Released in 2017, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is one of the most visually ambitious science-fiction adventures directed by Luc Besson. Known for its imaginative alien worlds, futuristic technology, and spectacular digital environments, the movie attempts to transport audiences into a universe filled with thousands of civilizations, mysterious creatures, and extraordinary possibilities.
The Valerian film 2017 experience goes far beyond a conventional space adventure. It combines action, mystery, romance, and science fiction in a colorful cinematic universe inspired by a beloved French comic-book series. With Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne leading the cast, the production delivers an enormous visual playground that feels both futuristic and surreal.
However, impressive visuals do not automatically guarantee a perfect movie. While some viewers appreciate the film's creative ambition, others criticize its storytelling, pacing, and character chemistry. This contrast makes the movie particularly interesting to examine.
In this review, we explore the story, visual effects, cast, critical reception, and place of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets within Luc Besson's filmography and French cinema.
Valerian Film 2017: Movie Overview
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a science-fiction adventure film written and directed by Luc Besson. It is based on the French comic-book series Valérian and Laureline, created by writer Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières.
The film premiered in 2017 and received its US theatrical release on July 21, 2017. Its production combined live-action performances, extensive computer-generated imagery, and elaborate digital environments to create an expansive science-fiction universe.
Here are the essential details:
Title: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Release year: 2017
Director: Luc Besson
Genre: Science fiction, action, adventure
Lead actors: Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne
Source material: Valérian and Laureline comic-book series
Original language: English
Setting: A futuristic universe featuring numerous alien civilizations
The film's central attraction is its ambitious depiction of Alpha, an enormous space station where species from across the galaxy coexist, exchange knowledge, and conduct business.
Rather than relying entirely on familiar science-fiction conventions, Besson builds a universe filled with unusual landscapes, inventive technology, and visually distinctive inhabitants.
What Is the Story About?
The story follows Major Valerian and Sergeant Laureline, two special operatives working for the human government in the 28th century.
Their mission begins with an assignment connected to Alpha, a rapidly expanding space station that has become home to representatives of countless species. As the station develops, its population grows, bringing together different cultures, technologies, and political interests.
During their investigation, Valerian and Laureline uncover a mysterious threat connected to a restricted area of Alpha. Their mission gradually becomes more complicated as they discover evidence of a hidden tragedy and a conspiracy that could endanger the station.
The pair must navigate dangerous environments, confront powerful adversaries, and uncover the truth before the situation escalates.
Along the way, the film explores questions about justice, responsibility, and the consequences of decisions made by powerful institutions.
Synopsis: A Journey Into the City of a Thousand Planets
One of the most distinctive elements of the Valerian film 2017 is its introduction to a universe that feels considerably larger than the story itself.
The film opens with a sequence showing how international cooperation develops into interstellar collaboration. Over time, a human space station becomes an enormous meeting place for alien civilizations.
This introduction establishes one of the movie's central ideas: different species can coexist and benefit from sharing their knowledge, even when their appearances, customs, and technologies are radically different.
The narrative then shifts toward Valerian and Laureline, whose professional partnership is complicated by their contrasting personalities.
Valerian is confident, impulsive, and sometimes overly focused on his own instincts. Laureline is practical, intelligent, and more skeptical of his behavior. Their exchanges provide moments of humor and tension throughout the adventure.
As the investigation progresses, the pair discover that Alpha's apparent stability conceals a troubling secret. Their search for answers takes them through unfamiliar districts, alien marketplaces, dangerous territories, and extraordinary environments.
The result is a story that moves between action sequences, detective-style investigation, and moments of character interaction.
Although the plot occasionally struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm, the journey provides opportunities for the filmmakers to introduce imaginative creatures, elaborate environments, and unexpected visual concepts.
Key Themes in Valerian
Beyond its futuristic setting, the movie explores several themes that give its adventure a broader meaning.
Cooperation Between Different Civilizations
Alpha represents an idealized vision of a multicultural society in which different species contribute to a shared environment.
The station's diversity is expressed through architecture, communication systems, technology, and social interactions. Its inhabitants demonstrate that cooperation can create opportunities that would be impossible for isolated civilizations.
