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[Jon Carter]

I loved it. I thought the story was actually good and relatively moving, just not the romance part. Some of the dialogue was also on the nose, but, again, mostly in the romance parts.

I do agree that the heist was the best set piece, but I thought the whole movie was interesting and entertaining. It's such an interesting world that the film doesn't need big action sequences to be interesting. It's not like, say, Spider-Man, where without action it would just be some kid in New York. The setting in Valerian is unique and brimming with strange characters. The film has a lot of personality and is crazy imaginative.

As far as the leads go, I agree that they don't have much chemistry, but I like the fact that they're unconventional leads for a movie like this. It adds to the uniqueness of the film.

So, yeah, the romance subplot was uninteresting and some of the dialogue needed work, and the set pieces after the heist could have been more thrilling, but it just oozes charm and originality. It's an 8/10 for me and I'd love a sequel.

 

[dragonbane]

Oh did anyone else notice how mothafucking Scott Shelby from Heavy Rain was in this? He played the tourist with the highest screentime during the heist scene. I really cracked up when he suddenly showed up and imdb confirmed it

 

[Jon Carter]

By the way, what's up with that "Razzies" review? I have no idea how this could be seen as Razzie material.

 

[tcrunch]

By the way, what's up with that "Razzies" review? I have no idea how this could be seen as Razzie material.

The acting of the two leads absolutely qualifies as Razzie content.

 

[Megalosaro]

It was cool. Clive Owen felt wasted, bit I liked it

 

[Jon Carter]

The acting of the two leads absolutely qualifies as Razzie content.

I disagree but regardless, it sounds more like they were talking about worst picture. There's too much good in the film to bring up Razzies.

 

[dragonbane]

I disagree but regardless, it sounds more like they were talking about worst picture. There's too much good in the film to bring up Razzies.

I can see it for DeHaan and maybe worst couple/romance, but certainly nothing else. Delevingne did fine too

 

[wazoo]

We are in a world where Roger Ebert (website) give a 4 stars to Valerian,

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/valerian-and-the-city-of-a-thousand-planets-2017

 

[Zhengi]

My wife and I saw this movie on Saturday and we thought it was very good. Entertaining with some beautiful settings, a good story, and fun. We were pleasantly surprised that there were more people in the theater than we expected, but we also felt that there was no way this movie was going to make its money back and we lamented that there would be no sequel.

 

[Teren_Kanan]

Nice drive by shit post.

Beep Beep.

54% on RT Is a good bit higher than I expected, to be fair!

 

[SexyFish]

We are in a world where Roger Ebert (website) give a 4 stars to Valerian,

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/valerian-and-the-city-of-a-thousand-planets-2017

Roger Ebert himself gave Knowing (starring Nicholas Cage) 4 stars, so I don't think this review is somehow ruining his legacy. He called it one of the best science fiction films he ever saw.

 

[inm8num2]

Saw this tonight for $1 thanks to a promotion. It was alright, I suppose. The story was run of the mill but the film was mildly entertaining. It simply dragged in too many spots and could have used tighter editing, plus another pass or two on the script and some dialogue. DeHaan reminded me more of a younger Billie Joe Armstrong than whatever his character was supposed to be (I like the dude, he just wasn't very good in this).

At the end Valerian or Laureline said something like, "Two hours felt like an eternity." Very meta, Monsieur Besson. FWIW the way he funded and made this movie is an interesting story itself (a blockbuster financed like an indie).

https://www.wired.com/2017/07/luc-besson-valerian/

 

[Brian_FETO]

I thought this was a blast honestly

Was expecting it to be a visual showcase with a serviceable story but I really did enjoy it as a whole

The two leads were a couple of weirdos and I loved it

 

[wazoo]

Roger Ebert himself gave Knowing (starring Nicholas Cage) 4 stars, so I don't think this review is somehow ruining his legacy. He called it one of the best science fiction films he ever saw.

I think the movie could be rated like that "just because" this is not your average Marvel movie of the week. A feeling I can connect.

 

[kurahador]

Roger Ebert himself gave Knowing (starring Nicholas Cage) 4 stars, so I don't think this review is somehow ruining his legacy. He called it one of the best science fiction films he ever saw.

Roger Ebert gave Scrooged 1/4. Man knows his stuff.

