Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNrK7xVG3PM
Rating- PG-13
Genre- Science fiction/Action
Warnings- Minor language
One of these movies stars two special operatives exploring a unique world in, "Valerian." The operatives are sent on a order to complete a mission on the planet Alpha where co-protagonist, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) grows concerned over visions he begins to have of a foreign but beautiful creature.
Did this movie turn out to be out of this world or should it be a story that must be destroyed across the entire Earth?
The movie was based off a French comic series called, "Valérian and Laureline" which I have never read before, so I do not know what elements they grabbed from the comic into the movie. Therefore, there will be no comparison, it will solely be a review on the movie itself.
The story behind "Valerian" is intriguing to me, especially with how the movie opens up with a montage of how the world was created and following that a close up view of one of the landscapes which I found to be my favorite of the worlds that were shown.
The entire design of the scenery was unbelievably creative and you could really tell that the writer's imagination was jumping off the screen. Whenever the characters would enter a new world, no matter how simple it might have been it was still able to catch my eye and have me trying to find as many inventive things that were included in the background.
I believe the whole view of the movie itself along with the character's innovative inventions was what managed to keep this movie afloat and refrain me from rolling my eyes all the way in the back of my head, because aside from that the movie is so cheesy and annoying.
These negative attributes refer to the characters and their dialogue between each other, especially the conversations between main leads Valerian and Lauerline (Cara Delevingne).
The pair are not only partners but a romantic couple as well, but I couldn't sense any amount of chemistry between the two of them even when they are literally wearing nothing but bathing suits skin to skin against one another. By the end of the film, I didn't want them together! I didn't find either of them likable at all.
Valerian comes off as a stuck up womanizer who even said that he knew Laureline would always love him despite his misdeeds because she enjoys it. The way that was delivered in the movie didn't come as as sexy as it did conceited and even abusive in my eyes. Throughout the film, Valerian is bringing up wanting to be closer to Laureline and I found that to throw off the tense moments in the movie, because they are on a serious mission; can't this wait until after they're done saving the planet?
As for Laureline, she's more likable but not by much, as Delevingne's dull acting performance washes away any greater potential the character could have had. She comes off as someone who is trying to act tough, being that role model all girls want to be the independent, no-nonsense woman who don't need help from no man. I think that failed because I don't want to be like her, I don't want to be in her shoes at all, at least love wise.
She constantly bickers with Valerian about how he doesn't let her in on his emotions and how he's a well-known promiscuous man and yet there are a couple times where after he proposes to be close with her, though she denies it she smiles at his comments like their cute and endearing. From what I recall, a few major deal-breakers are never addressed by the end of the movie and I was left doubting that their relationship would last.
Something I want to point out is that there are many stories that feature couples that audiences do not believe should be together, whether it's because they simply do not have similar values or are outright abusive to one another; and for the most part, those relationships are deemed to be negative and there are plots in the story that prove this to be true.
It's okay to show bad relationships, it what happens in life and should be addressed, but the biggest reason why I detested Valerian and Laureline's relationship is because the movie makes it look like their love is okay, healthy and charming when I think that is far from the case. For most-if not all-of the movie the pair were arguing more than being fond of one another. The fact that they were arguing in such a high tense situation made me feel like they were an immature pair of kids who cared more trying to one up each other rather than trying to discover the mysteries behind an alien species.
Side characters like Rihanna's character, Bubble, was fine. Nothing spectacular, but Bubble was fine although you need to wait a long time before you see her, so if Rihanna is who you are looking forward to in the movie then sneak into the theater after an hour in. She contributes some to the story instead of being a worthless cameo, and there is a scene where it's simply Rihanna dancing which I believe all fans of hers will enjoy that part in itself.
As for the alien creatures, especially the creatures from planet Mül are especially innovative in their design and I wished to have seen even more of them even though they did serve a vital part of the story. Basically, any scene that didn't involve the main human leads made the movie better, but with all that's been said is it still good enough to watch?
