more elaboration apon last nights post.
you might not want to read this if you plan on seeing Serenity, however if your a fan of Firefly I wouldnt bother seeing it. The movie single handly ruined the show for me. Joss, shouldnt have done it. He just lost himself a fan.
Apon returning from seing Serenety, betrayed is the best single word to sum up my feelings afterward.
I watched Firefly from its very first airing on Fox. I immediately knew I was going to love this show when the first previews of it came out on Fox. The setting, atmosphere and characters were so intriguing and enjoyable, it quickly rose to my all-time favorite show.
I've been there from the beginning. I purchased the box set the day it came out, and have watched it several times. Firefly remained my all time favorite show.
When I caught wind of a movie being made over a year ago, my excitement was palpable. I waited. And waited.
Regardless, it's finally here, the time to see my favorite crew on my favorite ship, in my favorite universe, get themselves into more trouble.
After seeing this movie, I feel nothing but anger and betrayal. First off, the movie does not have the same FEEL as Firefly. The show's homeliness and togetherness is so disjointed in the movie, that you only get this feeling in rare and brief moments when the crew is all-together. Fans of the show likely know what I'm talking about. The story is also rather sluggish, it drags on slowly at points, and is rushed in others. Not the best in terms of writing and directing. All of this I can forgive. I can forget about these problems and enjoy the show. This is Joss's first movie, and there was bound to be some unpolished feel to it that an experienced film director does not have. Afterall, this is still Firefly, and you can still enjoy the show even if it was made by someone new to creating a full length motion picture.
I won't even bother going into some of the things I liked about the movie, each person can see that for themself. What I am concerned with is the direction Joss went with killing off Book and Wash.
I was left speechless in disbelief when I saw Book die. Here's a character wish such a rich and mysterious background that you cannot help but anticipate what his next line will reveal about himself, and yet Joss had reduced him to a mere cameo. Again, this is understandable if the plot or contracts only allowed such an appearance. However, killing Book off so quickly and with NO explanation of his background leaves the true Firefly fans alienated. He was a big mystery to us, and one we wanted to understand. We can't have that now (unless there is some sort of prequel or long series of flashbacks in another movie), and that leaves us with a very bitter taste.
I do understand that his death was meant as a propellent in the movie. His death had influence over Mal which drove him to fight. At least, thats what you can surmise. The movie barely touches on the affect of Book's death. He dies, spits out some descent last lines which should have a resounding and more direct impact on Mal, but it doesn't. Yes, Mal goes off to fight, but there is no real impact here. Big fans will say this is because Mal is a very private person, not one to show his emotions, but true fans also know that Mal has a deep destructive force inside him that can be unleashed, and we saw none of this 'wrath' after Book's death. It was all so incredibly convenient. Joss could have easily written him as surviving and completed the movie, but I can accept that his death may have been 'necessary', I just wish it actually meant something or had more of an impact.
With all of that, I can still overlook Joss's beginner mistakes to film, and enjoy the movie. How couldn't I? I haven't seen the crew in over two years. However, Joss decided to take it further down the spiral and completely TRASH his hardcore fan base by killing Wash.
Lets think about this.. The series was cancelled very quickly, but its large and incredibly devoted fanbase kept its spirit alive... allowed this movie to even be made. Shouldn't Joss say thank you, in some small way, by at least not ALIENATING them? The average movie goer doesn't care so much about Wash, they hardly know him... but the Firefly fan really does care about Wash and find him to be a very likeable character. To simply kill him off so non-chalantly is a slap in the face, a slap from Joss right to the fans. I have read many, many posts where people are justifying Wash's death. Reasons vary from it being integral to the plot, to shock value, to letting the audience know that anyone can die at any moment, to space being unpredictable, to 'things just happen', to practically anything a fan can rationalize his death with. It really shows me the lengths people will go to try and MAKE his death meaningful. Or perhaps they're not trying to put meaning to it, rather they are trying to actually make an excuse so they can ACCEPT it.
It's all absurd.
Yes, Wash's death did result in an emotional reaction from the audience (especially the Firefly fans). But is that good? No fans wanted him to die, and to kill him off so easily is really violating what the fans want.