At the same time, the film acknowledges that coexistence does not eliminate conflict. Competition, prejudice, secrecy, and political interests can threaten even the most ambitious collaborative projects.
Justice and Moral Responsibility
The central mystery raises questions about how governments and military institutions respond when their actions cause suffering.
Valerian and Laureline must decide whether following orders is more important than uncovering the truth. Their investigation suggests that accountability matters even when exposing wrongdoing threatens established authority.
This theme gives the story a moral dimension that extends beyond its action sequences.
Identity, Trust, and Relationships
The relationship between Valerian and Laureline provides the emotional foundation of the adventure.
Their conversations explore attraction, loyalty, independence, and mutual respect. Although the romantic dialogue does not appeal to every viewer, their partnership remains important to the narrative.
The movie also explores identity through its many alien characters, presenting a universe in which appearances and cultural differences do not necessarily reveal an individual's motives or values.
Visual Aesthetics: The Film's Greatest Strength
When discussing the Valerian film 2017, its visual presentation deserves particular attention.
Luc Besson creates a cinematic universe that combines bright colors, unusual architectural designs, imaginative creatures, and enormous digital environments. The result is a film that frequently feels like an illustrated science-fiction universe brought to life.
The visual approach is not limited to making space look impressive. Different locations have distinct visual identities, helping the audience understand that the story takes place across a diverse collection of worlds and civilizations.
Alpha: A City Filled With Alien Life
Alpha is the most important visual concept in the movie.
Instead of presenting a conventional spacecraft with narrow corridors and metallic interiors, the filmmakers imagine a vast structure containing numerous environments. Each district serves different species and purposes, creating the impression of a functioning interstellar city.
The station combines futuristic architecture with organic forms, unfamiliar materials, and advanced technology.
Its inhabitants range from elegant humanoid figures to creatures with completely different physical structures. These variations make Alpha feel like a place where countless evolutionary histories and cultural traditions intersect.
The scale of the station also reinforces the film's central themes. Alpha represents the potential of cooperation, but its complexity creates opportunities for secrecy and conflict.
Color, Lighting, and Cinematography
Color plays an important role in establishing the movie's atmosphere.
Some sequences use bright blues, luminous greens, warm oranges, and saturated pinks to create a playful, almost dreamlike environment. Other scenes use darker lighting and muted tones to emphasize danger or uncertainty.
This contrast helps the film move between adventure, mystery, and suspense without relying exclusively on dialogue.
The cinematography frequently emphasizes scale, placing small human figures against enormous structures or expansive alien landscapes. These compositions remind viewers that Valerian and Laureline are operating within a universe much larger than their immediate mission.
The visual style is intentionally extravagant. Rather than pursuing a consistently realistic appearance, the film embraces spectacle and imagination.
Alien Creatures and Character Design
The film's creatures contribute significantly to its distinctive atmosphere.
Their appearances reflect different biological structures, cultural identities, and environments. Some look elegant and almost human, while others feature unusual proportions, unfamiliar textures, or distinctly nonhuman movements.
Costumes and makeup also help distinguish the major characters from the many inhabitants of Alpha.
This attention to visual variety is especially important in a film that introduces so many species within a relatively short runtime. The designs communicate information about the fictional universe before characters have an opportunity to explain it verbally.
Special Effects and CGI: How Valerian Builds Its Universe
Computer-generated imagery is fundamental to the Valerian movie. Many of its environments, creatures, and action sequences would have been extremely difficult or impossible to create using traditional practical effects alone.
The production combines live-action footage with extensive digital work to create locations that appear enormous, complex, and populated.
Blending Live Action With Digital Environments
The actors frequently perform in settings that are enhanced or constructed digitally.
This approach allows the filmmakers to place the characters in environments with unusual architecture, alien inhabitants, and futuristic transportation systems.
The challenge is maintaining a convincing visual relationship between real performers and computer-generated elements. Lighting, camera movement, perspective, and compositing all contribute to making these interactions feel coherent.
At its best, the film creates environments that feel physically expansive even when much of what appears on screen exists digitally.
The Big Market Sequence
One of the film's most memorable concepts is its multidimensional marketplace.