Ultimately, I would say that if you can withstand the poor script and overly stoic characters I say go for it. Otherwise, the plot is decent and the imagery is amazing so it will really keep your eye focused.
Still the movie is over 2 hours long and it can feel like a drag since some scenes feel extended too long for my liking and if I knew Valerian and Laureline were going to be the stereotypical, "pretend to hate each other but actually love each other" trope then I wouldn't have gone. But...again, if you can handle that portion, then I say go for it and watch it.
I give Valerian a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
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The Europa corporation logo with the angel woman is so beautiful!
This takes place in 2020? Well, this will get dated soon- oh wait, never mind, we're going way into the future!
That alien girl is beautiful, and the montage of her starting her day reminds me of a Disney princess.
Talking about cheating. Well, that's a smart way to make me like a character.
Valerian is just going to talk out all his accomplishments and character traits? Wow...
I have a feeling someone is going to comment on Laureline's beach outfit, because wearing clothes that are slightly revealing should be judged (sarcasm).
Why are your amused by Valerian's marriage proposal when you were just talking about how you don't trust him since he slept with so many people? That's not charming.
Why they kidnapped that poor Mül person?
This is some deus ex-machina to have Valerian know that device would break him out of the goo.
The three platypus aliens are like some bootleg minions or something.
What is Laureline seeing that would make her emotional that she hasn't already seen? The jellyfish was showing her memories up until he disappeared, she knows that happened. It's not like they showed something new where Valerian said something sweet about her behind her back or they showed him dead.
Oh shut up! Is this movie really going to go that route where the guy's like, "I'm such an asshole but you love it anyway, I know you do" route? That is such crap, do you know how badly that rubbed off on me? Perhaps they weren't trying to make it sound that way, because they are the leads but seriously guys, you're going to make people believe that it's okay for a guy not to thank you for saving their lives (or doing anything good for them) and accept the fact that they are jerks because they say you love that about him? This makes Valerian come off to be a complete asshole.
I'm also sick of them bickering all the time about marriage and the beach. This is not the time for this!
Rihanna! Oh, that striptease was actually pretty sexy, but I don't know what exactly that had to do with the movie.
Bubble's alien form is super cute!
All that food looks delicious, my goodness...
Bubble is going away already? Well, I couldn't have expected her to stay that long I guess.
Why is Laureline sad that Bubble died? I mean, anyone dying is terrible but she only interacted with her when she formed as Valerian.
Why is the father's voice so feminine?
Why did the daughter choose Valerian of all people? No one so charming should have her spirit inside this jerk. Which brings me to another question? Why couldn't the writers have Valerian do more obvious things that proved the girl was inside of him, like talk about the culture that only those citizens would know about or have a fascination with the animal that made pearls? (like the scene with the animal and Laureline, switch out Laureline with Valerian). I have one last question, if Valerian is such a womanizer, why couldn't he have interacted with more females to show this? Like little hints that he had that trait in him instead of just saying he is like that?
So the daughter spread the remaining pearls in her body and one found Valerian, so did he get this as a child or very recently? It's unclear.
The Mül man who killed himself spread his remaining pearls like the girl, so does that mean he will enter a person too?
Really?! You just confronted your commander about him being cruel to the Mül people and now you're not going to give them the converter?! And you're the one with the freaking alien spirit in your body, does this not affect your thinking at least to the people she was connected to?!
So Valerian and Laureline are stuck in that world forever? Oh no, they're not...but how did they escape?
Ending with sex on a ship, to have many dull babies. Yay...
I really liked it, very visually appealing and they just crammed a metric ton of super cool scifi trickery (future stuff I mean) into the movie.
ReplyDeleteAlso felt that even though the trailer spoiled most of the really great scenes it DIDNT really spoil (I did have my suspicions, which turned out correct but they were never blatantly revealed) the plot, so that's always nice to see.
Valerian actor certainly fit the look of the comic version but I felt it was difficult to imagine this 9 year old boy as an extremely well trained super soldier.
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