"Serenity" DVD Review

I'm betting there are a lot of "Firefly"/"Serenity" fans who have this DVD at the top of their Christmas lists. Luckily for Joss Whedon fans worldwide, his special brand of storytelling works well on both the big screen and the small, and equally as well on DVD.

An adventure film filled with interesting characters and full of heart, "Serenity's" charm lies in writer/director Whedon's ability to seamlessly mix sci-fi with comedy, Westerns, and romance without missing a beat.

The entire cast of Joss Whedon's too-soon-cancelled "Firefly" TV series returned to star in "Serenity" and that familiarity among the cast helps sell this entertaining sci-fi/adventure/Western.

"Serenity" takes place 500 years in the future and focuses on the crew of the rebel spaceship, Serenity, a tight-knit group who are willing to do pretty much anything to make ends meet. Legal or illegal, whatever it takes to keep their ship in the air and their bellies full, the crew and Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) are willing to undertake.

Central to the story is River Tam (Summer Glau), an incredibly powerful fugitive who is being hunted down by the Alliance. River's so powerful that the government will stop at nothing to get her back in custody. But the Alliance didn't count on the ingenuity of the rebel crew of Serenity and their desire to keep River out of the hands of the power-crazed government.

DVD Bonus Features

I expected the "Serenity" DVD to be loaded with bonus features and while there is a healthy supply of extras, it's not enough. This is a cast that's been together through thick and thin and I would have liked a commentary track by a few of the cast, along with more behind-the-scenes interviews with the stars. The deleted scenes and outtake reel are fun, but really only leave you wanting more.