Valerian enters a commercial environment that exists across different layers of reality. The sequence uses technology to allow characters to interact with objects and spaces that are not conventionally accessible within their immediate surroundings.
This creates opportunities for inventive action and visual comedy while demonstrating how futuristic technology might transform everyday activities.
The scene also illustrates the film's willingness to prioritize unusual ideas over familiar science-fiction imagery.
The Limits of Visual Spectacle
Despite its impressive imagery, the movie sometimes struggles to make every digital environment emotionally meaningful.
A spectacular setting can capture attention, but audiences also need reasons to care about what happens within it.
Some sequences introduce elaborate visual concepts without giving them enough time to develop narratively. As a result, the film can occasionally feel more interested in displaying its universe than exploring the consequences of its characters' decisions.
Nevertheless, the production remains an ambitious example of visual world-building in modern science-fiction cinema.
Valerian Movie Review: What Works and What Doesn't?
A balanced Valerian movie review must consider both its technical achievements and its narrative limitations.
The film's reputation has been shaped by a contrast between its extraordinary visual ambition and the mixed responses to its characters and storytelling.
What Works Well
1. An imaginative science-fiction universe
The film creates a setting filled with unusual species, futuristic technologies, and distinctive environments. Alpha feels like a place with its own systems, communities, and visual language.
2. Ambitious production design
The costumes, environments, and digital effects work together to establish a recognizable aesthetic. Even viewers who do not connect with the story may appreciate the creativity behind its imagery.
3. A willingness to take creative risks
Rather than simply reproducing familiar space-adventure formulas, Luc Besson introduces unusual concepts and unexpected transitions between environments.
The film's ambition is one of its most appealing characteristics.
4. A memorable visual experience
Large-scale action, elaborate creature design, and colorful landscapes make the film particularly suited to viewers who enjoy visually driven science fiction.
What Could Have Been Better?
1. Character chemistry
Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne play the central partnership, but their romantic dynamic has been criticized for lacking the natural chemistry that the story requires.
Because their relationship is central to the adventure, this can make some emotional scenes less convincing.
2. Dialogue and characterization
Some exchanges rely on familiar romantic-comedy conventions, while character motivations occasionally receive less attention than the surrounding spectacle.
Stronger dialogue and more gradual character development might have made the relationship more engaging.
3. Pacing and narrative focus
The movie introduces many locations, species, and plot developments. Although this variety creates opportunities for visual discovery, it can also make the central mystery feel less focused.
Certain sequences appear to exist primarily to showcase the universe rather than advance the main story.
4. Balancing spectacle with emotion
The film's biggest strength can also become a weakness. Its digital environments are often more memorable than the emotional developments taking place within them.
A more concentrated narrative could have helped the audience connect more deeply with the characters.
Critical and Audience Reception
The film received mixed reviews from professional critics, while audience responses also varied.
Critics often praised its imagination, visual effects, and production design while expressing reservations about its screenplay, performances, or pacing.
Audience reactions have been more varied, particularly among viewers who prioritize science-fiction world-building and visual spectacle.
For a reliable assessment, readers should consult current critic and audience scores on established review platforms. Ratings can change as more reviews are published, so any numerical scores should be checked immediately before publication.
Ultimately, the movie demonstrates that visual ambition can make a film distinctive without necessarily overcoming every weakness in its storytelling.
Valerian Film Cast: The Actors Behind the Adventure
The Valerian film cast includes established performers and musicians who bring different personalities to the film's expansive universe.
Dane DeHaan as Major Valerian
Dane DeHaan plays Major Valerian, a highly capable operative whose confidence sometimes creates problems.
Valerian is intelligent, resourceful, and willing to take risks. His behavior also reveals an impulsive side that complicates his relationship with Laureline.
DeHaan's performance gives the character a more restrained presence than some traditional action heroes, although this approach may not appeal to every viewer.
Cara Delevingne as Sergeant Laureline
Cara Delevingne portrays Sergeant Laureline, Valerian's partner and a central figure in the investigation.
Laureline is perceptive, independent, and frequently more cautious than her colleague. She challenges Valerian's assumptions and demonstrates that competence does not require the same personality or approach.
