Review: Despite Its Star Power, 'Serena' Has no Spark

The arithmetic on "Serena" is fascinating. Two of the biggest movie stars in the world plus an Oscar-winning director and a best-selling novel somehow add up to a forgettable, under-the-radar video-on-demand release.
But movies work by strange, illogical mathematics. Despite its prestigious pedigree, "Serena," starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, is likely to be remembered as another example of the curious, inexplicable science of moviemaking.
The film, which opens in limited theaters Friday but has been available on VOD for much of the month, has long been a subject of intrigue since it was shot in 2012 and more-or-less hidden under a rock since.
The light of day finally crashing down in "Serena" reveals not so much the disaster one might expect, but a well-intended, handsomely shot but altogether unsuccessful drama. It comes as almost a disappointment. After all this time, one almost hopes for a Titanic-sized catastrophe, not merely a wayward mediocrity.