Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets features a visually pleasing experience but has a hard time delivering it smoothly.

Summer box offices call for impressive blockbusters that leave audiences drooling in their seats. This summer, we get to sit through a visionary experience into a celestial world in Valerian.

In the latest cinematic creation directed by French filmmaker Besson — who also wrote the screenplay based on the popular French comic Valérian and Laureline — we are launched into the imaginary interstellar metropolis of Alpha, a space station where hundreds of species coexist and the backdrop to the “city of a thousand planets.”

The plot of the film is introduced in three scenes, opening on a sweeping historical montage of Alpha that jumps into a showdown of the civilization on planet Mül, a beautiful planet that suffers a cataclysmic fate.

In the third scene, we meet the dynamic duo of the show: Valerian and Laureline. The movie’s plot unfolds from one cliffhanger to another as we follow their mission to bring justice for the dead planet Mül and to save the future of Alpha.

Besson portrays the lead male, Major Valerian played by Dane DeHaan, as a cocky intergalactic flirt who casually charms his way with the girls with jokes and his over-confident demeanor.

However, his love interest, Sergeant Laureline played by Cara Delevingne, holds onto her core values and does not give in to Valerian’s approaches. At the end of the day, nothing is sexier than an assertive, empowered woman that does not immediately fall for a man.

The two clashing characters have a harmonic relationship that seems to reflect two bickering friends rather than romantic partners.

Despite the awkward chemistry, they make a good team in completing their mission. For example, we dive into multiple action scenes completed by the duo that resemble the manic graphics of a video game.

Early on in the movie, Valerian and Laureline are propelled into a mission to retrieve an ultra-rare creature called a Mül Converter at a place called Big Market, an enormous virtual-reality bazaar. The Big Market scene is one of the true highlights of the movie, which boasts computer-generated aliens and special effects that are executed perfectly for a thrilling experience.

In fact, the movie does a remarkable job providing a unique visual style. Audiences travel through scenes with dramatic shots that make everything lively and interesting.

However, the dynamic sequences of the movie proceed with action-filled content without a clear notion of the actual mission or the plot. Every scene uses dynamic framing and tight editing to convey optimum visual information that might be exciting in the beginning, but it quickly becomes distracting.

The star-studded cast is another curiosity, which has critics and people intrigued about the film.

Dane DeHaan notable for his monotone, sick role in A Cure of Wellness is an example of miscasting for the heroic lead as Valerian. His childlike features make it difficult to fully submerge into the role of a gruff Major. On the other hand, his co-star Cara Delevingne, famed as a model-turned-actress, does a good job in playing her role with attitude. Together they succeed in completing their mission, but lack the romantic spark.

To compensate for the duo’s lack of chemistry, the movie finds room for humor by adding a sophisticated shape-shifting glampod named Bubble, played by Rihanna. The pop star does not disappoint with her role as an exotic dancer with her dynamic dance routine.

Besson adapted the film from the landmark French comic series Valerian and Laureline of his childhood, a 60s graphic novel written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières about two agents traveling the galaxy together to fight crime. His reimagined sci-fi oddity of the comic is definitely a grander cinematic project that promises visual grandeur when compared to previous works such as Lucy or Leon: The Professional.

The movie portrays a retro-fantasy that is not commonly seen in Hollywood anymore, with an emphasis on wild alien creatures and timeworn themes. Although the special effects are executed with clarity, the movie’s plot and unity does not match the visual experience.

Overall, the movie is perfect for a family night out, with its PG-13 sensuality and a storyline that can be enjoyed by various demographics. In fact, to enjoy the full visual experience of the movie, it should be watched in 3D.

However, before you enter the theater with high expectations, keep in mind that the movie should be appreciated visually, rather than understood emotionally.

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Valerian

Directed by: Luc Besson

Based on: Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières

Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Rutger Hauer

Running time: 137 minutes

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