VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS


France, 2017, 137 minutes, Colour.
Dane De Haan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Sam Spruell, Rutger Hauer.
Directed by Luc Besson.


Quite a title. This film was based on a series of comics from the 1960s, French comic books, stories of the future and space named after the two central characters Valerian and Laureline.


The writer-director is the Frenchman, Luc Besson, who has made a range of films dating back to the 1980s, a number of successful thrillers like Subway, Point of No Return, and his classic gangster film, Leon. While he made a film about Joan of Arc, The Messenger in 1999, his work in more recent years has been to direct and, especially, to produce, a whole range of hard-boiled action films like the Transporter series.

But, he is very popular, with his science-fiction film of the 1990s with Bruce Willis, The Fifth Element. In fact, this film is enjoying re-release to accompany Valerian.

It is difficult to determine just who is the intended audience for Valerian. There is plenty to entertain younger audiences but might be a bit too much for a children’s audience. On the other hand, the two central characters seem particularly young, Dane De Haan as Valerian (30 in real life but looking much younger) and actress-model, Cara Delevingne.

The film has a certain French sensibility which may be appeal more to the European audience than English-speaking language audience (although the film is in English).

To set the tone: the film introduces space exploration in 1975, widening the screen to show developments by 2020, then going to the future, the development of space stations, settling of the galaxies, and all the time peace agreements between all the races, all represented in handshake encounters, courtesy encounters, races as well as different religions – and, then more improbably but in futuristic fantasy style, a whole range of strange creatures (reminiscent of those found in Star Wars galaxies). And finally, there is a speech by the world leader, a cameo by Rutger Hauer, willing peace and goodwill for the future of the universe.

And, for some moments, we see an extraordinarily placid planet, strange hand-drawn characters who resemble humans, their peaceful society, their harvesting pearls from strange transformer creatures, getting energy for their survival – when, suddenly, bombs and explosives start to fall and the creatures hiding in bewilderment, one Princess unable to get into the secure area and who has to take possession of some other body and soul to survive.

Actually, there is no peace in the galaxies. There is a huge floating city, the city of 1000 planets, with military chiefs, commanders – and special government agents, which is where Valerian and Laureline come in, young tough, expert agents, banter between them, his male superiority, more than a touch of romance but her despising his playlist of girlfriends.

They go into action, quite effective, trying to sabotage a meeting where one of the strange creatures is doing deals about pearls with two of the earlier survivors by the peaceful planet in disguise. The point is in getting the transformers who are able to generate the pearls and energy.

Needless to say Valerian and Laureline are very successful – but not all the time. They are contacted by one of the government ministers by hologram and sent on missions. They have interviews with the commander (Clive Owen) who seems just a bit sinister and proves himself so.

Then, something like an intermission, Valerian goes rather sleazy part of town, full of clubbers, and finds himself approached by Jolly the Pimp, played by Ethan Hawke in manic overdrive, and Valerian and the audience spend some time watching an elaborate performance by Rihanna, gymnastics, contortions, dance, transforming into different characters. After this interlude, the action gets going again, Rihanna helping Valerian and Laureline to escape some pursuers.

All this is seen in a variety of sometimes spectacular contexts, special design, always something to delight the eye.

So, by the end of the film, the audience is ready for some action, split-second timing, betrayals of trust, declarations of love, hopes for a happy future.

1. The film based on French comic books? The French sensibility? Storytelling, characters? Science fiction? Simon’s fantasy? The future?

2. The work of the director, his career, The Fifth Element, expectations?

3. The transition from comic book to the fantasy world, space, the planets, the future? The vast city in space? Characters, humans, hybrid creatures? The kind of Star Wars galaxy collection of creatures?

4. The beauty of space, the idyllic planet? The way of life, characters and backgrounds like comic sketches? The attacks, the war, the devastation? The government, the agents at work, rules, missions, infiltration? The government powers, the military, ruthless?

5. The various regions of the city, clubs, performance? The battles, stunt work, effects? The musical score?

6. The review of the past, 1975, 2020, the continual expansion of space, the planets, the international collaborations, the variety of races, national dress? The introduction of the creatures, the variety of creatures? Peace? The world president and his declaration of peace?

7. The introduction to the idyllic planet, the creatures, communication, families, the sea, the transformers, the pearls and production, the energy?

8. The attack, the destruction, fear, refuge in the cave, the princess being locked out, the family watching in grief, her transformation and death? The revelation that she occupied Valerian?

9. The transition to the ordinary, Valerian and Laureline, their role as government agents, their military rank? Issues of romance, love? His playlist of girlfriends – and her wishing this to be destroyed and his later complying? The banter, her resistance to him, his macho attitudes, the fact that they were space heroes, at their age?

10. The American style of the dialogue, language and idioms?

11. The defence chief, his hologram appearance, description of missions, getting the transformer, Valerian and Lauraline working together, travelling together, breaking through the different barriers, the soldier and his control of the sentry, action, infiltration through the wall? The creature, the visitors from the idyllic planet? The transformer, the pearls? Their bargaining? The creature and greed? Warriors? The attack, the battle? Laureline and the vehicle, the deaths of the backup troop, the achievement in getting back the transformer? Valerian keeping the pearl?

12. The role of the defence chief, his appearances, commands? The role of the general, his assistant Sergeant, their working together, concerned?

13. The role of the commander, his strong presence, the mission, his double dealings, the background of his destroying the planet, his reasons, the inhabitants being savages? Extending his power? His confronting Valerian and Laureline? His being taken by the creatures? His commanding an attack to destroy them? Better death than humiliation? Valerian and Laureline surrendering him? His being left hanging in space? The general having to make decisions?

14. The puzzle for the general, the sympathetic creatures being seen as the enemy? The role of the transformer?

15. Valerian wandering through the city, the unsavoury areas, the clubs and all the people present? The encounter with Jolly the Pimp? Bubble, her performance, athletic, transformations, disguises? Her background, explanation of the story? Helping Valerian to escape, consuming him? Laureline arriving, suspicions, her being helped? Their arriving in the garbage tip?

16. The barrier, finding the group of creatures, the dialogue, the discussion about the transformer, Valerian and Laureline and the discussions about rules, love, sympathy? The giving back the transformer? The hostility of the commander?

17. The contacting the general, his taking control, not attacking the creatures in their ship, his arresting the commander?

18. The escape and re-creation of the planet, the transformer and the pearls, Valerian and Laureline on the beach?