 

[evilpigking]

Ended up seeing it today and had fun. The opening scene before the title card was great. The visual throughout were on point even if used solely for world building and didn't really play any role.

The script was serviceable though the villians' motivation was underwritten. Acting had some jank to it but not enough to pull me out. Unfortunately I don't think it was intentional camp like in The 5th Element.

 

[Aselith]

Roger Ebert himself gave Knowing (starring Nicholas Cage) 4 stars, so I don't think this review is somehow ruining his legacy. He called it one of the best science fiction films he ever saw.

Knowing is a good movie. The children are wrong!

 

[- J - D -]

We ended up seeing this because of discount tuesday. Had some (mostly unironic) fun, which was altogether unexpected for the both of us.

The opening montage is incredible, the first act heist sequence is really exciting and creative, and the third act ends the movie on a high note. The cgi effects are amazing. The race of Pearl aliens are the most convincing humanoid creatures I've seen on film after the Apes from that recent trilogy and the Na'Vi from Avatar.

Frankly, I'd recommend going to a matinee just to see the effects and creature designs. There's a ton of creativity here that begs to be unleashed in a larger film, unchained from the dead weights that are the terrible lead characters.

Because boooy are the two leads bad. I dunno if it's the fault of the script, the director, or miscasting, but I wouldn't bet against all three taking some blame. Valerian and Laureline are bland, mostly bratty heroes who look way too young to be so well regarded. What's more, Dehaan and Delevigne have zero chemistry and can't sell either the romance or humor. The movie wants us to buy into the Valerian/Laureline relationship but they get along more like a bickering brother and sister duo. There's a kiss late in the movie that legitimately made me recoil in my seat because it felt so wrong. On their own each fares a bit better (Delevigne is much better than Dehaan here), and the supporting cast is okay with what little they're given to work with (Rihanna was pretty great I think). Still, I'm kinda sad that this otherwise decent film is dragged down by the two parts who were meant to do the most carrying.

 

[Jon Carter]

It's funny, I think Dane and Cara actually do have chemistry, but as siblings. As a couple, I could have seen a romance feel natural eventually in a sequel, but the way their pairing is forced upon us right as we just meet them for the first time doesn't work. The audience is basically told it should want them to be together the minute the characters are introduced.

I did like that they were unconventional leads. This is definitely not Hollywood casting.

By the way, the reviews in France so far are a little more positive than in the US:

http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=237821.html

 

[firehawk12]

I was excited about this film because I'm a fan of the cartoon, but hearing about how the leads have no chemistry basically ruins it. They're supposed to be Han and Leia.

 

[DangerMouse]

Loved the start of the animated series, I really need to watch the rest now that I have the new DVD set that recently came out.

Saw this yesterday. Really enjoyed it. Visuals were spectacular, I enjoyed the humor and most of the characters, and thought it did a good job of bunny hopping to different set pieces while still hanging on the same thread. Care definitely surprised me as Lauraline, she can act. Dehaan was definitely the weakest link, I think he was just miscast for this role. Doesnt fit his acting style. There were only a few moments where it was getting bad enough to take me out though. Highly reccomend it.

Agreed. Overall, aside from one or two really brief moments, I don't think he was bad more like just okay, while better would have elevated the movie again. I really quite liked the movie and really liked their Laureline a ton, pretty much aside from just her

Spoiler

too abrupt jump into the love speech toward the end, the transition into it could have been written to start more naturally

, she was a great surprise.

Pretty much agree with Mr.Deadshot's post also, I actually really liked this despite some flaws.

It's funny, I think Dane and Cara actually do have chemistry, but as siblings. As a couple, I could have seen a romance feel natural eventually in a sequel, but the way their pairing is forced upon us right as we just meet them for the first time doesn't work. The audience is basically told it should want them to be together the minute the characters are introduced.

That's true I thought that was unusual and may have contributed. It was kind of like cramming their seemingly whole will-they-won't-they romance arc into one story and they also don't ease into it since it's part of their very first scene.

Was really vibing on the movie hard up until

Spoiler

Rihanna's death scene.

