Luc Besson’s Fifth Element (1997) was an interesting visual sci fi fest, even with Bruce Willy, especially with taking everyone’s notice with the action films, Nikita (1990) and Leon: The Professional (1994). Then, there was Lucy (2014), this was a return to sci fi and starred Scarlett Johansson, but turned out to be dull and unwatchable. So Besson was returning to sci fi with Valerian and the question I had was is it Fifth Element or another Lucy? The answer is neither, I like to consider this film if you had Fifth Element and combined it with every CG-filled sci fi film; The Matrix (1999), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and the Star Wars films times ten and you would still fall a hundred percent from Valerian!
It is a sci fi Wonderland, so surreal, it is has qualities of Flash Gordon (1980). The film is of course based on the French graphic novels by Pierre Cristin and Jean-Claude Mezieres (I will get to the graphic novel later), but it is a passion project for Besson (in the best way). He was asked about a Valerian and Laureline film from Mezieres who worked on Fifth Element, but Besson didn’t believe the special effects could capture the comic book visuals until now. In the comics, Valerian is the basic square-jawed secret agent and Laureline is a red-haired agent that looks like a gymnast. Besson was looking for something different with his actors.
It is a sci fi Wonderland, so surreal, it is has qualities of Flash Gordon (1980). The film is of course based on the French graphic novels by Pierre Cristin and Jean-Claude Mezieres (I will get to the graphic novel later), but it is a passion project for Besson (in the best way). He was asked about a Valerian and Laureline film from Mezieres who worked on Fifth Element, but Besson didn’t believe the special effects could capture the comic book visuals until now. In the comics, Valerian is the basic square-jawed secret agent and Laureline is a red-haired agent that looks like a gymnast. Besson was looking for something different with his actors.
The leads here are interesting, a departure from the graphic novel. Dane DeHaan plays Valerian, he was known for playing Harry Osbourne in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and now another CG filled movie. He has an intensity, but here Valerian is more of a special agent who will do anything for his partner, Laureline. She of course is played by Cara Delevingne who was also criticized for playing the Enchantress in Suicide Squad (2016), she was ok there, and now this is part where she handles the action as a special agent, but seems to keep the duo going with her thinking. I will say I think her look is strange, but it works here, Delevingne is very winning. In effect, all of the cast and crew are taking risks here, it is a movie filled with blank rooms and blue walls, and crowded with people in gray suits. They have put their faith into Besson as well as the multitude of effects companies; ILM, Weta, and Rodeo FX.
The opening is a montage of spacecraft adding to the International Space Station from the Russian capsule attaching to another all the way to astronauts meeting others from all nations and then other worlds. It is a Fifth Element menagerie of strange aliens. Then, the station becomes too bulky to keep in orbit so it is rocketed into the cosmos until it becomes Alpha, the City of a Thousand Planets, it is called Point Central in the graphic novel. The President of the World State Federation (Rutger Hauer) sends it off. A central hub for the galaxy and a strange assortment of alien life. Then, this shifts to a strange world called Mul, a beach community seen in the trailers, the Pearls are thin aliens almost African with a tropical look, very beautiful.
We are focused on Princiess Lihio-Minaa (Sasha Luss), she wakes and feeds her pet converter, it looks like the vacuum creature in Fifth Element, once fed it expels duplicates of anything. Then, wreckage from the sky falls down, Empress Aloi (Pauline Hoarau) takes her people into a ship and the door is closed sealing out Lihio-Minaa when an explosion tears up the planet. Both of the actresses who play Pearls show up the red light district without CG enhancements. A wave spread out and this wakes up Valerian. He is on a beach simulation with Laureline who is in her swimsuit. The defense minister (Herbie Hancock) has a new mission for them on the saucer-like ship, The Intruder. The ship’s voice is by Chloe Hollings.
We are focused on Princiess Lihio-Minaa (Sasha Luss), she wakes and feeds her pet converter, it looks like the vacuum creature in Fifth Element, once fed it expels duplicates of anything. Then, wreckage from the sky falls down, Empress Aloi (Pauline Hoarau) takes her people into a ship and the door is closed sealing out Lihio-Minaa when an explosion tears up the planet. Both of the actresses who play Pearls show up the red light district without CG enhancements. A wave spread out and this wakes up Valerian. He is on a beach simulation with Laureline who is in her swimsuit. The defense minister (Herbie Hancock) has a new mission for them on the saucer-like ship, The Intruder. The ship’s voice is by Chloe Hollings.