It's nothing more than a cheap movie making trick. Using a likeable character unlikely to die and kill him off so quickly and with so little meaning, that it has an affect on the audience. Well no kidding. Of course the audience is going to react to this because it makes no sense. I don't question Joss's goal with killing off Wash, I question the very idea of killing him in the first place. Joss cared more about getting a cheap reaction out of the audience than caring what his devoted fans want. His death serves NO purpose. It does not allow anyone to escape, it does not stop the bad guys, it does not save the day, it does not save anything. Therefore, his death is purely for emotional reaction. So cheap... so incredibly low and cheap of Joss to result to such a parlor trick to get the audience involved in the movie. This really shows me that Joss may not be as great of a writer as once thought to be. If he cannot write up any other scenario in which to captivate his audience emotionally, then he doesn't deserve to be writing. It's so cliche and so uncaring.
Doing this, he has very effectively alienated and ANGERED a core group of Firefly fans. Notice I say Firefly fans, and not Joss-fans. I'm sure there are plenty of fanboys and girls out there that worship anything Joss dribbles out, but for those interested in the actual work alone, many of them will feel quite betrayed by Joss Whedon.
I was looking forward to watching this movie in the theaters multiple times. There has not been a movie I've wanted to do that with for many, many years. It was very disheartening walking out of the theater because I wished I had never seen Serenity. I felt so incredibly hurt and betrayed, that I honestly believe it will be difficult for me to ever enjoy the show again.
If anyone has watched the DVD bonus material from Firefly, you will quickly pick up on how incredibly close the crew of Firefly was. They loved that show, they loved working on it and loved everyday they spent on it. For such a love of the work to be thrown aside so easily and casually.... all so Joss gets his reviews up from the general viewing public, is an outrage.
Before this movie was made, I had a high respect for Joss Whedon. Creating the Firefly universe was quite amazing in its complexities, and his job at writing and finding such an amazing crew of actors was astounding. Thanks for trashing it all so utterly and completely, just for a little emotional reaction from the audience. It's quite a feeling to have something you care about and enjoy so deeply ripped from you just so the guy next to you can gasp once.
Apon returning from seing Serenety, betrayed is the best single word to sum up my feelings afterward.
I watched Firefly from its very first airing on Fox. I immediately knew I was going to love this show when the first previews of it came out on Fox. The setting, atmosphere and characters were so intriguing and enjoyable, it quickly rose to my all-time favorite show.
I've been there from the beginning. I purchased the box set the day it came out, and have watched it several times. Firefly remained my all time favorite show.
When I caught wind of a movie being made over a year ago, my excitement was palpable. I waited. And waited.
Regardless, it's finally here, the time to see my favorite crew on my favorite ship, in my favorite universe, get themselves into more trouble.
After seeing this movie, I feel nothing but anger and betrayal. First off, the movie does not have the same FEEL as Firefly. The show's homeliness and togetherness is so disjointed in the movie, that you only get this feeling in rare and brief moments when the crew is all-together. Fans of the show likely know what I'm talking about. The story is also rather sluggish, it drags on slowly at points, and is rushed in others. Not the best in terms of writing and directing. All of this I can forgive. I can forget about these problems and enjoy the show. This is Joss's first movie, and there was bound to be some unpolished feel to it that an experienced film director does not have. Afterall, this is still Firefly, and you can still enjoy the show even if it was made by someone new to creating a full length motion picture.
I won't even bother going into some of the things I liked about the movie, each person can see that for themself. What I am concerned with is the direction Joss went with killing off Book and Wash.
I was left speechless in disbelief when I saw Book die. Here's a character wish such a rich and mysterious background that you cannot help but anticipate what his next line will reveal about himself, and yet Joss had reduced him to a mere cameo. Again, this is understandable if the plot or contracts only allowed such an appearance. However, killing Book off so quickly and with NO explanation of his background leaves the true Firefly fans alienated. He was a big mystery to us, and one we wanted to understand. We can't have that now (unless there is some sort of prequel or long series of flashbacks in another movie), and that leaves us with a very bitter taste.
