SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

‘Serenity’ is a disaster, but there are some nice tropical locations

Jan 25, 2019, 1:57 PM

“Serenity” is one of those films that leaves the most important question about the film totally unanswered: which is, how did you get Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Dianne Lane, and Djimon Hounsou to participate in a film like this? It’s a disaster. It makes no sense.

I give “Serenity” 1.5 out of four stars.

This is a film noir set in a Caribbean Island that may or may not exist called Plymouth. Matthew McConaughey plays a character who barely makes a living taking visitors out on his boat to catch big fish. His ex-wife turns up, and asks him to take out her current husband, kill him, and feed him to the sharks. She offers him $10 million.

RELATED: Coen brothers’ “Ballad of Buster Scruggs” evokes great John Ford films
RELATED: “The Upside” is Kevin Hart’s best dramatic performance

They’re all outstanding actors, and you can’t blame McConaughey’s performance for this. What you have to go to is the script; it just doesn’t add up. Considering how talented these people are, it’s unbelievable that it ends up being this. There are some nice tropical locations, and plenty of big name stars, who seem to be trying most of the time. McConaughey’s character loves to run through the town and take off his clothes for some reason. There’s plenty of McConaughey taking off his clothes; and a little bit of Hathaway taking off her clothes.

“Serenity” will achieve none of that for people. It’s rated R and there are some reputably steamy sex scenes. But the steamy sex scenes don’t even look like they’ve been reheated in the microwave. There’s just no chemistry. It’s hard to read actors’ minds, but it seemed to me inescapable not to think that some of these talented people were thinking, “Am I going to be embarrassed by this?”

The director always says, “Don’t worry, we’re going to fix this in editing.” They didn’t. There surely must be a better way to spend time this weekend.

FILE - This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes o...

Associated Press

Trump’s ‘grand conspiracy’ probe presses on with subpoenas after the lead prosecutor’s exit

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before taking over the sprawling Justice Department investigation into foes of President Donald Trump, Joe diGenova decried the lack of progress in bringing indictments. Five months later, diGenova has left his position without charging a single case, clouding the future of an investigation that has animated right-wing commentators eager to prove an […]

16 minutes ago

A raccoon kit digs through water and mud at Woodside Wildlife Rescue in Pass Christian, Miss. on Se...

Associated Press

A raccoon boot camp in Mississippi teaches abandoned kits survival skills

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (AP) — Muddy, sweat-soaked and occasionally bloody, the dedicated staff at a Mississippi wildlife center are drill sergeants. And their soldiers? Baby raccoons. Welcome to raccoon boot camp, where the goal is to help sick or injured animals learn to survive in the south Mississippi wilderness — a skill set they would […]

3 hours ago

Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers...

Associated Press

Britain’s Burnham is set to meet Trump for the first time at the UN in New York

LONDON (AP) — Andy Burnham once said he would refuse to meet Donald Trump. Now Britain’s prime minister is about to hold his first meeting with the U.S. president, with Ukraine and the soaring cost of conflict in the Middle East at the top of his agenda. U.S. officials say the two leaders will hold […]

4 hours ago

A screen shows the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) in the foreign exchange dealing room a...

Associated Press

Stocks advance after Bessent says talks with China were successful before Trump-Xi meeting

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares mostly advanced Monday as investors monitor updates ahead of the expected meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week in Washington which could cover trade, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. U.S. futures were higher, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters following talks Sunday with […]

6 hours ago

FILE - Officers escort Richard Allen out of the Carroll County courthouse following a hearing, Nov....

Associated Press

Indiana man wants new trial in killing of teens where pagan ritual evidence can be introduced

A man serving 130 years in prison for killing two teen girls in Indiana is asking an appeals court to overturn his convictions, saying that he confessed while he was having a psychological crisis and was unfairly barred from arguing at trial that the girls were killed by unknown participants in a pagan ritual. Jurors […]

7 hours ago

FILE - Presley Gerber poses at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre, March 14, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif....

Associated Press

Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford, dies at 27, family representative says

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, died on Sunday at age 27, a family representative said. Gerber died at a rehab facility, according to online records of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The death was confirmed by Allie Jenkins, a representative for Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber. […]

8 hours ago

‘Serenity’ is a disaster, but there are some nice tropical locations