Babel Clash

I was seven years old when Star Wars IV: A New Hope hyperspace-jumped into theaters. Over that hot, amber-tinged summer I saw the film a total of seventeen times, and countless more in the years since. It’s no exaggeration to say that movie changed my perception of storytelling, and one of my most difficult tasks as a writer has been to distance myself from that wellspring of inspiration. I never felt that way about another movie.

But Serenity, written and directed by Joss Whedon, comes damned close.

Released in 2005, Serenity continues the story of the TV series Firefly. As such, it really opens up “the Verse” in new and exciting (and sometimes terrifying) ways. The television series had a space-western vibe that was off-putting at first, but became very comfortable over time. In Serenity those elements are drawn out and built upon until we have something approaching the original Star Wars’ setting. The ship, Serenity, is as detailed and inviting (if not more so) than the oft-beloved Millennium Falcon. The Maidenhead, the bar where our scruffy heroes go to meet their illicit employers, conjures up some of the same feelings as the cantina in Anchorage where Luke and Ben first meet Han (yes, he shot first). The worlds of Haven and Miranda, while not as expansive as Tatooine or the Death Star, gave us those ‘bigger’ glimpses of Joss Whedon’s gritty space-fantasy that we sorely needed (and wanted).

The movie also did a good job of balancing backstory-vs-plot progression. For those who hadn’t watched Firefly, enough information was delivered to let you know what was going on, but long-time fans weren’t bogged down with endless backfilling. Those of us who had enjoyed the TV series were treated to some nuggets that we’d been curious about, like exactly how did Simon break his sister River out of a high-security Alliance facility? And what exactly are the Reavers?

The movie also takes the characters relationships to a higher level. Simon and River are hunted in earnest by the Operative, which puts them and everyone else in the crew on edge. Capt. Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds is faced with a Devil’s bargain, to either give up two members of his crew to his enemies, or risk the lives of everyone he loves on a gamble to do the right thing. It’s so much more compelling than the generic Save-Your-Girlfriend-or-a-Cable-Car-Full-of-Strangers schlock that is routinely fed to us in movies.

What of philosophy? Star Wars had the Force with its Light and Dark sides constantly in conflict. What does Serenity offer? One of the main themes deals with government control versus individual rights, shown via Simon and River’s plight and punctuated by the discovery of Miranda. The inclusion of the Pax and how it created the Reavers (while killing millions of colonists) is one of the movie’s several gut checks. I really got the feeling that the creators were pulling out all the stops and going for maximum impact. That kind of courage in storytelling is all too rare in Hollywood.

Thankfully, all the actors from the TV series were brought on-board to reprise their roles for the movie. That’s part of the reason watching Serenity is so bittersweet for me. I get to see those characters one last time, like a victory lap before they soar off to new adventures I’ll never get to experience . . . unless Nathan Fillion wins the lottery and buys the rights to the series. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

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Jon Sprunk is the author of the dark fantasy novels Shadow’s Son and Shadow’s Lure (Pyr Books). He lives in central Pennsylvania with his family.

I caught a few minutes of Back to the Future II yesterday.  In the future, there’s a fax machine in every home, and there’s no e-mail or internet.  We see the challenge of near-future sci-fi… predicting future technology isn’t so easy.  Anybody else have any favorite anachronisms from sci-fil films?

Did anyone else watch the pilot episode of the new “V”?  I vaguely remember the original.  The aliens ripping off their human faces to reveal their true reptilian faces freaked me out as a kid.  I seriously had nightmares about it.  This new show is shaping up for solid entertainment, but I’m not expecting any nightmares this time.  It’s flashy and fun, but I miss some of the mystery and creepiness that came with the original.