I do understand that his death was meant as a propellent in the movie. His death had influence over Mal which drove him to fight. At least, thats what you can surmise. The movie barely touches on the affect of Book's death. He dies, spits out some descent last lines which should have a resounding and more direct impact on Mal, but it doesn't. Yes, Mal goes off to fight, but there is no real impact here. Big fans will say this is because Mal is a very private person, not one to show his emotions, but true fans also know that Mal has a deep destructive force inside him that can be unleashed, and we saw none of this 'wrath' after Book's death. It was all so incredibly convenient. Joss could have easily written him as surviving and completed the movie, but I can accept that his death may have been 'necessary', I just wish it actually meant something or had more of an impact.
With all of that, I can still overlook Joss's beginner mistakes to film, and enjoy the movie. How couldn't I? I haven't seen the crew in over two years. However, Joss decided to take it further down the spiral and completely TRASH his hardcore fan base by killing Wash.
Lets think about this.. The series was cancelled very quickly, but its large and incredibly devoted fanbase kept its spirit alive... allowed this movie to even be made. Shouldn't Joss say thank you, in some small way, by at least not ALIENATING them? The average movie goer doesn't care so much about Wash, they hardly know him... but the Firefly fan really does care about Wash and find him to be a very likeable character. To simply kill him off so non-chalantly is a slap in the face, a slap from Joss right to the fans. I have read many, many posts where people are justifying Wash's death. Reasons vary from it being integral to the plot, to shock value, to letting the audience know that anyone can die at any moment, to space being unpredictable, to 'things just happen', to practically anything a fan can rationalize his death with. It really shows me the lengths people will go to try and MAKE his death meaningful. Or perhaps they're not trying to put meaning to it, rather they are trying to actually make an excuse so they can ACCEPT it.
It's all absurd.
Yes, Wash's death did result in an emotional reaction from the audience (especially the Firefly fans). But is that good? No fans wanted him to die, and to kill him off so easily is really violating what the fans want.
It's nothing more than a cheap movie making trick. Using a likeable character unlikely to die and kill him off so quickly and with so little meaning, that it has an affect on the audience. Well no kidding. Of course the audience is going to react to this because it makes no sense. I don't question Joss's goal with killing off Wash, I question the very idea of killing him in the first place. Joss cared more about getting a cheap reaction out of the audience than caring what his devoted fans want. His death serves NO purpose. It does not allow anyone to escape, it does not stop the bad guys, it does not save the day, it does not save anything. Therefore, his death is purely for emotional reaction. So cheap... so incredibly low and cheap of Joss to result to such a parlor trick to get the audience involved in the movie. This really shows me that Joss may not be as great of a writer as once thought to be. If he cannot write up any other scenario in which to captivate his audience emotionally, then he doesn't deserve to be writing. It's so cliche and so uncaring.
Doing this, he has very effectively alienated and ANGERED a core group of Firefly fans. Notice I say Firefly fans, and not Joss-fans. I'm sure there are plenty of fanboys and girls out there that worship anything Joss dribbles out, but for those interested in the actual work alone, many of them will feel quite betrayed by Joss Whedon.
I was looking forward to watching this movie in the theaters multiple times. There has not been a movie I've wanted to do that with for many, many years. It was very disheartening walking out of the theater because I wished I had never seen Serenity. I felt so incredibly hurt and betrayed, that I honestly believe it will be difficult for me to ever enjoy the show again.
If anyone has watched the DVD bonus material from Firefly, you will quickly pick up on how incredibly close the crew of Firefly was. They loved that show, they loved working on it and loved everyday they spent on it. For such a love of the work to be thrown aside so easily and casually.... all so Joss gets his reviews up from the general viewing public, is an outrage.
Before this movie was made, I had a high respect for Joss Whedon. Creating the Firefly universe was quite amazing in its complexities, and his job at writing and finding such an amazing crew of actors was astounding. Thanks for trashing it all so utterly and completely, just for a little emotional reaction from the audience. It's quite a feeling to have something you care about and enjoy so deeply ripped from you just so the guy next to you can gasp once.