highly recommended!
Here's what's included:
* Alliance Database
* Mr. Universe Compendium
* Digital Tour of Serenity
* Picture in Picture
* Visual Commentary with Writer/Director Joss Whedon & Cast
* BD Live: My Scenes Sharing
* Feature Commentery with Writer / Director Joss Whedon
* Feature Commentary with Writer / Director Joss Whedon & Cast Members Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and Ron Glass
* Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Joss Whedon
* "Future History - The Story of Earth That Was"
* "What's In A Firefly"
* "Re-Lighting The Firefly"
* "A Filmmaker's Journey"
* "We'll Have A Fruity Oaty Good Time!"
* Extended Scenes
* Take A Walk On Serenity
* The Green Clan
* Session 416
The supplemental features contained on the Blu-ray release of Serenity offer a wide variety of behind the scenes featurettes as well as a slew of excellent commentaries and interactive features. I really enjoyed the cast picture-in-picture commentary. The actors all seem to be great friends and exceptionally proud of their under-appreciated work. Joss Whedon joins the cast for the visual commentary as well as a solo track where he goes into great detail on the technical aspects of making the film. "What's in a Firefly" and the Digital tour of the Serenity offer an interesting look inside the ship that inspired the name of the film. It's a science fiction hardware junkie's dream come true. My favorite features are the Alliance Database and "Future History - The Story of Earth that Was." Both features offer an intriguing glimpse into the film's complex mythology. These two features are a must for those new to the show. Universal has done an outstanding job assembling a well thought out grouping of features that are sure to satisfy the most rabid fan while interesting the most casual viewer.
Serenity is a terrifically entertaining film that will thrill fans of the original "Firefly" television series while inspiring new converts to the amazing Universe contained within this series. I came into the film upon its release as a neophyte to the series and was immediately compelled to catch up on what I'd missed. This Blu-ray edition features reference quality video and audio, as well as an abundance of excellent special features. It's my sincere hope that as more people discover this great little science fiction gem, that Universal will see fit to produce another film featuring these lovingly created characters. Serenity is a must-see on Blu-ray.
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