True. There's also the fact that many of the people who saw it were fans of the show (I'm assuming that includes you). It's easier to care when the main characters and surrounding environement were compelling before the movie started. I just find it hard to look at it with a lot of objectivity, is all.
They may make a sequel, and I know who I want the villain to be: Adelei Niska. The movie will have to have a lot of humor in it to keep everything from being too dark and morbid, since Niska would no doubt torture one or more members of the crew yet again.
I'd like it if other minor characters in 'Firefly' showed up again in movies, too, like Badger and Saffron.
Did you know that the part of Badger was originally meant to be played by Joss Whedon? Man, am I ever glad that didn't come to pass. That wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as it is with Mark Sheppard.