Serenity, the cinematic evolution of the blink-and-you-missed-it television series Firefly, opens today, with an impressive array of loving reviews from all corners. How can such a dark horse suddenly rise up and capture the imagination of jaded moviegoers the world over? It’s clever enough to keep you guessing, and real enough to make you care. Add plenty of relentless action — both on the ground, and in the black — and you’ve got a summer popcorner that allows you think and feel along the way.

The crew of Serenity is a rambunctious, dysfunctional family pushed even closer to the edge than usual due to the unwelcome attention they’ve garnered by harboring a particularly valuable pair of fugitives. There are so many twists and turns in the plot that further details will only spoil the fun.

Just run to your nearest theater, watch Serenity a few times, and thank me later.