Discovering good movies, one bad movie at a time

Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Rating Principles
  • Podcasts
  • Reviews
  • Videos
  • Patreon
  • Blog
Cast : Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison Screenplay : Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon Release : April 12, 2012 Director : Drew Goddard Genre : Horror, Thriller

The Cabin in the Woods

Posted by Tim Brayton Posted on Apr - 18 - 2012 0 Comments
BEST SHOT: SERENITY

Another Wednesday, another episode of Hit Me with Your Best Shot at The Film Experience. This week, in celebration of the Joss Whedon moment we’re going through with The Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers on everybody’s lips, Nathaniel has assigned Whedon’s feature film debut as a director: 2005’s zippy popcorn sci-fi adventure Serenity, the sequel and finale to his maddeningly short-lived TV show Firefly. Which, between them, represent my absolute favorite stuff in Whedon’s entire career, give or take whatever he contributed to Toy Story.

(There’s a lot of stuff in this post, so I’m burying it beneath a jump – no reason to make the whole blog take that long to load up).

Now, ever since the day Serenity opened in 2005, I’ve known exactly what my favorite shot was; but I still felt a bit like a cheater for including here. Because the shot in question is 4 minutes and 24 seconds long. And it’s also at least two separate takes that have been digitally stitched, with another two places at least two other spots where a seam could be hidden.

So I dithered and hemmed and hawed and thought about going for absolutely anything else, and in the end I didn’t. Because it reads as one shot, and it is not remotely incidental that it is all one shot, for reasons I promise to dig into as best as can. In the meanwhile, here it is: starting just over ten minutes into the film, when all we know is that a mysterious government assassin (Chiwetel Eijiofor) is hunting a dark-haired crazy psychic girl, River Tam (Summer Glau):

(I do beg you to watch it fullscreen; it turns out that uploading videos straight through Blogger, which I’ve never done before, actually results in pretty decent quality)

For those of you who didn’t want to watch it all, and also so we’ll all have a reference point, let’s walk back through that. Just so you know, we cut in from a glorious 360 pan around the outside of the CGI spaceship Serenity, closing in on the front window through which we see Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), and then there’s a bang.

On that bang, we jump into the bridge to see Mal having a very restrained freak-out.

The shot pulls back and widens into a two-shot to show Mal and pilot Wash (Alan Tudyk) having a nice friendly banter about what the heck is going on – it’s awfully bad, but both men are willing to deal with it by joking (the main characteristic of Whedon’s writing, and honestly, one that sometimes gets too annoying for me to deal with it, but rarely if ever in Firefly/Serenity).

Mal storms down the hallway and meets the requisite dumb tough guy of his crew, Jayne (Adam Baldwin); they also banter, but it’s a lot meaner.

The camera swings around Mal, leading him into the ship rather than following, and he stops to briefly exchange words with Zoë (Gina Torres), his second-in-command, and Wash’s wife. This is the first non-bantering conversation we’ve seen, reflecting his considerable respect for her abilities as a soldier.

Further down, the camera drops behind again-

-and in the engine room, we meet mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite).

Right outside, Mal almost walks right into Dr. Simon Tam (Sean Maher), who is the least bantery of all the folks on the ship: he is indeed, downright pissed.

Simon and Mal have a rather acrimonious conversation as the captain heads further into the ship (the one relatively obvious stitch is here), dragging the doctor and us with him.

In the cargo hold, Mal resolves things by asserting his authority and storming off. Note Jayne and Zoë in the background – I’ll be getting back to that in a second.

We continue with Simon as he storms up to the top level, where his sister River is lying in a sort of trance. The shot ends on her face, the character we’ve been led to believe is the key to Whatever is going on in the movie punctuating the end of its most sustained individual moment.

As a scene, this is a terrific bit of exposition: one of the hardest things for sequels with a rabid fanbase to get right is the part where the narrative world and core characters are introduced in a way that is clear on its own terms for newbies while never talking down to established fans. Serenity doesn’t do this flawlessly throughout, but it’s definitely one of the better examples I can think of (compare and contrast e.g. The X-Files, which fails on both counts: inscrutable as a standalone, dull and repetitive within the greater mythology). And the manner in which this sequence introduces us to each character one at a time, gives us a quick sense of their personality (Wash is flippant, Jayne is violent, etc.), and moves on.

Of course, we’re discussing this as a shot, not a scene, and thought it’s easy to confuse the two since they occupy the exact same space in the film, they’re not identical.

