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Josh Hurst (Reveal) raves, "Let's hope there's more where this came from. Firefly's early demise was cruelly premature, and Whedon and his cast prove here that the magic of those early TV episodes was no fluke. Serenity is not a flawless film, but it may very well be the most enthralling, satisfying, funny, moving, and profound sci-fi adventure film in years. It's exceptional entertainment—both for the Browncoats and for those who have no clue what a Browncoat even is."

Stephen Tilson (World's movie blog) calls Serenity "the best big-screen space opera in years, with its engaging characters, crisp writing, and ever-ratcheting tension. Too bad its theology isn't better; the Christian character, Shepherd Book, tells Mal, the titular ship's commander, to 'believe' in something, and it doesn't matter what, as long as he believes. This is the sort of feather-brained foolishness we get when atheist writers grind their own post-modern philosophical axes on their token Christians."

But Greg Wright (Hollywood Jesus) disagrees: "Serenity does not suggest that one belief is just as good another. It does, however, make a strong case for believing in something as the first step toward finding truth. And hope will sustain the journey." He adds, "But this film is not ultimately about faith. It's about love. The film begins there and ends there."

My own review of the film, plus interviews with Whedon and the cast, are posted at Looking Closer.

Most mainstream critics are celebrating the big screen debut of "the little television show that could."

Peter Suderman (Relevant) joins last week's parade of rave reviews from Christian critics. He writes, "Serenity works because it doesn't strive to be anything more than it is: a gussied up B-movie that pays tribute to both sci-fi and Western clichés. Unassuming and unpretentious, it bests blockbusters with three times its budget, all while keeping both its brains and its cool; in fact, you might just call it serene."

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