Review of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) by Pfilip — 26 Jul 2017

It's a tough sell in a 2017 where everything is horrible and dark: highly liberal and fanciful science-fiction, earnestly goofy and achingly beautiful to look at, with very little cynicism outside the actions of the main antagonist.

I'll make a prediction: if you like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you'll like this. If you're a die-hard DC grimdark fan, you'll hate it with a passion. And you know what? Great! Stay away, cruel hearted know-it-alls who insist that life is nothing but a game of one person screwing over another for the bigger bank account.

This is a film for dreamers and lovers, and without them the world would be one dank place indeed. Are there flaws? Well, depends on what you consider flaws. The dialogue isn't generic American summer blockbuster-worthy, but neither is it Shakespeare.

DeHaan won't win himself any fans, but he's at least interesting. Delevingne is the beating heart and razor wit of the show, and her Laureline is a joy to experience. I approached this film loving The Fifth Element and expecting something akin to that--and I was not disappointed.

The opening 15 or so minutes alone are worth the price of admission. I sprang for the 3-D showing, and it's commendable, but I think it will play just as well in 2-D.