VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
A-

Warning: Spoilers

I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this movie. To me, this movie is an instant classic in the same vein as Blade Runner and even Star Wars. In fact I would go so far as to say, this movie is what the last five Star Wars movies should have been.

The visual effects in this movie are a delight, and what makes them even more enjoyable is that they are not gratuitous but all there to propel the plot and add something to the story.

I personally loved the two main characters, Valerian and Laureline, played by Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne. I found Cara's dour, never surprised or impressed demeanor to be unique and entertaining. Dane played off her well with the same attitude, which I felt mad their chemistry magic. Both seemed intent on showing that nothing surprised or worried them, as if it was a game of one-up-man-ship, which made them fun and entertaining to watch. The fact that they were young and still top-notch spies was hip and made believable by their attitudes, as if they had something about them that was above the ordinary or inbred in them that made them so good.

The movie was full of great performances, from the Commander to the strange little creatures who were selling information for any money they could get for it. The Bubble Dancer was magical, and the scene with her was touching and fun to watch. Every character had color and personality, in fact the only movie I've seen with as many interesting and colorful characters has to be Steven Spielburg's A.I.

The plot was a little hard to follow at first, but it soon became fairly easy to understand. While some background on the heroes would have been nice, I didn't feel it was really necessary. I felt the plot moved along and was believable and logical.

The market scene was really fun and fascinating, and very imaginative, though this was where it was a little hard to follow what was happening. The escape seemed a little too easy, and the plot of the thief who vowed revenge for Valerian stealing the Converter over a little too tritely. I though the robots that attacked in the end were really cool, though they were defeated a little too easily. The ending did seem to wrap up a little too quickly, but not so quick that you really couldn't just accept and enjoy it.

I personally hope that the opening weekend disappointment doesn't doom this movie series to only one film, for I'd really like to see more adventures in the City of a Thousand Planets with Valerian and Laureline. I found it a place I loved and am eager to go back to.

I may be one of the only ones who feels this way, but this is one of the few movies that I will put in my personal favorite collection, along with Blade Runner, A.I., Alien and the first three Star Wars movies.