Spoiler

Man, she definitely should have stuck around the rest of the way, or at least until close to the end if she really had to die. She also seemed to dodge the attacks so it was quite abrupt when you saw her framed in a way that you knew she was going to die and not get up, though the "feels" were still there and well done. She injected some great surprise underdog emotion, and new energy and humor when they go to sneak in at a great point in the movie with her shape shifting and banter

.

how is cara delevine. she seems to be the hot up and comming actress but suicide squad really left a bitter taste in my mouth

Actually quite good I thought. If you like this type of character and liked her in the trailers like I did. Thought she was fun and cool.

Spoiler

Very quickly too. Her winning over the heist mission team off screen after Valerian heads off to make his way inside made me smile too when we come back to her and most of them are all kind of buddy buddy with her as they finish their preparations lol.

 

[Melon Husk]

This movie could've been so great. The prologue was amazing. Never-ending eye-candy to the very end. I'd say it's worthwhile but know that it's gonna be weird.

...

The plot lost focus the moment they hit the titular city. There were some pacing issues and it was too long but casting killed this movie, everything else is minor

This movie underlines why good casting directors should be treated as gods. The lead actor doing his worst Bruce Willis impersonation was painful to watch. I hope it's not his real voice... To describe it with one word, his performance was creepy. The lead was a black hole of charisma and while he might be a fine actor he's really not the kind you cast as an audience magnet. It did feel like the role was written for Bruce Willis 20 years ago.

The supporting cast was hit and miss. You may love or hate Huey, Luey & Dewey. Rihanna's appalling self-serving role was the glaring exception. I hope she paid them to do that dance number. It was eye-rollingly obvious what she was alluding to but it didn't contribute to this movie in any way.

It would have been better if Valerian was missing for the most part and the movie was called Laureline and the City of a Thousand Planets. The two had zero chemistry. They seemed to hate each other, and if the relationship is how Besson intended it to be, the world doesn't want to see it. Laureline was alright but should've been paired with someone else. She was treating him a like a little brother and I don't know if it came from the actress or the script.

Unlike Dunkirk, Valerian let me approach it how I wanted and tune out and bury my head in my palms if needed. It's broken, but I'm glad I saw it.

Spoiler

something something millenium falcon something valerian was first something something boob armor

 

[SiteSeer]

i really wanted to like this but it just wasn't that novel or exciting. i wanted that fifth element magic and while the movie had its moments, most of it felt poorly paced and edited. the direction was hit or miss. i'm sorry to say it was 10% great and 90% forgettable.

 

[element]

It's funny, I think Dane and Cara actually do have chemistry, but as siblings

That is probably the best way to describe their connection. It felt like twins fighting.

 

[TatteredHat]

I just watched it a few hours ago, and honestly I thought it was pretty terrible.

The visuals are good, yes, but some scenes were so gratuitous that I just got numbed to it halfway into the movie.
No chemistry between the two leads, terrible dialogue in pretty much every single scene between them, zero charisma from the guy playing Valerian.
The entire Rihanna portion of the movie was bad and completely out of the left field, especially the dumb-ass strip-show.
Annoying mandatory "love conquers all" speech towards the end, but that's mostly a pet peeve of mine.

I'll give props to Cara, she did the best she could with the terribly script she was given. Plus she has nice eyebrows.

Maybe the comics are good, I imagine there was probably too much material to adapt and fit into a single movie. But that's irrelevant here, the movie itself sucked ass.

 

[firehawk12]

Loved the start of the animated series, I really need to watch the rest now that I have the new DVD set that recently came out.

The cartoon is really fun. It captures the 80s scifi spirit really well.

 

[Pachinko]

I really liked it but then I love the whole French comic book aesthetic. The leads were weak but I wouldn't call them bad. Visuals looked expensive , maybe even too expensive ? Would have loved some more practical effects.

 

[fushi]

This was one of those films where all the faults are glaringly obvious, yet I still loved it and wouldn't mind seeing another one with a better script.

But I guess that won't happen due to it flopping quite hard.

 

[Scarecrow]

I'll always show up to Besson movies. Always feels like he puts a ton of creative work into his films. First third was great, from the nations of earth finally working together to the heist at the market. Last half was meandering nonsense. Terrible strip show.

 

[border]

Was the Rhianna character meant to be a prostitute, or just a dancer?

 

[Shredderi]

Just came from seeing this. I became bored to be honest. It had spectacle, so much spectacle and usually that is enough to entertain me at the theater but I was just waiting for it to end. It was too long for it's own good. Too much unnecessary stuff. I thought Rihanna's character

Spoiler

would have joined the protagonists for the remainded of the film but then she was unceremoniously killed off in a dumpster

.

