Documentary Review: DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE (2006)

While I usually stay away from documentaries to their talky nature, I find myself becoming immersed in a lot these recently. I figured I would start with the most geekiest thing I could find. So naturally I saw a documentary about the major fan following that is the ‘Firefly’ / ‘Serenity’ fandom. So here’s my Review of a documentary that showcases how a TV Series that was only on the air for 12 episodes, spawned a cult following that rivals other franchises that were on the air for years.

Rating:

‘Firefly’ was an epic Sci-Fi Western TV Series (can you smell my bias) that aired on Fox in 2002 that, due to some interference by the studio, episodes being aired out of order, was eventually cancelled for low ratings. Despite this, the show became a huge hit with fans that originally saw the aired episodes, as well as snowballing into an even bigger audience through DVD Sales. ‘Done The Impossible’ is a documentary that tries to capture the essence of this die hard group of fans, mostly by featuring interviews with the fans themselves, with some small appeaarnces by the makers and stars of the show as well.

Created by now famous director of ‘The Avengers’ (My Review here) and his contributions to Marvel’s intricate Cinematic Franchise, Joss Whedon’s ‘Firefly’ is now revered by hardcore fans, spawning conventions, events, and has been cemented in both pop and geek culture as an iconic show that ended way too soon. ‘Done The Impossible’ takes a look at this huge sub-culture of Browncoats, as they are known as, and go through many interviews with real life fans discussing their introduction into the show and subsequent film, ‘Serenity‘, and how it changed their lives. Literally.

The documentary is produced fairly well, albeit for a very niche audience. Casual audiences may not be aware of the show, much less it’s insane fandom, enough to be able to enjoy or appreciate the impact of the series that the documentary refers to throughout. As inside looks go into works of fiction that are obsessed about, the general audience will definitely roll their eyes or scoff at the level of commitment and dedication that’s exhibited by the fans on this film, so in a way it’s almost reminiscent of a time before being a ‘Geek’ was popular or trending. On top of being a documentary about the fans, the film does delve into some very inside looks into what happened behind the scenes during the show’s cancellation, as recalled by the makers behind the project itself, and how they were able to revitalize the franchise through an eventual film.

‘Done The Impossible’ is definitely recommended to fans and even audiences that are aware of ‘Firefly’/ ‘Serenity’ movement, and want to know more about it. If you have become a fan of Joss Whedon after his meteoric rise to Geek God-dom following the success of ‘The Avengers’, then this documentary is a cool look into one of the creator’s most original stories and how it ultimately remains unfinished.

Get The DVD Here