Valerian centers around Alpha which is a city comprised of species from over a thousand planets. There is a threat to the city that compromises the safety for all of those who inhabit it. Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are sent on a secret mission to retrieve a package for the government which is best described as an alien United Nations. From then on Valerian and Laureline set out to complete their mission as they try to uncover where this threat is coming from and who is behind it.
Valerian delivers on being a visual masterpiece, especially within the 15 minutes of the film as we discover a beautiful new planet which just stunning to look at. Where Valerian goes wrong would be their lack of a solid storyline mixed in with an unbelievable romance between the two main leads. At the beginning of the film, you see Valerian begging for Laureline’s hand in marriage. This was confusing for me not only because they both look like they’re not a day over sixteen but due to DeHaan not striking me as the bad boy type. Their characters romance seems forced and so does the storyline of the film.
Where Valerian goes wrong is their attempt to capitalize off cult favorites such as the Fith Element and Avatar. They try to include certain aspects of each film, but where they get it right in the visual effects, they get it wrong in providing the audience with a captivating storyline. Valerian leaves the audience feeling like they should have stayed at home to rewatch Avatar or The Fifth Element again. I would have to recommend you WAIT to see this film in theaters. This film is not even worth the Redbox rental but better suited for a Saturday night at home when you have nothing else better to do.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets hits theaters this Friday, July 21st. Click here to purchase your tickets now at Fandango, so you don’t get sold out. Have you seen Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets? Share your thoughts on the film below in the comment section.
I agree on waiting for this one….it LOOKS great, but the story will have you doing the same thing that myself and other in the theater were doing….and thats nodding off
I had to catch my myself a few times from falling asleep.
A Cinematic wonderland, story a snooze. A really long WAIT
Great review I totally agree with you with waiting to see this film. Visuals are amazing for sure but I still have mixed emotions about it. Rihanna’s performance sad to say stole the show. Anyways great review. Keep up the great work
Visitor Rating: 2 Stars
This is totally a WAIT to pay moment. Visual is lovely but I was bored within the 1st 15 min of the film. I knew right then and there I was going to be bored with the storyline and it not going anywhere. It was all confusing and I fell asleep. If you want to look at visual effects and not care about the storyline, then this is a film you would want to see but I still would WAIT to see the visual.
Wait, wait, wait. I fell asleep. Visually stunning movie. A non story film.
I agree. It’s visually stunning. Especially its opening and the sequence when Dane DeHaan smashes through planet to planet are a worthwhile experience to watch.
Ultimately it isn’t enough to make up for its weak plot. That was at times hard to follow and other times felt not fully fleshed out. The subplot between the two leads was also unnecessary. Due to the lack of chemistry, I would’ve preferred if the two had been simply platonic friends to give more time to focus on the script. Then again Hollywood can never make movies featuring a man and a woman without shoehorning a romance.
The leads also didn’t work for me. Dane has given strong performances in other films (e.g. Place Beyond the Pines, Chroncle) but he’s clearly miscast here. He’s neither believable as an action star or a seductive ladies man. As for Cara, after Sucide Squad and now this, I’m still unsure if she can even act all.
The visual effects and production design, as beautiful as they are, isn’t enough to save the film. Unless your a diehard fan of the director or have seen everything else playing in theaters, wait this one out.
Visitor Rating: 3 Stars
I would have rather payed to see the fifth element on the big screen again then to see this one for free.
Visitor Rating: 3 Stars
I definitely agree with this review! This movie is beautiful visually, but the acting is subpar, the plot is predictable, there is no chemistry between the lead actors and the action is almost laughable. It did make me want to go home and revise the 5th element-which was much more successful even if the technology had not yet caught up to the creator’s imagination as the CG does in this film. A definite WAIT.
As much as I wanted to love it – I just can’t. The visuals were stunning…but the story was convoluted and the dialog was quite bad. Even the music score sounded like 90’s junk.
Loved Rihanna’s character Bubble and the pearl planet was beautiful, but this is not a very good movie. Definitely WAIT.
If you didn’t like or understand Lucy then you need to wait. Luc Besson throws so many things at you in Valerian. History of space. Valerian play boy get a woman spirit inside him seeing a woman mind and not her body. The famous Rihanna playing Bubbles, is given total control to Valerian to defeat does big aliens. The 6 foot tall aliens who world was destroyed who had both male and female parts feeding a little animals pearls making more pearl creating life. Luc Besson plays with sexuality in this film. Clive Owen the Commander trying to destroy those 6 foot tall aliens knowing life was on that planet when they blow up the ship 30 years ago. This movie would only come alive if you are open. Valerian was a chessey love story, education, sexual fantasy that people or audience’s fail to fall in love with. I give this beautiful movie with great special effects a C-. Good day.
This film was visually stunning, I was put in a trance by it. Have to agree that this can’t make up for a sub par story line!! Rihanna in my opinion was fantastic and me engage for the back half of the film. So far this year the only movie that lived up to the hype was Logan!! 2 stars for visuals and 1 star for the story.
Definitely visually stunning!
Visual effects were definitely award worthy! On the other hand, the acting was horrible! I would have to agree with you Sharronda, I could have been home watching snowfall or Queensugar!
I would definitely wait to see this one. I fell asleep somewhere during the film. I wanted to care about the characters but wasn’t given a reason to, and the story was lacking. Great visuals, bad storytelling. Kinda like Transformers but this would be a half a point better.
Valerian – .This movies was obviously a serious but failed mash up of the visually stunning colors and effects of “Avatar” and the masterful artist makeup and costumes of “The Fifth Element”. It is painfully obvious that they paid so much money to have this movie made; and left no money to afford any A list actors for this movie. No I do not count Clive Owen as an A list actor and Rihanna is considered A list singer and performer. She was the best thing that happened to the movie. Everyone else was unremarkable. I will definitely WAIT to see this film when it gets to cable …
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Visitor Rating: 1 Stars
I would definitely say wait.
Visitor Rating: 3 Stars
Thank you… I’ll def save. What about Cara as an actress, is she capable?
She did ok but it was more so the lack of chemistry between her and her co star but after this and her failed attempt as enchantress in suicide squad I’m not that optimistic about her acting capabilities