In the interests of my promise to keep the world up to date on my cinema trips, and recognizing that my effusions on the occasion of the Serenity sneak preview I attended were perhaps not, strictly, a review, I will do a few paragraphs about the movie.

Serenity is a sci-fi movie with a Western heart which continues the story from Joss Whedon’s TV show Firefly, but which was written to stand alone. I have now seen the film three times. I have been able to look past the witty dialogue, the pretty pictures, and the appealing universe, and what I’ve seen is this: this movie is absolutely beautifully paced. It builds and pays off excitement, adds lulls and emotional notes, in just the right rhythm to engage you. Both the plot and the emotional mood change and move perfectly, until, by the last few scenes, you basically feel as if your emotions are a canvas that Joss is daubing at as he pleases, and you like it.

As to the rest, the music was exactly right for the movie; the direction was interesting without being distracting, and the script was funny, smart, and engaging. And oh, the fight sequences. Few movies manage to strike the balance between style and nature; some have beautiful fights which look like gorgeous dances and seem just as planned, while some have brawls which have no real personality or charm. The fight scenes in this movie have both character and grace, and that more elusive element, organic believability.

Funny, touching, intelligent, and very, very exciting. Exceedingly well crafted. Go unless you are allergic to sci-fi (and maybe even then).