I like this from the times (I never thought of Summer as being like Barbara Steele, but, except for the eyes, I can kinda see it):

Mr. Whedon sketches his characters with quick brush strokes, leaving his appealing cast to fill in the holes with banter and serious-looking busywork. Everyone takes to their task well, though only Mal and a fierce Whedonesque creation called River (Summer Glau, a pint-size Barbara Steele) take root. Hot-wired to kill and on the run from her government masters, this spooky beauty floats through the ship in a series of fetching shifts that make her look like an errant Martha Graham dancer, every so often going entertainingly berserk and wreaking Michelle Yeoh-style damage. Underlying River's murderous power - and perhaps her government-induced psychosis - is a lost little girl trying to carve out a place and a self to call her own.

Wired liked it:

As a writer of dialogue, Whedon is a superstar, and, unlike other genre screenwriters, he does more than provide a few good catchphrases. Wisecracks, playful banter, metaphor, irony, double entendres, even quiet, emotionally weighted moments -- Whedon does it all.

...

And it's those human elements -- the undeniable chemistry between the crew, the tense standoffs between good guys and bad, Mal wrestling with his conscience -- that make Serenity work. This film is intended for grown-up adults and smart teenagers, and the story never seems dictated by what might be called the action-figure imperative -- the need for a movie to drive toy and video-game sales.

eta: and I forget the link again: [link]

I swear, I must have a blood clot in my brain too.

Warning: Fairly big-ass spoiler in the very last paragraph of the Wired review.

Sorry. I thought we weren't warning about spoilers anymore.

Oh, shit, I forgot. It opens TODAY! For reals! All blackfont, all the time! I'm clearly having trouble believing it.

But, anyhow, warning for anyone who's seeing it this afternoon or tonight and is unspoiled thus far and wants to remain so for the next few hours.

But, anyhow, warning for anyone who's seeing it this afternoon or tonight and is unspoiled thus far and wants to remain so for the next few hours.

Yeah, good point. Might as well not spoil people until we have to.

eta: Or, NSM spoil people, but fill this thread with spoilers.

Yeah, good point. Might as well not spoil people until we have to.

Aw, but it's FUN!

t /kidding

After ita put her Big Red Spoiler Warning up, I was tempted to post the biggest Serenity spoilers here, in equally big and red text.

If you want to stay unspoiled, leave. I'm tempted to get the big spoiler(s) out there too, but maybe later.

Yeah, is there anyone still here who hasn't seen Serenity yet?