Motherfucker!

[yendi]

A co-worker just walked up to me and asked "why'd Joss do X?" with X representing the major (as far as I'm concerned) plot spoiler in Serenity. He'd assumed I'd seen it.

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!

I've done everything in my power to avoid spoilers.

And now, not only have I been spoiled, but it's the sort of spoiler that makes me completely un-fucking-interested in seeing the movie. In fact, it was the exact thing that I said, some while ago (not on LJ, so no spoilers to worry about), was the only thing Joss could do to make me not care about the movie or the franchise.

Well, that saved me $7, at least.

Comments

[tablesaw]

This is why I don't like fandom "events", whether it's a Joss Whedon movie or a Harry Potter book. People can't undertand the concept of not watching or reading or playing something at the very first minute that you possibly could.

[sainthuck.livejournal.com]

This is so, so true.

[shellefly.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry to hear that.
That sucks.

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

You'll still care. In fact, your reaction to that spoiler just shows how MUCH you care. Go see it anyway.

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

Honestly? The whole movie feels like a Very Long Episode, and not a great one at that. I'd go see it anyway, because it's a fun ride, but it isn't momentous, not by any means.

[blergeatkitty.livejournal.com]

You're telling me. I was actually starting to get sort of interested in the show, and then I saw the movie, which basically rendered moot everything I liked about what I'd seen so far. Nice one, there, Joss.

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry :-(

I still really enjoyed the movie, despite X, which I steadfastly refuse to believe happened anyway.

Go see it anyway. I think you'll like the rest.

[hockeyrules88.livejournal.com]

I still think the movie is worth seeing despite X. I saw it back in April and I was royally pissed and decided I wouldn't go see it again, then I went to see it again last Tuesday and then again on Friday. The more often I see it, the more I like it. I am still angry, but the rest of the movie was fantastic. I really dont think you will regret seeing everything else that goes on in the movie.

[sainthuck.livejournal.com]

That sucks, getting spoiled like that, especially out of the blue.

As regards X, I didn't mind it so much, and as I've said elsewhere, it shifted this from a Very Long Episode into a Movie, thanks to the idea of consequences (TV series don't do things like X; movies do), and it definitely shifts the tone, as well. Like it or not, I think it has effective dramatic purpose when it happens.

I think you'd still get value out of seeing the film, but I'd understand if you thought otherwise.

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

I don't think X served any sort of dramatic purpose at all! I don't object to X happening but I object to how gratuitous it seems. There appear to be no real effects from X and it comes off as a cheap, emotionally manipulative gimmick to prove how SERIOUS THIS MOVIE IS!

*grin*

Maybe the consequences are further explored in the other two potential films, but I think to throw something like X in there without developing it was sloppy storytelling.

[jerel.livejournal.com]

I never saw the show, and I knew back in April about X (because I figured I wouldn't go see the movie.) Now that I have, I think X totally sucked.

As to why? Well, like so many things in the Joss-verse, I think he does it just because he can. Instead of building up something complex to get at our emotions, he resorts to cheap tricks like X.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Except he's done X well before - like in the dead mother episode of Buffy.

[dindin.livejournal.com]

Would it kill people to start with "Have you seen "Movie", yet?"

[cieo.livejournal.com]

Yes, it would. Which is why I usually go out of my way to preface all my conversations and potential conversations with, "I haven't seen it yet so if you tell me, I will kick your ass into the next apocalypse."

[daoistraver.livejournal.com]

hmm... see, I never watched the show. But I loved the movie.

So now I'm wondering whether the show will be really awesome for me, or whether it won't be.
(...because of the apparent disconnect between the flavor of the show and the movie, due to X, which I still haven't figured out what it refers to, but maybe I will once I see the show.)

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

A movie reviewer made it more clear in his review. Basically what happens towards the end of the movie is a lot more painful if you've seen the show and you have an emotional investment in that X not happening.

[fiddledragon]

What is X? email please? I saw the movie, and the series, and I'm not immeidately getting X.

[zarhooie.livejournal.com]

I am a leaf in the wind. I am a leaf, damnit.

Does that help?

[unwilly.livejournal.com]

Dude, go punch out the coworker, and go see the movie anyway.