Her character plays an important role in keeping the partnership from becoming a conventional one-sided action-hero narrative.
Clive Owen as Commander Arün Filitt
Clive Owen plays Commander Arün Filitt, a senior military figure connected to the events surrounding Alpha.
His character represents the authority and institutional power that Valerian and Laureline must investigate.
Owen's performance contributes to the political tension underlying the story.
Rihanna as Bubble
Rihanna appears as Bubble, a shape-shifting entertainer who assists Valerian during an important part of his mission.
The character introduces a different energy to the movie, combining performance, humor, and vulnerability.
Bubble's sequence is one of the film's more unusual departures from conventional space-adventure storytelling.
Ethan Hawke as Jolly the Pimp
Ethan Hawke plays Jolly, an eccentric character operating within Alpha's entertainment scene.
His appearance adds another colorful personality to a movie already populated by unusual individuals and environments.
Other Notable Cast Members
The supporting cast includes Kris Wu, Herbie Hancock, Rutger Hauer, and other performers who contribute to the film's expansive fictional world.
Together, the cast helps establish a universe that extends beyond the two main characters, even when some supporting roles receive limited screen time.
Luc Besson's Filmography: From The Fifth Element to Valerian
Luc Besson has built a career around visually distinctive filmmaking, stylized action, and imaginative fictional settings.
His earlier science-fiction film The Fifth Element (1997) is particularly relevant when examining Valerian. Both films feature futuristic cities, unusual characters, elaborate costumes, and an energetic approach to world-building.
However, they differ in their storytelling and character dynamics.
The Influence of The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element combines science fiction, comedy, action, and romance within a highly stylized universe.
Its visual identity is closely connected to its memorable characters and relatively direct central mission. The film's unusual designs support a story that remains accessible even when its world becomes extravagant.
Valerian takes a similarly imaginative approach but expands the scale of its digital environments.
Rather than concentrating on a smaller group of locations and characters, it moves through numerous alien settings and introduces a much broader range of species.
This ambition creates spectacular imagery, although it also makes narrative focus more difficult to maintain.
Lucy and Besson's Approach to Action
Another useful comparison is Lucy (2014), a science-fiction action film starring Scarlett Johansson.
Like Valerian, Lucy combines futuristic ideas with action and stylized visual sequences. However, it follows a more concentrated protagonist-driven narrative.
The comparison highlights an important aspect of Besson's filmmaking: he often uses high-concept premises to create visually distinctive action adventures.
In Valerian, that approach is applied to an entire fictional universe rather than primarily to one character.
How Valerian Expands His Directorial Style
Valerian represents an especially ambitious expression of Besson's interest in futuristic settings and imaginative production design.
Its visual language draws on the traditions of science-fiction illustration and European comics, translating graphic concepts into a large-scale cinematic experience.
The film demonstrates how digital filmmaking can make extraordinary environments possible. At the same time, it illustrates why a director must balance visual invention with strong characterization and narrative clarity.
French Cinema 2017: Valerian's Place in International Film
Valerian occupies an interesting position within French cinema because it combines French creative origins with an English-language, internationally oriented production.
The film was adapted from a French comic-book series and directed by a French filmmaker, yet its cast, dialogue, distribution strategy, and large-scale production were designed to reach audiences around the world.
A French Science-Fiction Production With Global Ambitions
French cinema has a long tradition of experimentation across genres, including fantasy, animation, science fiction, and visually distinctive adventure films.
Valerian demonstrates how French creative properties can be developed into large international productions using substantial digital-effects resources.
Its scale distinguishes it from many more modestly budgeted films and reflects an ambition to compete in the global science-fiction market.
The movie also provides an example of how European comic-book traditions can influence contemporary blockbuster filmmaking.
Comparing Valerian With Other 2017 Blockbusters
The 2017 summer blockbuster season included major science-fiction and fantasy releases such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and War for the Planet of the Apes.
These films offer useful comparisons because they combine large-scale action with distinctive fictional worlds.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 uses humor, recognizable character relationships, and colorful space settings to support its action. War for the Planet of the Apes emphasizes character development, emotional conflict, and performance-driven visual effects.