So, then, why is it so damn important that this all be in one nominally uninterrupted shot?

A number of reasons. One is that it’s cool – long takes are always cool. This is indisputably the worst reason.

But let’s run with it for a second: Whedon is basically showing off. And in showing off in this one way, he’s underlining the cinematic nature of Serenity compared to the show Firefly: implying through the sheer ambition and scope of this very early sequence that he’s got a much bigger sandbox now and he’s willing to use it; demonstrating, in essence, that he’s not going to bring a TV director mentality to his very first feature film. So on the one level, this shot is a statement of intent.

Secondly, it is a magnificent way of keeping the sequence’s energy screwed all the way up: while quick editing can be a good way to ratchet up tension, so is busy camerawork that runs around trying to keep up with the characters, and long takes are such a high-wire act that they inherently make the actors seem more on-edge and that rubs off on the viewer.

Thirdly, it is the most efficient way of exploring the physical space of Serenity, the ship that gives the film its title and remains far and away its most important location. We never get to see nearly this much of it all at once ever again, but the memory of this shot lingers for the rest of the 118-minute film; we’re always keenly aware that this room connects to that, granting the location a weight and reality that’s wildly different from most science fiction movies, which often announce the artifice of their sets a little bit too enthusiastically. And the little bit at the end where Zoë and Jayne pop up in the cargo deck, having taken another route to get there, is a genius little gesture to point out that there is another route, and that as much of Serenity as we see in this shot, there’s even more to see.

Most importantly, though, is the work the shot does in tying all the characters together: it’s no accident that the first time we see any of these people other than Simon and River, and the first time we see even them in “the present”, is in one unbroken flowing take. Whedon is famously obsessed with family units: groups of people thrown together by chance, that grow to love one another as they become more familiar. It is the theme that unites all of his work. Serenity opens in a moment of crisis for its family unit, both physical (the ship is about to explode) and psychological (the rift between Mal and Simon has widened to a breaking point). Things are quite literally falling apart; but Whedon, who views interpersonal unity as sacrosanct, wants to enforce how in the face of this, everyone is still together, still a family: and so he introduces all of them and their ship in one uninterrupted flow. For editing puts characters in boxes, while long takes stress how they all occupy the same space, and for all the coolness and tension and technical dazzlement of this open shot, it’s this final reason – the way the shot ties all the characters into one and guarantees us, the audience, that they’re together through thick and thin – is why this isn’t just my favorite shot in Serenity, but my favorite moment in Joss Whedon’s whole damn career.

Categories:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
FUN WITH CARTOONS
  • Subscribe

  • Connect With Us

    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 at 6:06pm
    New episode! 🥳

    It's not just any episode, it's our FAVORITE episode of the year! We agonize & we debate the BEST movies of 2020. It was a tough year in cinema, but nevertheless, we each came up with 10 great films.

    Tune in! 🎧 #Top10 #2020movies https://t.co/Iu42n5mFmm
    View on Twitter
    0
    1
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Tuesday, January 12th, 2021 at 1:25pm
    Movie Giveaway! 🎉

    We're BACK from Winter break with one of our FAVORITE episodes. We mull & we analyze our feelings & we pull together the best movies of 2020!

    But it's no fun if you don't play along, so tell us YOUR favorite movies of 2020 in the comments.

    #BestOf2020 https://t.co/i7wAhnZ2jK
    View on Twitter
    0
    2
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Thursday, December 17th, 2020 at 8:27pm
    New Episode! 🎧

    Top 5 Christmas Curmudgeons ➡️ https://t.co/oB2MpBiOse

    This one goes out to all of you who are feeling a bit grinchy about the holidays this year. We're sure this episode will have your heart growing AT LEAST 2 sizes. ❤

    Happy Holidays, from all of us at AE! https://t.co/a8LyJLBtYW
    View on Twitter
    1
    1
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Friday, December 11th, 2020 at 7:01pm
    Have you seen @OfficialRunFilm yet?!

    We sit down with director @aneeshchaganty to talk about his newest twisty-thriller, you won't want to miss it!

    🎧 https://t.co/nGuM0SIQzx

    Available on @hulu now! https://t.co/HY5oPbvyPG
    View on Twitter
    0
    1
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Thursday, December 10th, 2020 at 1:33pm
    Movie Giveaway! 🥳

    Who is your favorite #Christmas Curmudgeon in a movie?

