Hyped as "the new Star Wars" by shouty fans. Dismissed as yet another case of "The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome" by casual moviegoers left wondering what all the fuss was about. Yup, the theatrical release of Serenity divided opinion quicker than Paul WS Anderson can empty a cinema. But viewed now on DVD, it's clear that while much of writer/director Joss Whedon's revival of his failed TV show Firefly can be hard-going for newcomers and inevitably short-changes much of its large ensemble of characters, anyone who can lock into Whedon's innovative fusion of sci-fi and Western motifs should saddle up for a thrilling, smart, funny and enormously entertaining ride.

Set 500 years in the future, Serenity propels disillusioned smuggler Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds (Nathan Fillion, doing a fine Harrison Ford impression) and crew into a fast-moving struggle to expose a deadly conspiracy involving the galaxy's ruling body, the Alliance. Mal's mission is fuelled by the champion characterisation and zinging dialogue you'd expect from Whedon (the Oscar-nommed Toy Story writer and creator of Buffy and Angel) and involves equally strong set-pieces, culminating in a genuinely suspenseful finale. Ultimately, the space-ace movie marks a triumphant feature-directing debut for Whedon and bodes supremely well for his next offerings.

The Serenity DVD boasts a wagon-load of goodies, including Whedon's infectiously enthusiastic, heavily informative and often hilarious commentary and the 20-minute Region 2-exclusive Making Of doc, Serenity - A Filmmaker's Journey. Add some amusing outtakes, decent featurettes and even a look at the film's Fruity Oaty commercial and it's enough to make you cry "Yeehaw!" at the screen. Well, almost.

DVD Extras:

Joss Whedon commentary
Whedon introduction
Deleted and extended scenes
Outtakes
Serenity: A Filmmaker's Journey
Serenity: Re-Lighting The Firefly
Serenity: What's In A Firefly
Serenity: Future History
We'll Have A Fruity Oaty Good Time
Easter Egg