When Serenity, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, was released theatrically earlier this year, it was ripped, bashed and completely trashed by reviewers, many of whom thought of it as being an insipidly stupid story that never should have seen the light of day. Some even criticized it for taking the name of a much better movie called Serenity (2005), the Joss Whedon-directed science fiction film that served as a magnificent capper to his equally marvelous TV series, Firefly (and I agree that the SF Serenity is superb).
Naturally, I wanted to see this new Serenity, which dared to take the name of a beloved SF film, because I wanted to see if this new film lived up to the hype of being such a scathingly reviewed flick that has already earned its place on several “worst of” lists of 2019. McConaughey stars as a fishing boat skipper named Baker Dill who’s having some trouble keeping his grip on reality. He’s served in Iraq, and--as he freely admits--his tour in the military has messed him up. Lately, he has become obsessed with hunting down a massive tuna fish in the ocean that he’s named Justice with the same unhealthy intensity as a certain Captain Ahab.
As if Dill doesn’t have enough on his plate, his ex-wife Karen (Hathaway) shows up on the tropical island he lives on with the intent of renting his fishing boat so that Dill could take her current husband Frank (Jason Clarke) on a little trip. But the catch is that Karen wants Dill to kill her husband, because Frank is an abusive bully who beats her savagely. Karen promises Dill a large payday that will wipe out all of his debts, but he’s strongly considering doing this because of his young son, who lives with his mother and must bear the brunt of seeing her getting beaten every night.
As it stands right now, Serenity is a marvelous romantic thriller, with great performances from the solid cast, which also includes Diane Lane, and Djimon Hounsou. The tropical island locale lends itself very well to the sultry story, which draws the viewer into its narrative without becoming too soap opera-ish. The problem is the twist that occurs about midway through the film.
Spoilers ahead: Serenity changes from a film noir thriller into a straight up science fiction film when it’s revealed that Dill, along with everybody on the island--including the island itself--is not real. They are all merely constructs of a video game that’s been created by Dill’s son in the real-world, who created this game for himself as a way to work up the courage to kill his abusive stepfather, who is beating his mother to a pulp every day.
I can understand why a lot of people were so pissed off by this movie. They were expecting a sweltering, sexy mystery the likes of Body Heat, only to get The Matrix instead. And while there are some plot holes here and there, Serenity still works within its science fiction trappings--and it even manages to be touching in how it displays the power of a father and son’s love. Perhaps being forearmed with the knowledge of this film’s major twist might make people be more susceptible to its unusual story. Granted, Serenity might not be a perfect film, but it may be an enjoyable ride for those looking for something different and original. --SF
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