Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

PG-13         2 hours 17 minutes

This movie was a fun experience along with being visually mesmerizing. The director Luc Besson has wanted to make this movie for a long time. It is based on a French comic series "Valerian and Laureline" by Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin. Interestingly this series influenced Star Wars quite heavily. There is a prologue in this film (with visuals of course, after all this is a Luc Besson film) which gives the movie its theme and objectives. While knowledge of the comic series is helpful, it is not a prerequisite. The good guys and bad guys are obvious, but not in a way that takes the viewer out of the film. The editing, cinematography and soundtrack all keep this film moving briskly. The leads, Dane DeHaan (as Valerian) and Cara Delevingne (as Laureline) are fine, proficient, not exceptional.  Dane DeHaan was arguably miscast, more due to his youthful appearance than his acting ability.  Cara Delevingne seemed much better in this role than her appearance as Enchantress in Suicide Squad.  Although admittedly that is a low bar. There is some "stunt" casting, notably Rhianna, her section could have used some editing. The dialogue was somewhat simplistic (the comic has a reading level of 12+), which does not do this film any favors. Although the visuals are complex and layered, the plot is simple and straightforward which can be appreciated as so many movies seemed to be 2 hours of prologue for a multiple film series.  While I would enjoy revisiting this world, Luc Besson has allowed this movie to have its own, admitted extravagantly imaged, personality.




ADDENDUM:
This series was first published in 1967. I have read the one of these French (in translated English) comics, #2 in the Valerian and Laureline series,  "The Empire of a Thousand Planets". The plot of this edition was not transferred to the movie.