    To help our own hearts grow 2 1/2 sizes at the end of this tough year, share your favorites in the comments for a chance to win a free Amazon movie rental - the winner will be announced on Dec 14th! 🎉 https://t.co/b3GDZFGycf
    View on Twitter
    0
    2
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending @AlternateEndng
    Tuesday, December 1st, 2020 at 12:56pm
    New episode!🥳

    We're on the road for this week's episode, but that doesn't keep us from diving in to our favorite British movies of all time! What makes a movie British? Well, you'll just have to find out chum!

    Tune in!✨ https://t.co/W174UmLU5k
    View on Twitter
    0
    1

    Alternate Ending

    Alternate Ending was formed when three friends realized they all shared a passion for movies. Our goal is to save you time and money by sharing our thoughts and recommendations on which movies to race to theaters for, which to watch at home and those to actively avoid. What makes Alternate Ending different from other film sites and podcasts? Well, we’re not 5 dudes in a room talking about our passion for Fight Club and Braveheart. We’re two dudes, and a lady, of which our tastes are quite varied. Rob, the film-school dropout, has seen an absurd amount of movies, and if we’re being honest, rounds out our Fight Club fan-base. Tim Brayton, our seasoned film critic, shares a more critical view of film, an appreciation for vintage cinema and perhaps limited-release movies that we might otherwise miss. Carrie, our casual movie-goer, reminds us all that cinema is in fact supposed to be fun and entertaining and that sometimes, just sometimes, happy endings are good. Too many film sites cater to the same kind of audience, with one overwhelming voice in the writing, but what we treasure at Alternate Ending is diversity: diversity of opinion, diversity in belief about what film should do and how it should do it. We want to celebrate our different opinions, and celebrate yours as well. This isn't a site for people who just want to talk about the latest hot new movies in theaters right this minute. This is a place for people who can't get to the theater until the third week a film is out; a place for people who just want to find something great to stream online after the kids have gone to sleep, a place for people whose favorite pastime is to grab a bunch of classic films on DVD from the library and watch them all weekend. It's a place that believes that every great movie is a wonderful new treasure, whether you see it the night of its premiere or fifty years later. It's a site about discovering good movies... one bad movie at a time. Join us for our weekly review of movies worth seeing, worth avoiding and our Top 5 lists – and don’t forget to play along at www.alternateending.com.
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate EndingTuesday, January 12th, 2021 at 4:22pm
    Movie Giveaway! 🎉

    We're BACK from Winter break with one of our FAVORITE episodes of the year. We mull, we agonize, we analyze our feelings and we pull together the best movies of 2020!

    But it's no fun if you don't play along, so tell us YOUR favorite movies of 2020 in the comments.

    We'll announce the winner of a free movie rental, when our first episode of 2021 airs on January 18th!

    #2020movies #Top10
    2    View on Facebook
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate EndingThursday, December 17th, 2020 at 9:22pm
    New Episode! 🎧

    Top 5 Christmas Curmudgeons ➡️bit.ly/3r5ukert

    This one goes out to all of you who are feeling a bit grinchy about the holidays this year. We're sure that this episode will have your heart growing AT LEAST 2 sizes. ❤

    Happy Holidays, from all of us at AE!
       View on Facebook
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate EndingFriday, December 11th, 2020 at 9:58pm
    Have you seen Run Film yet?!

    We sit down with director Aneesh Chaganty to talk about his newest twisty-thriller, you won't want to miss it!

    🎧 bit.ly/2KeFZqg
    1    View on Facebook
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate EndingThursday, December 10th, 2020 at 4:28pm
    Movie Giveaway! 🥳

    Who is your favorite Christmas Curmudgeon in a movie?

    Almost as much as Santa Claus and reindeer, you can’t have a Christmas movie without some miserable SOB who starts out by humbugging their way through throngs of cheerful celebrants and has, by the end of the second hour, learned the True Meaning of Christmas. 🎄

    To help our own hearts grow two-and-a-half sizes at the end of this tough year, share your favorites in the comments below for a chance to win a free Amazon movie rental - the winner will be announced when our next episode airs on Dec 14th! ❤️
    1    View on Facebook
    Alternate Ending
    Alternate Ending updated their cover photo.Thursday, December 10th, 2020 at 4:03pm
    1 1    View on Facebook
  • Support The Show

    Rent the Looks, Own the Style - The Mr. & Ms. Collection

    Rent the Looks, Own the Style - The Mr. & Ms. Collection

Copyright © 2021 Alternate Ending - Discovering good movies, one bad movie at a time.
WordPress Development by Gibson Web Development
This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb.