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I’m a huge fan of Firefly, so when Serenity was released I was over the moon. Mal Reynolds and his crew are an absolute blast, and the film certainly has its share of blood and carnage, so it fits with the theme.
I was going to review the film, but instead, to avoid the whole issue of spoilers, I’m going to summarise the wonderful cast and the reasons I love them. To add a little context, if you haven’t seen either the show or the movie; it is an adventure set five hundred years in the future. It revolves around the crew of a small transport ship (Serenity) who fly under the radar, taking any job they can to survive.
One of my favourite elements is the humour; not to mention the loyalty within the group. They refer to their ship as the boat, and she is often held together by luck and sheer determination – dashed with a little love! In one of the opening scenes of Serenity, the ship is barely holding it together. At which point Wash, the pilot, informs Mal things are about to get interesting.
Mal: Define interesting.
Wash: ‘Oh god, oh god, we’re all going to die!’
That’s the kind of humour you can expect from the movie. It’s one of the reasons the cast work so well together. Speaking of which, let’s take a closer look:
Mal Reynolds – Nathan Fillion is in his element as the captain. He is prepared to do whatever it takes to protect his crew, and his sense of loyalty and honour are his greatest strengths. He can be stubborn, and carries many personal demons, but he’s definitely somebody you’d want watching your back. Mal is an unconventional hero.
Hoban Washburne (Wash) – Married to Mal’s second in command (Zoe), Wash is often the calming influence on-board. He is laid back, has a dry sense of humour and a skill at the helm which fluctuates between intense calm and controlled panic.
Zoe Alleyne Washburne – Zoe has a military background and his highly skilled. She has a close relationship with Mal and often offers him guidance. I love her strength; the contrasting sides to her, and her intuition when it comes to the mission. She has a wonderful relationship with Wash – they make an excellent team.
Jayne Cobb – Jayne was a mercenary before he joined Mal’s crew. He has a tendency to act before engaging his brain, but he has excellent intuition, is a good fighter and remains loyal to his friends. One of the things I enjoy about Jayne is his obsession with weapons. He is fearless.
Kaywinnet Lee (Kaylee) Frye – Kaylee is the ship mechanic. Her skills as an engineer are exceptional, despite a lack of formal training. She is extremely patient, kind, and sees the best in people. She is the heart of the ship. I love the quirkiness to her character; she has a humour which is often overlooked.
The crew are also joined by brother and sister, River and Simon Tam. The pair seek refuge on Serenity when Simon rescues River from a secret government facility. River was transformed into a weapon. She has psychic abilities and lethal combat skills, which make her extremely dangerous. In one scene, she takes on a group of cannibalistic pirates, known as Reavers, and barely bats an eyelid!
And now it’s over to you. Have you seen the movie? Are you a fan of the show? Are you, like me, still holding out for a sequel? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for stopping by.
Mel
Melissa Barker-Simpson 
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