Luc Besson and his love of the all things Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets dates back to his boyhood. That much comes through every frame of this vivacious visual stunner. We just wish he spent as much time on his characters and casting as he did creating a spectacle that visually challenges, and frankly surpasses, James Cameron’s Avatar.
Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne star as Valerian and Laureline, agents of a militaristic police force of the 29th century that must act quickly to save the City of a Thousand Planets. A mysterious force is threatening the existence of the former International Space Station, which over the centuries has become a self-reliant “planet” comprised of species from all corners of the universe.
Where once it orbited the Earth, it now has been pushed into space as the weight and mass of its ever-adding spaceships threatened the people on the ground.
Valerian and Laureline are partners, and there is a hint at the pair having something more in the romance department. Their banter is fine, but there is little in the way of chemistry with these two. Then again, neither has shown the gravitas to anchor a movie, much less carry a spectacle like this on their shoulders.
Sure, it has just been explained that this is a faulty film, but nonetheless if it is to be seen, it must be witnessed on the largest screens possible. Its problems lie in the character development, plot structure and overall story arc. Then again, Avatar had those same problems. Valerian is of the same ilk. It is beautiful beyond words could describe. The film is visionary in a way that not only pushes the boundaries — it blows the doors off of them. There are moments of such visual bliss in Besson’s passion project that give new meaning to the word “spectacle.” The vistas, landscapes, creatures of every kind and nature, worlds, universes, space vehicles and even weapons and costumes… the work is stunning in its image-driven bliss.
Besson has long been one of this writer’s favorite filmmakers. Leon: The Professional got us on the Besson bandwagon and we’ve never gotten off since. His command of storytelling is unique in the rarest of ways in this largely monotonous movie world we currently inhabit. The Fifth Element has to be considered a classic. It too was a visceral visual experience, but there was a story at the center of it that compelled us on an emotional level that was profound. The sci-fi game changer also had actors in Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich that drew us in and touched us at our deepest levels with heart and humanity in spades. Even his recent Lucy, despite its slightly off conclusion, was almost revolutionary in spirit, presentation and root concept. But, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets misses the mark with half of the promise of the movie going experience. Good looks will only get you so far. Audiences need something to attach their heart strings to for the entire cinematic experience to feel fulfilling. The vapid story at the center of this film and our lack of connectivity to the actors driving the tale is unfortunate in that it is a missed opportunity on the largest scale. Match the beauty with a brawn of brilliant bombastic emotion and you score. Give us serene eye candy solely and it is just not enough these days to compete with films that manage to put both in the cue.
The filmmaker still pushes envelopes and hopefully he will learn from this experience and deliver a bit richer experience with his next go around.
Delevingne and DeHaan miss the mark, but each does so in a manner that is unique. Delevingne matches the gorgeousness around her and gives her best performance to date, although that is not saying much. There is a future for her in film as she continues to improve with each successive film. Soon, her promise will meet her proficiency and we could see her as a true screen presence.
DeHaan, meanwhile, reminds us of Ed Norton from a decade and a half ago. The actor, who first dazzled us in Chronicle, is one of his generation’s finest — if not its top talent. Yet sadly, he is not a leading man. Hollywood has tried to make him one, most recently in A Cure for Wellness. Despite his heavenly gifts, there is a lack of screen commanding that is elicited by his celluloid presence. At some point, Norton realized that the best use of his talents was to support the film and other actors in an ensemble or multi-lead situation. DeHaan is also cut from that cloth. He was fantastic in Lawless, where he was a spoke in the wheel of a storytelling effort. DeHaan also shines in independent movies. He needs to stick to both of those elements to find true success.
When it comes to Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, the story is just enough to warrant the film being seen. It is just hallow, like the most delicious swath of cotton candy you’ve ever ingested. It may be divinely delicious going down, but it doesn’t carry enough dramatic weight to keep you recalling it as soon as it is completed.
Grade: C+