Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Review

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Release Date: 10th August 2017 - Australia

Production Companies

EuropaCorp

TF1 Films Production (Co-Production)

OCS (with the participation of)

TF1 (with the participation of)

Fundamental Films (in association with)

BNP Paribas (in association with)

Orange Studio (in association with)

Universum Film (UFA) (in
association with)

Novo Pictures (in association
with)

River Road Entertainment (in association with)

Belgium Film Fund (in association with)

Distribution

eOne Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 137 minutes

Budget: €197,000,000

              (gross)

              $205,000,000 (net)

Box Office Gross: $225,973,340 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
In the 28th century, two operatives, Valerian and Laureline from the United Human Federation, must track down the last converter as part of their assignment, a rare species considered extinct.

After completing their mission, they head back to the space station Alpha. Only to find out that the mysterious humanoids have abducted the commander. It's up to the two heroes to rescue him without relinquishing the converter into the wrong hands.

Cast

Dane DeHaan - Major Valerian

Cara Delevingne - Sergeant

Laureline

Clive Owen - Commander
Arun Filitt

Rihanna - Bubble

Ethan Hawke - Jolly the Pimp

Herbie Hancock - Defense Minister

Kris Wu - Sergeant Neza

Sam Spruell - General Okto-Bar

Alain Chabat - Bob the Pirate

Rutger Hauer - President of the World State Federation

Peter Hudson - Captain Crawford

Xavier Giannoli - Captain Norton

Sasha Luss - Princess Lïhio-Minaa/Creature 'Candy Dress'

Aymeline Valade - Emperor Haban Limaï

Elizabeth Debicki - Emperor Haban Limaï (Voice)

Pauline Hoarau - Empress Aloï/Creature 'Swing Angel'

Barbara Scaff - Empress Aloï

(Voice)

Ola Rapace - Major Gibson

Stefan Konarske - Captain Zito

Gavin Drea - Sergeant Cooper

Eric Lampaert - Guide Thaziit

Laurent Ferraro - Igon Siruss/

Dothan-Dagui

John Goodman - Igon Siruss (Voice)

Alexandre Willaume - Captain Kris

Tristan Robin - Roper

Réginal Kudiwu - Major Samk

Louis Leterrier - Captain Welcoming Mercurys (Cameo)

Olivier Megaton - Captain

Welcoming KCO2 (Cameo)

Crew

Screenplay/Director - Luc Besson

Based on the Comic Book Series "Valerian and

Laureline" - Pierre Christin

Based on the Comic Book Series "Valerian and

Laureline"/Additional Concept Design: Development Phase - Jean-Claude Mézières

Executive Producers - Jc Cheng, Mark Gao and Gregory Ouanhon

Producer - Virginia Besson-Silla

Production Designer - Hughes Tissander

Concept Designers - Ben Mauro,

Alain Brion, Sylvain Despretz,

Patrice Garcia, Marc Simonetti

and Feng Zhu

Art Directors - Gilles Boillot,

Stéphane Robuchon, Etienne Rohde,

Patrick Tandiang, Christian Vallat and

Thierry Zemmour

Art Director: Drawings - Dominique Moisan

Set Decorator - Evelyne Tissandier

Costume Designer - Olivier Bériot

Valerian's Space Suits - Claudine Lachaud,

Laurent Couline, Anthony Sgard and

Laurent Dozot

Director of Photography - Thierry Arbogast

Stunt Supervisor/Fight Choreographer

(Uncredited) - Laurent Demianoff

Special Effects Supervisor - Philippe Hubin

Special Effects Coordinator - Jean-Christophe Magnaud

Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Weta Digital -

Joe Letteri

Visual Effects Supervisor - Scott Stokdyk

Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital -

Wayne Stables, R. Christopher White,

Martin Hill and Ken McGaugh

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Phillippe Rebours

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rodeo FX - François Dumoulin

Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Factory -

Jérôme Lionard

Associate Visual Effects Supervisor: Rodeo FX -

Peter Nofz

Visual Effects Producer - Sophie Leclerc

Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital - Ben Pickering

Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM - Bianca Draghici

and Christian Alzmann

Art Director: Rodeo FX - Olivier Martin

Previs Supervisor: HALON - Brad Alexander

Animation Supervisors: Weta Digital - Paul Story

and Eric Reynolds

Motion Capture Supervisors: Weta Digital -

Dejan Momcilovic and Ben Murray

On Set Layout Supervisor: ILM - Duncan Blackman

Editor - Julien Rey

Supervising Sound Editors - Shannon Mills

and Guillaume Bouchateau

Sound Designers - David Farmer, Josh Gold

and Nia Hansen

Additional Sound Designers - Gurwal Coïc-Gallas

and Alexis Place

Sound Editor - Aymeric Devoldère

Production Sound Mixer - Stephane Bucher

Re-Recording Mixers - Tom Johnson,

Didier Lozahic and Juan Peralta

Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

Recordists and Music Mixers - Peter Cobbin

and Kirsty Whalley

Review

A misguided effort by filmmaker Luc Besson, VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS rivals the Star Wars prequel trilogy in its overproduced visuals, scope and deficiencies. The film was an adaptation of a French sci-fi comic series, which people say that George Lucas had taken some of its ideas for his Star Wars series, but it was just a coincidence. Having experienced the images and not the storyline, Besson took it upon himself to revisit these ideas he previously integrated into his other space opera, The Fifth Element. He tried to replicate the state-of-the-art visuals that James Cameron used to create the experience in Avatar, but it worked. While the visuals are stunning, they tend to overdo it.

I am so fascinated by the incredible world-building as well as its concepts. Unfortunately, the film could not overcome the obstacles that are its shortcomings. It includes an uninspired and convoluted plot. The film starts with an opening sequence, its only best moment, with David Bowie's "Space Oddity" playing in the background.

Dane DeHaan is miscast for the role of the titular protagonist. He looks too boyish and creepy and tries to imitate Keanu Reeves' acting when attempting to be like him. Cara Delevingne is wooden in her performance as Laureline, and this should have gone to a different, well-known actress with much more acting experience. The romance between their two characters feels flat, which may have been due to a lack of chemistry. Rihanna, however, does a fantastic job in the role of the shape-shifting alien Bubble.

VALERIAN is a feasible space adventure, but it's nothing new. It fell short of my expectations and was instantly forgettable. In recommendation, viewers are to see this film for just one time. They are curious to know something that has potential.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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