Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) Reviews

• Wrong actors in a otherwise good movie

  gaute_lie2018-02-12

  As always Luc Besson makes a visual outstanding movie. The effects are like the best sci fi flicks and for that alone the movie is worth watching. The story might not be the best, but what really is negative about this space adventure is the casting, especially the lead characters. Who really believe Valerian is a man hero, a military major when he looks like a 50kg high school boy? I know I dont. And there are other characters who are really misplaced and dont seem to know the art of acting at all. You just dont believe in them. I would say Luc Besson had all his directing skills focused on the effects of the film, and left the (bad) actors to do what they pleased without any focus on making the characters believable. I hope I'll never see Dane DeHaan act ever again.. The CGI characters have better acting than him and Cara Delevingne. The reason for me giving 7 stars is because of the visual universe Luc Besson created, it's really great. If you dont care about bad casting and bad acting this film is entertaining and well made.

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• It's not The Fifth Element

  aquascape2018-03-28

  When I heard Luc Besson was going to work on a space opera, I immediately hoped it would be like "The Fifth Element" but with a little bit more complexity that would turn into a franchise. Unfortunately, I was mislead by my own hopes and expectations. For an international French movie, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" is a very ambitious project that was covered by an astonishing $200 million budget. Certainly, it has Luc Besson attached to write and direct and it is based on a famous long-running French comic-book series, so how can it go wrong? Well, many elements added to this dull but persistent aching after watching the whole film. First of all, 6/10 is a high rating for it, but to my reason it had stunning visual effects for a non-Hollywood or British movie and that is a remarkable thing to accomplish. It's not always easy to face-up against giants when it comes to the CGI business. Secondly, you could sense Besson's sci-fi additions with many quirky technological advancements in terms of guns or gadgets and small things like that make a true science-fiction film to me. "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" stars Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne as two Special operatives who must stop evil-doers from destroying Alpha, the city of a thousand planets, and uncover the truth behind the extinction of an alien race. Right off the bat you could tell that the chemistry between DeHaan and Delevingne didn't exist and it stayed that way until the end of the picture. I personally think that Dane DeHaan has potential, but it was clear that this set was not suitable for him. The casting really missed this one. The script didn't help either, at times making me question how some parts of the dialogue were ever spoken out loud. With the right casting and script this movie could have been worth something. This concludes another recent attempt at the space opera genre, after The Wachowskis' "Jupiter Ascending", and it turns out that a space opera needs time and preparation to do it right and not rush development.

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• Beats Star Wars: the Last Jedi

  jrwygant2018-08-20

  Way better than the last Star Wars and most other sci-fi films. Very imaginative, plus a lot of fun and action. Contrary to a few other opinions, I thought the actors fit the roles and did a great job. ALL of the characters, including the digital, behaved like real people, not just mechanically following a formula derived from preceding films. If you don't like the on-screen characters, that doesn't mean the acting was bad. Maybe it's just a reflection of your discomfort in seeing certain roles portrayed. There is a modest element of romance, which always makes some viewers uncomfortable in a shooting and chasing film. Bottom line: this movie is seriously under-rated.

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• Eye candy

  bwq-253932018-11-13

  Eye candy film, eye candy imagination and certainly eye candy actress with legs to die for. Made to be enjoyed on Bluray.

• Eye Candy Only

  jwwalk2017-07-25

  I have never written a movie review in my life but I was so outraged after taking my family and some friends to see Valerian I have decided to try and save some other poor soul from falling for the special effects trap. I must admit the beautiful visual effects of this movie drew me in like the blue glow of a bug zapper. The visual effects were stunning and the race of people central to the plot were well crafted and engaging. But when the CGI characters deliver more believable and emotional performances than the actors, you know your in trouble. Dane Dehaan is terrible. I don't think I have ever seen him before but, he sounds like he is trying to give his best Keanu Reeves impression. If that is his natural voice I feel for him, because it sounds forced and at times comical. The two leads do nothing to draw you into the story and not once did I feel there was any chemistry between the two actors. Delevingne comes across as an annoying B and you never find yourself hoping the two leads will work out their differences. I simply did not care about these people. Slick visuals and special effects cannot carry a movie alone, you still need dialogue, good actors to project chemistry and emotion that draw you into the story. I guess what I learned from this experience is not to be fooled by the special effects and wait for week two or three before spending over $80. You can polish a turd all you want, in the end it's still a turd.

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