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Movie Review: “Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets”

[yasr_overall_rating]
 

A dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” managed to impress me despite my lack of interest in previous Sci-Fi movies. Yes, I know Star Wars is a mega-fandom movie, but I was just not on board that particular bus. Now, this bus, I could get on board with, but not due to the acting. I get that Dane DeHaan is the spitting image of Luke Skywalker but his acting needs to grow up, and so does his look. Who wants a pre-pubescent boy as their male icon? Director Luc Besson should have found a Zac Efron type pretty boy to star in this film.

Co-star Cara Delevingne is your typical girl with a chip on her shoulder and a desire to prove herself superior to her male counterparts. The film takes place hundreds of years in the future, do the writers (Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières) believe the world will continue the antiquated misogynistic view? The movie is in the future; let’s take ideologies into the future as well. Beyond the main characters mediocre performances, the movie was visually spectacular and the plot moved quickly, which is necessary for a two hour and seventeen-minute film.

Valerian and lower-ranked partner Lauraline work together in the military to protect Alpha, the city of a thousand planets. While on a covert mission to find a secret object for the military, the duo stumbles upon clues of a conspiracy with densely covered tracks. First, we get a vivid recollection of the years from now to the future as we scroll through a sequence of humans meeting aliens, before being thrust into a peaceful planet of pearls and shells on the day of the planets apocalypse.

A tour of a futuristic shopping planet in another dimension leads Valerian and Lauraline back to headquarters in Alpha City. Thousands of species from thousands of planets coexist under peacefully close quarters until people die from invisible hands. Lauraline and Valerian play out their outdated yet playful love story as they hunt for the unknown killers who disrupt the harmonious balance of the city.

Along the way, the couple meets several interesting characters straight out of this world. A critter with a powerful talent, a shape-shifter (Rihanna), some gossiping aliens with heart, and some blob type creatures reminiscent of Jabba the Hut. A few other salutes go out to Star Wars courtesy of fan Luc Besson. With the help of all their new friends, Valerian and Lauraline race to find the intruders before they destroy Alpha City and humanity.

The visuals bordered on epic, with scenes straight out of a dream world most are incapable of imagining. Props go out to the computer team for creating a cornucopia for the eyes. Most of the scenes were almost too copious to enjoy fully. If there is a sequel, I would suggest toning down the graphics to allow the characters access to the limelight.

Dane Dehaan (Valerian) struggles to stay in his boots, as the role is just too big for him. While having a strong female character is necessary, one with an actual backstory would have been helpful in understanding the gigantic chip on Lauraline’s (Delevingne) shoulder. Other stars exuded the same disconnected acting. Ethan Hawke, for instance, had no need to tarnish his reputation with his galactic procurer role. Rihanna showed an ability for beauty on the screen once again but didn’t settle well in her characters skins, as a shape-shifter with low self-esteem.

The love story needed a woman’s touch as much as the characters needed back stories to convince. Again, the graphics stole the stage. I did not realize how bored I was with the love plot because my eyes were still ingesting the generous landscapes. Nothing new about a playboy trying to convince a girl she is his last conquest. The girl, of course, tries to convince herself she is not head over heels for the bad boy, while she waits for him to grow up or annoy her into submission. I just can’t picture DeHaan as a player.

The adventure and the aliens are well worth the journey, so don’t give up just yet. I felt like I was flying on a magic carpet through multiple galaxies with a comedian as my tour guide. While the movie requires a bit more work, the redeeming qualities still outweigh the bad. Let’s not underestimate the ability to create so many unique beings and whimsical worlds. Grab some popcorn and definitely see this adventurous film in 3D, you will not be disappointed.

In theaters Friday, July 21st

 

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