Serenity (2005)

Using a series of analogies, "Serenity" is an action/adventure sci-fi flick, set in a "Star Wars/Star Trek" universe, with a plot with hints of "5th Element" or "Aeon Flux", and with the mental stimulation of a "Mummy" film, with way less laughs, but a lot more action. Based on the TV series "Firefly", which had only 15 episodes back in 2002, and written/directed by Joss Whedon (creator of the series), "Serenity" is a movie that has the cliche premise of most sci-fi extravaganzas, but at the same time almost dismisses them, focusing instead on a lot of action set pieces, with inferior, TV-like, yet highly enjoyable special effects, despite the poorness of the screenplay, and the inferior acting. There is a girl with special gifts being held by the "Alliance", the regime that rules the galaxy after winning a major, universe-scale war. She is portrayed by beautiful Summer Glau, the best actress in the picture. At the start she is rescued by her brother, and then smuggled into a Millennium Falcon-like ship named Serenity, whose captain is a Hans Solo-like character played by Nathan Fillion. The rest of the film, the ship's crew with its precious cargo is trying to get to a planet called Miranda, where the secret behind the girl is to be found. They are pursued by the Alliance troops, headed by an always cool, samurai sword handler Chiwetel Ejiofor. When the plot is finally explained, it really isn't much, and the movie quickly forgets it to get to more action, more shots, more spaceship maneuvers and more explosions. High on entertainment, low on pretty much else. But nevertheless, it was an easily enjoyable film, which proved to be a breath of fresh air in a worn out genre.