[averyslave.livejournal.com]

I agree with the guy above who said that X shifted the thing from an episode to a movie. I think that the moment was necessary to ramp up the full power of the final sequences. In a TV show, there are certain things you know can't happen. And when they DO in the movie, it makes you wonder if X was going to happen again and again. I know I started to believe it. Without that, you assume that everyone is going to come out of this A-OK, just like they always do. *shrug*

Of course, this is coming from a guy that could never enjoy "Fight Club" because someone just blatantly gave me the big spoiler before I saw it. So I can understand totally if it doesn't work for you.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Really? I liked it a lot better after I knew the plot twist and knew what was going on. But I saw it the first time without knowing.

That said - anyone that gives away the ending to Frailty is a bastard.

[kiwitayro.livejournal.com]

go see it anyway. i thought it was great. somewhere between "long episode" and "standalone movie" - better than xfiles.

and X... i'm mostly just whiney about it, but not even. josh has a theory that i'll tell you if you watch it.

also, there is some funny shit. actually there's LOTS of good shit. including some serious ass-kicking. some "oohhh" and "aaahhhh" and "eep!" and "ew!" and "!!!"

:)

[sir-alf.livejournal.com]

Go see it. Trust me, it'll be okay. I watched it a second time last night, and still enjoyed it. A friend had known about the spoiler for a few weeks, went and saw it, and still loved it. If all you know is X, then don't worry... you'll still enjoy the movie. Peace.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

X was pointless and cruel, and the way it was handled was a complete slap in the face to anyone who had invested anything in the character in question. The worst part is that no one who was walking into the movie cold, without having seen an episode of the show, would care at all. Because the movie is so heavily weighted toward Mal/River/Zoe/Jayne, everyone else gets pushed aside, so X would mean pretty much nothing to the newcomer.

I found the movie disappointing on many levels.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

I liked it, but yeah critics were saying that they thought X was just a minor plot point without the television show.

[thefirethorn.livejournal.com]

I'm SO sorry.

But dude, seriously, whatever he told you, there is still a whole lot more amazing things in the movie, I promise.

Trust me -- e-mail me what he told you and I'll tell you if it's still worth seeing -- and I don't spend no 8$ on NOTHING unless it's WAY worth it.

[thefirethorn.livejournal.com]

wait -- is X a character death? Because if it is, DUDE YOU SO VERY MUCH still have to see this movie.

If x wasn't a character death then, what was it? Even if it was the big spoiler there's still important stuff going on in the movie.

[zarhooie.livejournal.com]

*petpet* It's ok, sweetie.

Out of curiosity, why hadn't you seen the movie yet?

[cscottd.livejournal.com]

Almost the exact same thing happened to me...

Some friends went to see Serenity Friday and as soon they got back, one of them sent me a one-line email (subject: Serenity) that said basically "Joss did X".

I was shocked and stunned.

No "Do you wanna know?", no spoiler warning, nothing.

I'm still looking forward to seeing it, but... damn.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

I thought the comic book series was the movie and I read it and I went "what? That's it?" and then I went to see rollick's review on her lj and saw taht that wasn't it at all and that the fucking comic book trilogy was only a prequelto the movie.

[ian-gunn.livejournal.com]

Dude, sorry to hear that.

[random-girl.livejournal.com]

All I can say is that I was not dissapointed, which is really fabulous if you think of all the ways it could have been blown. But, if I may, what the hell did he say? Some of the characters could not come back, but their absences as written in seemed to move the plot along. Also, what they are doing in real life makes you happy that at least one of them is not coming back--his new real job is way more important than acting.

In any case, you seem to appreciate "smart-assedness" and I can't believe you'd happily pass up almost two hours of it.

[corwinok.livejournal.com]

You have to kill him, of course. Best way to set an example for the next time.

X deserved better....

[photognome.livejournal.com]

Ask Song, I was seething after the movie.

Re: X deserved better....

[yendi]

BTW, do you happen to know of any watchable-at-home versions of it? I'm not inclined to pay Joss money at this point (although, if I turn out to like it, I've got no qualms about then buying a ticket), but I still want to see if I can stand it.

[maida-mac.livejournal.com]

I actually found it to be relatively well done. I've also found out that I seem to be the rarity online, though. Unlike a lot of people, I was impressed with the understatedness of the response afterwards and the end, not angered by it.

I'll actually be seeing the movie again soon.