not really, the director made it so anyone who has not seen the series will understand but the movie is a wrap up the series . . . . a 'closure' if you will for all the loose ends, characters,a and backgrounds. It makes a lot more sense if you know the characters . . . . . especially River . . . in the series they don't say much of her past and in the movie she comes 'alive' so to speak so when watching the movie (if you haven't seen the series) I don't think she will be as special. The other characters are the same way.
but by all means it's an awesome movie, the stuff River does eye-popping awesome :D