Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
A universe without boundaries needs heroes without limits.
In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. On assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two undertake a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where species from across the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. At the center of Alpha is a mysterious dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.
Wokeness: 40%
Overall Score: 40%
Please Log in to Submit a Review!
Where to Watch
User Submitted Reviews
Duk
Beautiful, Subtle
Valerian has a casual subtlety to it. The message is so subtle that it’s barely noticeable. The film is quite tolerable in this respect. Perhaps it is just being true to its comic roots? In any case, if woke movies in general were handled like this, I doubt we’d need a website such as we’re on warning us off of hazards.
Note to Hollywood: use a scalpel not a chainsaw. I guess.
Created: 11-30-2023
Vjetr
The comic's author is a known communist, and the female character is girl boss, Valerian is just a dumb white guy...
Trash...
Created: 06-15-2025
NoWo
It's pretty and empty
First, it's visually quite satisfying, maybe a little over the top.
It should be: Besson is the incarnation of style over substance, and Mezieres, who drew the comics this was derived from, is up there with Moebius. Valerian (the comic) inspired Star War's visuals, Mezieres worked on The Fifth Element, and so on.
On the other hand, Besson probably thinks Avatar has a deep and meaningful political relevance. So same here: thin, lanky aliens living in a Rousseau-esque, good savage utopia, laid low by the evil of white man and capitalism. Oh, and the power of love. Wouldn't have seen that coming.
It's a French comic from the 70s, and the French are either world conquerors or communists. And well, by the 70s, they had stopped conquering.
Thankfully, the actors don't lean too much into that. DeHaan has a good grip on the character: be unremarkable, somewhat charming, and appear bumbling and inefficient, despite getting obvious elite results.
Delevingne (WTF? Prob French name bastardized by the Brits) seems actually pretty OK as an actress, but far out as a person. Even playing a role, she reeks of the danger zone on the crazy/hot matrix.
Her character is a somewhat tentative girlboss: she bosses her male partner around, but she gets damseled most of the time.
Actions scenes OK, lead chemistry OK, plot MIA, well-meaning (as in, useful idiot) socialism all around.
Meh.
Edit: just 'membered, comic Laureline's a green-eyed redhead. So, basically a Celt. At least she didn't suddenly turn black. Red Heads Matter!
Created: 08-05-2025
