Where the film unequivocally excels is in its visual grandeur. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a landmark achievement in computer-generated imagery. The film contains a staggering . To put this in perspective, it has nearly 600 more VFX shots than Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and nearly 10 times the number of shots as Besson‘s The Fifth Element (which had 250). Cara Delevingne, during the six-month shoot, admitted that only two weeks were filmed under “normal circumstances”; the rest was spent acting in front of a bluescreen.
Turn off your critical brain, turn your HDR brightness to maximum, and dive into Alpha. Just don't expect the romance to work.
Meskipun gagal di bioskop, Valerian perlahan-lahan menemukan kehidupan barunya sendiri. Film ini mendapatkan status kultus di kalangan penggemar fiksi ilmiah yang menghargai ambisi visualnya dan daya tarik dunia yang dibangun Besson. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...
The narrative follows Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne), two operatives of the human government. They are a classic bickering-couple duo: Valerian is a charming but cocky womanizer desperate to marry Laureline, while Laureline is pragmatic, sharp, and perpetually annoyed by his advances.
Set in the 28th century, the story follows and Sergeant Laureline , two special operatives who maintain order in human territories. Where the film unequivocally excels is in its
Beneath the neon surface, the film’s narrative is a sharp critique of colonialism and military industrialism. The plight of the Pearls—an indigenous species whose planet was destroyed as collateral damage in a human war—mirrors real-world histories of displaced populations. The film’s refusal to paint the human military (represented by Clive Owen’s Commander Filitt) as a purely benevolent force complicates the traditional "space police" trope. Instead, Valerian argues that the preservation of a peaceful status quo often hides systemic injustices against "lesser" civilizations.
For years, Besson harbored the desire to adapt the property but found himself bottlenecked by the limitations of practical effects. It wasn't until James Cameron released Avatar in 2009 that Besson realized computer-generated imagery had finally evolved enough to properly depict the complex alien biomes of the source material. To put this in perspective, it has nearly
as the Defense Minister, adding an unexpected touch of prestige jazz royalty to the sci-fi landscape. Why Valerian Deserves a Second Look
: A massive shopping metropolis existing entirely in another dimension, requiring special goggles and trans-dimensional gloves to access.
It is a classic “the hunters become the protectors” arc, but Besson uses it to critique militarism and colonialism. The villains aren't aliens; they are human generals covering up a massacre.
In the landscape of 21st-century science fiction cinema, few films arrived with as much ambition, visual flair, and ultimately, such a complicated legacy as . A lifelong passion project for the French director, the film represented a $180 million bet on original world-building, cutting-edge visual effects, and the enduring appeal of a beloved Franco-Belgian comic series that had inspired generations of artists and storytellers. However, despite its groundbreaking visuals and immersive universe, Valerian became a notorious box-office bomb, critically dividing audiences and leaving its planned franchise future in limbo. This article explores the film‘s journey from the page to the screen, examining its stunning achievements, its seismic flaws, and its lasting place in sci-fi history.