Some scenes lingered on for way too long so the pacing was pretty bad as well. Man, I really wanted to like it for the visuals alone, I don't need every movie to have great writing etc. but the leads having no chemistry and bad pacing made it a disappointing film for me.

 

[shattyboombatty]

Just saw this. MAN was this bad. Such a visually interesting movie, but immediately after/during the

Spoiler

rhianna dance number

, every scene was a struggle to sit through. The ending

Spoiler

was such a stupidly contrived scooby-doo type "villian" reveal. It was somehow both obvious that the general was up to no good, and simultaneously out of nowhere at the end where his big sin was exposed.

Ugh

 

[ArmGunar]

Was the Rhianna character meant to be a prostitute, or just a dancer?

I rather say a creature who wanted to escape its home, arrived on Alpha, didn't know what to do of its life, being "employed" as dancer/prostitute but under the threat of a man (risk of being killed or deported, according to me)

 

[Chuckie]

Saw this last Saturday. Visually stunning. Cara did better than I expected, the Green Goblin did worse.

One thing I didn't get (or miss)

Spoiler

Why the fuck does he want to marry her? They weren't even dating yet right? She doesn't want to be one on his playlist. How does he fucking skip dating, relationship etc and go right into marriage?

 

[Monocle]

This movie could've been so great. The prologue was amazing. Never-ending eye-candy to the very end. I'd say it's worthwhile but know that it's gonna be weird.

...

The plot lost focus the moment they hit the titular city. There were some pacing issues and it was too long but casting killed this movie, everything else is minor

This movie underlines why good casting directors should be treated as gods. The lead actor doing his worst Bruce Willis impersonation was painful to watch. I hope it's not his real voice... To describe it with one word, his performance was creepy. The lead was a black hole of charisma and while he might be a fine actor he's really not the kind you cast as an audience magnet. It did feel like the role was written for Bruce Willis 20 years ago.

The supporting cast was hit and miss. You may love or hate Huey, Luey & Dewey. Rihanna's appalling self-serving role was the glaring exception. I hope she paid them to do that dance number. It was eye-rollingly obvious what she was alluding to but it didn't contribute to this movie in any way.

It would have been better if Valerian was missing for the most part and the movie was called Laureline and the City of a Thousand Planets. The two had zero chemistry. They seemed to hate each other, and if the relationship is how Besson intended it to be, the world doesn't want to see it. Laureline was alright but should've been paired with someone else. She was treating him a like a little brother and I don't know if it came from the actress or the script.

Unlike Dunkirk, Valerian let me approach it how I wanted and tune out and bury my head in my palms if needed. It's broken, but I'm glad I saw it.

Spoiler

something something millenium falcon something valerian was first something something boob armor

Sadly, I have to agree. Dane DeHaan dragged this movie down with his sexually aggressive tough guy act. Bad casting for sure. He's not even a bad actor, just wrong for the part. I thought he was great in A Cure for Wellness.

I also 100% agree with your reaction to the Rihanna dance number. A self-indulgent waste of time. (Then again, I loved Gaga as The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel, so clearly the blinders of fandom make a difference here.)

 

[NewDust]

Sadly, I have to agree. Dane DeHaan dragged this movie down with his sexually aggressive tough guy act. Bad casting for sure.

He's not even a bad actor, just wrong for the part. I thought he was great in A Cure for Wellness.

Totally agree. This might be the first time I was actively rooting for the "hero" not to get the girl.

 

[Black Republican]

so.........i guess a Lucy sequel is def' happening now then?

 

[Alx]

Just watched it yesterday. I think it was ok, although it missed some essential parts of the source material.
Unlike most here, I didn't care much for the first part, there were a few nice ideas there but it was mostly confusing and not too necessary to the plot.
Things start to get better once they reach Alpha, although the flow of the story is still bad. Besson took the comics apart and failed to reassemble it in a captivating story. Also the romantic interest between the leads is unnecessary.
The movie as it is is flawed but acceptable, it's a shame that its weaknesses were the strength of the source material.

