Movie Review | Valérian

08.13.2017 – Luc Besson’s vision of “Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets” is grand that takes you back to where he was known for, which “The Fifth Element” is and what makes it more special is that this film inspired him to make the later. There’s no doubt Valérian is a very special film based on the popular French graphic novel.

But with every dream-come-true film, Valérian is something of a missed opportunity despite the visually stunning fictional world come to life. It was one of Besson’s best films to date, but it felt flat how this come to be not as impressed as everyone has this high expectation that’s something more on how it evolves with the characters.



A Different Valérian and Laureline

Dane Dehaan and Cara Delivingne are exceptional actors with their own craft, but what makes this film became a lost cause is how they’ve been cast to the role of likable characters Valérian and Laureline, which what makes “Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets” something to look forward to if you’ve read the original graphic novel. The actors downplayed the characters in a different perspective, but don’t get me wrong Dehaan is great with the dramatic scenes. Though when it comes down to the action the character loses its identity how Valérian portrayed.

For Delivingne she’s preferred to be more of a moody and mysterious character. This was the same concern on how she was cast as Enchantress in Suicide Squad. She made headlines in Paper Towns as Margo Spiegelman, an intriguing character but as Laureline she was entirely not the character everyone expected.



Rihanna’s Last Words

As talented as Rihanna as Bubble she could have given the gravitas in her last scene, but it was all went downhill from there. Bubble is not the only character with mixed concerns with dialogue, but there are other characters too just pointing out how she could have the best line in her final scene in this film.

There have been minor concerns about the plotline and how it flowed through each scene, but what makes this a missed opportunity is the execution of the dialogue mostly on Rihanna’s character and the chemistry between the lead actors.

The City of a Thousand Planets

It was a Great Visual Experience and Luc Besson has put his foot forward how he topped his own film “The Fifth Element” when creating the 28th Century and it would have been a great film, but it was unfortunate that what makes the heart of “Valérian” was a missed opportunity in miscalculation casting the characters that supposed to be likable personalities, which eventually would be infectious in making this a great sci-fi film.

Overall it had the best visuals that would have been easily liked, but the casting of the lead actors and concerns with the dialogue have left this film a lost cause as with being adapted from a highly regarded graphic novel it could have been the best. But it is for what “Valérian” could have been just another film that would be easily forgotten.

"Valérian” is now showing in Philippine cinemas since July 21, 2017, from Pioneer Films. In Australia, it is distributed by Entertainment One already playing in cinemas since August 10, 2017.

RATED: B-