They land on the planet that is a flat desert, but contains the Big Market which is dimensional and can only be viewed with virtual glasses. The duo meets a group of soldiers that travel in a hover bus to meet The Intruder. Valerian and Laureline appear in tourist outfits. Valerian goes on his own to find the Mul converter and puts his arm in a box that will convert real world weaponry to the Market dimension. This is the surreal part in a multi-dimension filled with aliens. He has to face the bulky alien, Igon Siruss (obviously voiced by John Goodman), there are two robed Pearls, a weapon of little metal balls that attaches to his box, and a pink, baby alien, the cartooniness adds to the surreal, and they have to escape the monstrous Megaptor.
Then, it’s a return to Alpha. The Intruder's computer gives us an overview of some of the alien cultures and environments on Alpha. This feels like it should be expanded, but very fun. Valerian and Laureline meet Commander Filitt (Clive Owens). He is protected by tall, black robots called K-Trons. Valerian and Laureline see the Doghan-Dagui, short, long snouted with tiny-winged aliens (voiced by Grant Moninger, Robbie Rist, and Christopher Swindle). The Pearls capture Commander Filitt and Valerian is able to get free from the goo guns. The aliens seem non-violent.
Then, it’s a return to Alpha. The Intruder's computer gives us an overview of some of the alien cultures and environments on Alpha. This feels like it should be expanded, but very fun. Valerian and Laureline meet Commander Filitt (Clive Owens). He is protected by tall, black robots called K-Trons. Valerian and Laureline see the Doghan-Dagui, short, long snouted with tiny-winged aliens (voiced by Grant Moninger, Robbie Rist, and Christopher Swindle). The Pearls capture Commander Filitt and Valerian is able to get free from the goo guns. The aliens seem non-violent.
Valerian tries to pursue the Pearls, the scene in the trailer where he weaves through several environments, but is lost in a restricted zone of Alpha. Valerian has to ask the Doghan-Dagui for help and they direct her to a submarine pirate played by Alain Chabat, a comedy director, I don’t want to spoil his name, it is a strange, wonderful performance. The submarine goes through the underwater scene from The Phantom Menace, but this is more crazy, and ends with an octopus-creature that can locate Valerian, but may drain a wearer’s memory!
They find Valerian and now it’s Laureline’s turn to be captured by the goofy Boulan Bathors, tall, beer-bellied aliens with little intelligence. One of the best parts along the way is that Valerian tries to rescue Laureline in the red light district of Alpha. There is a Jessica Rabbit Creature (Sand Van Roy) and the actresses who play the Pearls non-CG; `Candy Dress’ Creature played by Sasha Luss and `Swing Angel’ Creature played by Pauline Hoarau. It gets better, Jolly the Pimp brings Valerian into his club, I did not recognize Ethan Hawke playing him!
He brings in his star entertainer, Bubble, played by Rihanna! She was in the Battleship (2012) movie, but even though she shape shifts into every male fantasy, she actually is a sympathetic character. She shape shifts as a performer. All throughout is the mystery of Mul and why it is hidden by Filitt. The reason behind it makes the Pearls a more interesting than the Na’vi culture in Avatar, spoilers if I explained why. The graphic novel? The film owes much to the sixth graphic novel, Ambassador of the Shadows (1975). The artwork ranges from great character work to loose and cartoony. I think strictly in sci fi terms, it is interesting, just not groundbreaking.
I saw an article making comparisons to Star Wars, that there is a desert world, jungle world, and ice world, but that’s generic and it could be more easily attributed to Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon started in 1934, where Valerian and Laureline started in 1967. Valerian is trapped in a block of liquid plastic like Han in carbonite, but again this is not specific. The Intruder ship is saucer-shaped like the Millennium Falcon, but many space ships are saucer shaped. This is a fun romp with a world and aliens that could fill three movies on the level of Star Wars that I could watch again and again.
I saw an article making comparisons to Star Wars, that there is a desert world, jungle world, and ice world, but that’s generic and it could be more easily attributed to Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon started in 1934, where Valerian and Laureline started in 1967. Valerian is trapped in a block of liquid plastic like Han in carbonite, but again this is not specific. The Intruder ship is saucer-shaped like the Millennium Falcon, but many space ships are saucer shaped. This is a fun romp with a world and aliens that could fill three movies on the level of Star Wars that I could watch again and again.
Four Mul Converters out of Five!
#Valerian, #LucBesson, #DaneDeHaan, #CaraDelevigne
#Valerian, #LucBesson, #DaneDeHaan, #CaraDelevigne
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