Spoiler

In the book Laureline was the one trying to find clues jumping from one alien cell to another... the glamopod part was a deep-investigation moment and made more sense than in the movie. And most of all the whole story was about Alpha/Central Point and the way people interact there, mostly chaos and corruption (hence the transmuter who played a big part in all the interactions, and the three snouted aliens that were the cynical and cupid guides to the city).
In the end it wasn't about "giving those poor aliens what they need" but confronting different social values : corrupt chaos, military order, utopian peace, or... whatever the Zools set up in the end.

I thought the music was very bad tbh, unimaginative but so cliché that it took you out of the moment instead of taking you in.

 

[wazoo]

Saw this last Saturday. Visually stunning. Cara did better than I expected, the Green Goblin did worse.

One thing I didn't get (or miss)

Spoiler

Why the fuck does he want to marry her? They weren't even dating yet right? She doesn't want to be one on his playlist. How does he fucking skip dating, relationship etc and go right into marriage?

On one side the film suffers the fact that the whole character development of the comics is compressed and cut in one film badly. Second the director went overboard with their relationship. Of course, she has a crush on him, she left middle age for earth future to follow him, but in no way, their relation was pushed to that point in 25 comics books.

 

[CSJ]

Damn our cinema here is only showing this for 2 days..?! Lucky I can still see it then.

 

[Chuckie]

On one side the film suffers the fact that the whole character development of the comics is compressed and cut in one film badly. Second the director went overboard with their relationship. Of course, she has a crush on him, she left middle age for earth future to follow him, but in no way, their relation was pushed to that point in 25 comics books.

So I didn't miss anything? They aren't dating right in the beginning of the movie?

Spoiler

and he asked her to marry him out of nowhere

 

[red731]

Saw it yesterday and it was allright to meh. Basically as the time.

One time I was hearing just -
Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian Valerian ...

 

[wazoo]

I can only say that there was a conflict between the comics authors and the movie director about this

Spoiler

marriage thing

. The movie director would not have made the movie without this.

Besson scenarios are known for their lack of subtlety.

 

[muteki]

Casting for Valerian wasn't great, might have not made the lines sound so bad (especially the I am a soldier bit at the end) had it been someone else. Otherwise I loved it. The intro sequence with all the hand shaking was awesome.

 

[grendelrt]

Saw it yesterday, had its ups and downs but I enjoyed it. There were points where you could see a little fifth element squeak through humor wise and I wish there was more of that. Action, art, design was amazing. Acting was hit or miss in spots, but overall I enjoyed and wish it had been more successful, was nice to get some new Sci fi. My theater was actually over half full on Sunday was surprised considering the box office numbers.

 

[Melon Husk]

I thought the music was very bad tbh, unimaginative but so cliché that it took you out of the moment instead of taking you in.

It sounded like placeholder music. Then that one out-of-place but energizing Fugees song underlined how unimaginative the rest of the soundtrack was.

Casting for Valerian wasn't great, might have not made the lines sound so bad (especially the I am a soldier bit at the end) had it been someone else. Otherwise I loved it. The intro sequence with all the hand shaking was awesome.

edit Truly transcendent part of the movie and 100% copied from the co-operation montage in The Martian.

 

[wazoo]

Saw it.

The movie, at least starting from the arrival to the station follows the comics. Only big addition is the extreme relationship between both heroes and the last sequence is so unnecessary (I also hate the last sequence of Rogue one ...) Only big difference is that Laureline is doing the whole chase by herself in the comics, which makes the Rihanna scene different considering this is girl to girl confrontation.

As for the casting, I fear no actor right now would have been cast correctly for Valerian.

Except Harrison Ford of 1977 ?

As for the rest, the movie is magnificent, music is "they guy is not John Williams" type, and my wife was so happy to see the shingouz once more (the three small info sellers).

Not the big letdown US critics were so easy to write off.

 

[Aselith]

Oh did anyone else notice how mothafucking Scott Shelby from Heavy Rain was in this? He played the tourist with the highest screentime during the heist scene. I really cracked up when he suddenly showed up and imdb confirmed it

He was in the Fifth Element too

 

[Human Resources]

really liked the film
but i wonder if there's a way better european cut floating around

 

[b&jy77VjiKn$#F]

really liked the film
but i wonder if there's a way better european cut floating around

I think there is. The reported runtime is around 137 mins, while the version I watched is around 100 mins at best not counting the credit.