Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E... Page

★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 – A visual masterpiece hampered by its leads, but essential viewing for hardcore sci-fi fans.) Have you seen Valerian? Do you think it deserves a sequel? Share your thoughts below, or check out our deep dive into the art of Jean-Claude Mézières.

Searching for likely means you are a curious viewer looking for escapism. You will find it here. Skip the romantic subplot, mute the occasional groan-worthy line of dialogue, and let your eyes feast on one of the most expensive and beautiful dreams ever committed to celluloid.

For those searching for (whether looking for an "explanation," "extended cut," or "epic review"), this article will serve as your definitive deep dive into the film’s ambitious world-building, its stunning set pieces, and why it remains a cult classic in waiting. The Origin: From French Comics to Galactic Opera Before diving into the plot, one must understand the DNA of the film. Valérian and Laureline (originally Valérian: Spatio-Temporal Agent ) was created by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières in 1967. For fifty years, this comic series influenced nearly every major sci-fi property that followed. George Lucas has openly admitted that the design of Star Wars —from Princess Leia’s slave outfit to the crowded cantina on Tatooine—borrowed heavily from Mézières' art. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...

What follows is a chain of heists, chases, and dimension-hopping adventures, including a trip to the interdimensional market of "Big Market," a sequence that has already been hailed as one of the most inventive chase scenes in sci-fi history. If you are searching for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – E xperience, the keyword here is visual fidelity . Besson, working with cinematographer Thierry Arbogast, created an aesthetic that feels like a living comic book. 1. The Big Market Sequence This is the film's crown jewel. Valerian must retrieve a converter from a creature in a parallel dimension. To do so, he dons a special suit that allows him to exist in "our" dimension while his hand reaches into the other. The editing is frantic, the colors are neon-drenched, and the choreography (mixing live-action with motion-capture) is flawless. 2. The Pearls of Mul The design of the Pearls—tall, graceful, amphibian-like beings—is a marvel of makeup and CGI. Their homeworld, Mul, is rendered with bioluminescent flora and peaceful waters, creating a stark contrast to the industrial underbelly of Alpha. 3. Alpha Itself The city is the true protagonist. Divided into distinct biospheres (from a medieval kingdom to a water world to a techno-futuristic hub), Alpha feels alive. Besson fills every frame with thousands of visible details, alien languages on neon signs, and creatures designed by the late Mézières himself. The Controversy: Casting and Chemistry No article discussing Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets can ignore the elephant in the room. Critics and audiences widely noted that leads Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne lacked romantic chemistry. The characters in the comics are a married couple, equal partners in wit and combat. On screen, DeHaan’s Valerian comes off as a cocky teenager trying to impress an older sister (Delevingne).

In the pantheon of 21st-century science fiction cinema, few films have dared to dream as big—or as colorfully—as Luc Besson’s 2017 adaptation of the beloved French comic series, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets . While the film received mixed reviews upon release, focusing heavily on its casting choices and dialogue, a growing contingent of sci-fi enthusiasts has since reappraised the movie for what it truly is: a groundbreaking visual spectacle and a love letter to the source material that inspired classics like Star Wars . ★★★☆☆ (3

Because is a film that prioritizes imagination over logic. In an era where sci-fi is often grey, gritty, and realistic (think Blade Runner 2049 or The Expanse ), Besson’s film is blindingly bright and unapologetically weird.

The main plot kicks off when Valerian has a vision of a lost paradise planet, Mul, destroyed by a mysterious weapon. He discovers that a surviving race of peaceful humanoids, the Pearls, are hiding in the lower depths of Alpha, being hunted by a ruthless Commander (Clive Owen) who is covering up a past atrocity. Searching for likely means you are a curious

This miscasting is often why the film failed at the box office. However, for viewers willing to look past the awkward flirting and focus on the Laurel and Hardy-style banter or the action choreography, the film remains deeply enjoyable. The supporting cast—Clive Owen as the paranoid General, Ethan Hawke as a pimp in a pleasure district, and Rihanna as the shape-shifting entertainer "Bubble"—often steal the show, particularly Rihanna’s emotional burlesque performance. For those typing Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – E into their search bars, here are the three most common "E" queries: 1. Extended Cut Yes, there is an extended cut (approximately 8 minutes longer than the theatrical version). It does not fix the dialogue issues, but it adds crucial world-building scenes in Alpha, including a longer introduction to the "Kistans" (humanoid fish creatures) and an extended sequence of Valerian navigating the city’s red-light district. If you can find the Blu-ray extended edition, it is the definitive way to watch. 2. Ending Explained (Spoilers) The film ends with Valerian and Laureline defying orders. They return the stolen converter to the Pearls, which regenerates their home planet’s core. Instead of punishing them, the Federation Commander thanks them, and the two agents request to be stationed on Alpha permanently. The final shot is the two of them walking into the depths of the city, ready for new adventures—a perfect setup for a sequel that will likely never happen. 3. The "Empire" Connection Many search for "E" looking for the film’s connection to Star Wars (The Empire). While there is no direct link, the film serves as a meta-commentary on imperialism. The human Federation is the "Empire" here—well-intentioned but covering up the genocide of the Pearls to protect their reputation. Legacy: A Future Cult Classic? When Valerian was released in 2017, it bombed domestically (grossing only $40 million in the US against a $180 million budget). However, international and streaming numbers have been strong. Why?