Serenity (2019)

I read something about a brilliant, mind-blowing twist on Twitter a while back so, despite my aversion for Matthew McCounaghey, I decided to check out Serenity. And now I don't know how I feel, whether I'm angry about the fact that sarcasm doesn't translate well over text or astonished about the fact that some people actually believe that was a clever twist. 

Anyways, the story follows Baker Dill (Matthew McConaughey), a down-on-his-luck fishing boat captain who is obsessed with catching "Justice", a giant tuna fish (no, it's not Jim Halpert). One day, his ex-wife Karen (Anne Hathaway) shows up and offers him a deal, $10 million to drop her new, violent husband, Frank (Jason Clarke), into the ocean for the sharks to feast on him and pretend it was a fishing accident. 

The thing I just can't understand is how you go from creating something as brilliant and compelling as Peaky Blinders to creating something as horrific as Serenity, and that's exactly what writer and director Steven Knight did. In here, he delivers a predictable and ridiculous story that makes absolutely no sense, filled with so many incongruencies and plot holes you could make a sponge out of it, subplots that are introduced only to be forgotten, and a twist that, god, it's so weird and random and ludicrous.

As if the awful plot wasn't enough, Serenity also has tremendously one-dimensional, hollow characters who deliver the corniest and most unrealistic dialogues ever and whose interactions are some of the most illogical I've ever seen.

The cast, on the other hand, does a tremendous job as their performances fit the script to perfection. Matthew McConaughey gives such an amateurish performance it's embarrassing, and he makes it incredibly hard to believe that it's an Oscar winner you're watching. Going around shirtless and butt-naked, that's something he's very good at though. Anne Hathaway is just as bad with a performance that seems like a noir parody gone wrong. And I'm sorry for the men, she does not show her boobs, for some unknown reason she has sex with her bra on. Actually, there's a reason and it'd be even more fucked up if she took it off. Jason Clarke does a great job though. He plays the abusive husband so well you really want to see him at the bottom of the ocean. Or maybe you just want him dead so that this dreadful film will end. Either way, you will hate the shit out of him. Among the cast, you can also spot a Diane Lane paying Matthew McConaughey for sex, a sexy Djimon Hounsou as a fisherman and a Jeremy Strong wearing a suit and creepingly staring at McConaughey.

Aviron Pictures
In addition, the editing is as pleasing as seeing two dogs fucking in the middle of the road. On a Sunday morning. When you are with your mother. I know that because that's exactly what happened to me an hour before I watched the film. The cinematography is dreadful, one awful and stupid shot and camera movement after another.

It's only March but I think we have already found the worst movie of 2019. And to those saying Serenity will be the new The Room, have you lost your fucking mind? That movie is a whole different level of bad, so bad that it's almost a comedic masterpiece. This film? This is not hilarious, it's just laughable.

6 comments :

  1. Sex scenes where the woman is still wearing her bra is a cliche that just needs to go. It's so unrealistic.

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    1. I agree! I find it even more annoying when she has sex without her bra (nothing's shown though) and she's wearing it the morning after when she wakes up.

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  2. Well... At least those dogs had fun :)

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  3. I've skim-read your post just in case I read any spoilers but I can't wait to see Serenity to see if it's really as bad as everyone says it is. There's something very wrong with me but I love to watch a terrible movie every now and again!

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    1. There's nothing wrong with you. I watch terrible movies to see if they really are as bad as people say all the time. Sadly, they usually are.

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  4. I skipped this one after seeing so many bad reviews. It's kind of amazing how a movie could miss the mark so badly.

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