Title: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen
Runtime: 2 hr 17 mins

What it is: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a Sci Fi action film based on the French comics. It follows special operatives Valerian and Laureline as they battle a force that threatens Alpha, the city of a thousand planets.

What We Think: Valerian is visually breathtaking. I saw this in 3D and it was worth every penny; the 3D added to the overall experience, which is something I normally don’t say about movies. The colors in this film are eye-popping and gorgeous, and although the CGI is heavy, it rarely feels flawed. This is director Luc Besson’s passion project and it shows. The story is full of creative and unique ideas, making it stand out among most Hollywood movies of today, and the action was endlessly fun, always fresh; I didn’t once feel tired of it. The two leads, Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne, however, are not that impressive. While they appear to be having fun throughout the film, and their characters are at least fun to watch, none of that is enough to make up for mediocre acting, or weak dialogue along with a weak story.

Our Grade: A-, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets add to the long line of 2017 films that provide diverting eye candy, overflowing with color and creativity. This makes it worth a watch in theaters, even if it is otherwise far from perfect. It’s a divisive “love it or hate it” kind of film; I, for one, liked it a lot. I recommend it for people who want a fun theater experience, and for people who enjoy the mindless, action-filled, space opera category.

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