Valerian and The City of a Thousand Planets

I liked it. I agree with OP, it missed being really good, but I wouldn't say that the opportunity of being a great movie was "squandered" - it was just missed.

There's some great scenes and some that kinda made me groan. But it was well worth the time.
 
I have 5th Element in 3 different formats, so I can feel the similarities between it and Valerian. Enjoyed Valerian in theater, but didn't feel like there'd be as much repeat watch value. Run time: 2 hours 17 minutes. Could've been the same story in a half-hour less film. I'll probably pick up the DVD when it hits Half-Price Books or something.
 
I have 5th Element in 3 different formats, so I can feel the similarities between it and Valerian. Enjoyed Valerian in theater, but didn't feel like there'd be as much repeat watch value. Run time: 2 hours 17 minutes. Could've been the same story in a half-hour less film. I'll probably pick up the DVD when it hits Half-Price Books or something.

Fifth Element was one of those rare movies I think I enjoyed more the second time. I think I was able to just enjoy everything that was going on more the second time were as the first I was trying to follow the story more intently.
 
Fifth Element was one of those rare movies I think I enjoyed more the second time. I think I was able to just enjoy everything that was going on more the second time were as the first I was trying to follow the story more intently.
Yeah, Chris Tucker's schtick kind of kills 5th element for me -
So annoying, not at all amusing -
I just want someone to smack that guy whenever he starts squealing.
ymmv, of course!
 
while similar, I think the big difference between The fifth Element and Valerian was that the former was fun and really didn't take itself too seriously. Look at Gary Oldman. I don't know how he could pull that off without laughing. In the latter, aside from the bubble shape shifter, everyone played it straight, which only highlighted their stilted acting.

I will say that Valerian was visually stunning where The Fifth Element, not so, but, to me, it takes more than that to make a good movie. In that respect, I'd put Valerian in the same category as Jupiter Ascending. Fun to look at but intellectually boring.

It's a good demo disc, though.
 
Fifth Element was one of those rare movies I think I enjoyed more the second time. I think I was able to just enjoy everything that was going on more the second time were as the first I was trying to follow the story more intently.

I can put Fifth Element on just about anytime and be entertained. Can't be said for Besson's later stuff, mostly stinkers. What the heck happened?

IMO his best work is 1999 and back, and his first, Le Dernier Combat, a great post-apocalyptic piece. I'll watch Valerian but I don't have high hopes.
 
...I will say that Valerian was visually stunning where The Fifth Element, not so, but, to me, it takes more than that to make a good movie. In that respect, I'd put Valerian in the same category as Jupiter Ascending. Fun to look at but intellectually boring.
Yes, I will second that.
 
I will say that Valerian was visually stunning where The Fifth Element, not so, but, to me, it takes more than that to make a good movie. In that respect, I'd put Valerian in the same category as Jupiter Ascending. Fun to look at but intellectually boring.

It's a good demo disc, though.

About 30 minutes in on Valerian. So far, it's not as good as Jupiter Ascending, ouch!
 
About 30 minutes in on Valerian. So far, it's not as good as Jupiter Ascending, ouch!

I found it took at least that long to get going. To me it seemed like they tried to make the characters seem cool and slick but they initially came across as just cold and lacking personality. They grew on me as it progressed.

At least Valerian didn't have this guy
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and am I the only one that thought Channing Tatum looked like he was part goat?
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I found it took at least that long to get going. To me it seemed like they tried to make the characters seem cool and slick but they initially came across as just cold and lacking personality. They grew on me as it progressed.

At least Valerian didn't have this guy
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and am I the only one that thought Channing Tatum looked like he was part goat?
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Valerian is up on Amazon Prime so I will plod along with it. Will see where I end up, not at the upswing yet.

Redmayne's whisper growling was tedious but there was enough unintentional camp to keep me interested. For Channing Tatum, best role so far was in Side Effects.

/anyone who's scene it will know what I mean.
 
Like we say in New Zealand: "yea, nah".

Its OK. But the same things that irritated me about 5th Element were also present here - ie: OTT campy acting that is sometimes painful to watch.

This film is in the "so bad its good" category to me - entertaining. Especially for Eddie Redmayne who spends his time "shouting and whispering" as one reviewed called it.

Eddie Redmayne? What movie are you talking about? I'm lost... Ahh... I see we've morphed into Jupiter Ascending now. Never mind...
 
I enjoyed Jupiter Ascending for the visuals, and a great soundtrack. There were aliens that I would have loved to see more out of, the wing dinosaurs were interesting. What caused me to groan in the end is a princess who owns the Planet Earth goes back to cleaning toilets.........ya right. :D
 
Well that's faint praise! At least you didn't compare it to Battlefield Earth...! :eek::biggrin:

Long ago I actually read the first book and enjoyed it. It's a messy space opera just good enough to keep you turning pages.

I've only seen about 20 minutes of the movie when it hit cable a long time ago. Wow was that one bad. Bold move on Travolta's part to perform without makeup though.


I enjoyed Jupiter Ascending for the visuals, and a great soundtrack. There were aliens that I would have loved to see more out of, the wing dinosaurs were interesting. What caused me to groan in the end is a princess who owns the Planet Earth goes back to cleaning toilets.........ya right. :D

Back to Valerian; I finished it and am going to score Jupiter Ascending as solidly in the marginal-but-watchable column. Valerian get's an avoid vote.
 
Well that's faint praise! At least you didn't compare it to Battlefield Earth
I've been on a recent bender of bad movies and I forced myself to watch this one again.

By the end I couldnt help thinking that Travolta is actually quite entertaining in it (overacting, but its kind of fun), the story isnt too hideous, actually if the production values were better (lighting, editing etc) this could have the potential to be a halfway decent scifi.....maybe?
 
I always thought Battlefield Earth was an awesome book. But way to big of a story to make into a movie. I mean the book was like 800 pages long.
 
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