Valerian places greater emphasis on the discovery of new environments and the presentation of its universe.
Each approach has advantages, but audiences often respond most strongly when spectacle is connected to characters and stakes that feel emotionally convincing.
Budget and Box-Office Performance
Valerian was an expensive production, with a reported production budget of approximately $177 million.
Its worldwide box-office gross was approximately $226 million. Although that total exceeded the reported production budget, it does not mean the film necessarily made a profit.
Theatrical revenue is divided among distributors and cinema operators, while marketing, distribution, and other expenses also affect the final financial result.
The film's commercial performance illustrates the financial risks associated with original science-fiction properties that require substantial investment before audiences have established familiarity with their characters.
Despite those challenges, Valerian remains notable for the scale of its visual ambition and its attempt to establish a distinctive cinematic universe.
Is Valerian Worth Watching Today?
Whether Valerian is worth watching depends largely on what you want from a science-fiction movie.
If you enjoy imaginative alien worlds, elaborate production design, unusual creatures, and colorful digital environments, the film offers plenty to explore.
It is also worth considering for viewers interested in Luc Besson's directing style or the adaptation of European science-fiction comics for international audiences.
However, viewers who prioritize tightly structured plots, natural romantic chemistry, or extensive character development may find some aspects less satisfying.
The most effective way to approach the film is to appreciate its visual ambition while recognizing that its storytelling does not always reach the same level.
For science-fiction enthusiasts, it remains an interesting example of a filmmaker attempting to build an entire universe on an extraordinary scale.
Conclusion: A Visual Spectacle With Narrative Limitations
The Valerian film 2017 experience is defined by imagination, spectacle, and ambition.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets creates an expansive science-fiction universe filled with unusual civilizations, colorful environments, and elaborate digital effects. Its production design demonstrates how contemporary filmmaking can transform concepts from illustrated fiction into large-scale cinematic experiences.
Luc Besson's direction gives the film a recognizable visual identity, while the cast brings its futuristic adventure to life. Nevertheless, inconsistent pacing, mixed character chemistry, and an uneven narrative prevent the movie from satisfying every viewer.
Its strengths and weaknesses ultimately make it an interesting case study in blockbuster filmmaking. Spectacular images can attract attention, but memorable characters and compelling storytelling are equally important to a successful movie.
For viewers who appreciate ambitious science fiction and imaginative world-building, Valerian remains worth exploring. Even when the narrative loses momentum, its visual universe offers a distinctive cinematic experience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Valerian Film 2017
1. What is Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets about?
The film follows two special operatives, Valerian and Laureline, as they investigate a mysterious threat to Alpha, an enormous space station inhabited by thousands of alien civilizations. Their mission reveals a conspiracy that challenges the station's apparent stability.
2. Who directed Valerian film 2017?
Luc Besson wrote and directed the film. He is also known for movies such as The Fifth Element, Léon: The Professional, and Lucy.
3. Who stars in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets?
The leading roles are played by Dane DeHaan as Major Valerian and Cara Delevingne as Sergeant Laureline. The supporting cast includes Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Kris Wu, Herbie Hancock, and Rutger Hauer.
4. Is Valerian based on a comic book?
Yes. The movie is based on Valérian and Laureline, a French science-fiction comic-book series created by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières.
5. Why is Valerian known for its visual effects?
The film features extensive CGI, digitally created environments, elaborate alien designs, and large-scale futuristic architecture. Its depiction of Alpha is particularly notable for its variety of species and environments.
6. Was Valerian a box-office success?
The film earned approximately $226 million worldwide against a reported production budget of around $177 million. However, box-office gross alone does not establish profitability because cinemas, distributors, marketing, and other expenses affect the final financial result.
7. Is Valerian worth watching?
It is worth considering if you enjoy visually ambitious science-fiction films, imaginative alien worlds, and elaborate production design. Viewers who place greater emphasis on character development and tightly structured storytelling may find its weaknesses more noticeable.
8. Where can you watch Valerian in the United States?
Availability varies by date and streaming service. US viewers can check current listings on major digital rental and purchase platforms, subscription services, and reputable streaming-search websites to determine where the film is currently available.
