I wanted goosebumps.
I wanted them so bad. All I I got was a mild case of the disappointment blues.
The concept for “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” has sat on the shelves for many a year. This is ecause technology had not yet evolved and technology had not caught up to the way viewers ingest their entertainment and want that secondary instant satisfaction.
I was not looking for a high, rather something that just dazzled me to no end. It comes down to a certain spark, kind of like when one hears the first notes of a John Williams score like either the first chords of the “Superman: the Movie” or the original “Star Wars: A New Hope” theme.
I was left with a shrug of the shoulders, and another one to debate and to friends and colleagues.
This title is misleading, because it is Alpha, not the lead character of Valerian played by Dane DeHaan, who the story centers on. His character of Valerian shares a certain kinship with Lauraeine (Cara Delevingne), his partner for many a year. The duo receive orders from a higher up played by Commander Arün Filitt (Clive Owen), who wants "the situation" taken care of so that everything will revert back to the normal.
Also a minor part of the story is Bubble (Rihanna), a character brought in to seduce Valerian, who does nothing more than a couple of dances for the hero. She works for Ethan Hawke’s jerk of a human being Jolly the Pimp. Their appearance is brief, but filled with some amazing visual eye candy that works wonders in the latter part of act three in in the movie.
The plot twists are not in abundance here, but just enough to get by and not trick the viewer too much.
Honestly, I wanted more of a movie from “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” but America will just have to wait for the inevitable sequel years down the line.
Grade: B-
(Review by Ricky Miller)
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