‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’

HUMANS are the worst in ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ (2017).

Starring Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke and Rihanna, the film is set way in the future where man’s diplomatic relations have extended to space and particularly to Alpha. An ever-expanding metropolis where species from all four corners of the universe live and learn from each other.

A little ‘Star Wars’, a little ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Valerian’ looks fantastic but plays all over the place.

Crashing colourfully through a muddled plot, ‘Valerian’s’ strength is in its visual effects. Filled with striking worlds and interesting aliens both of which don’t get enough screen time or backstory to really have you buy into the franchise, ‘Valerian’ is directed by Luc Besson (‘The Fifth Element’) and based on French science fiction comics written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières.

Ten years old when he discovered the comics about Valerian and Laureline, two human agents travelling through time and space, Besson directs with consummate and giddy flair but with little concern for story after personally crowdsourcing and funding the most expensive indie ever made.

See this on the big screen to get the most out of the set pieces, experience Rihanna as a shape-shifting alien and Hawke as some kind of space pimp but get comfortable because it’s about a lightyear too long.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram

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