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Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: An Epic of Unbridled Imagination

In 2017, visionary French director Luc Besson (known for The Fifth Element and Lucy) delivered what might be the most expensive independent film ever made: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Based on the seminal French comic series Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières, the film is less a conventional blockbuster and more a $200 million love letter to the sci-fi medium itself.

2. The Pearls of Mul

The design of the Pearls—tall, graceful, amphibian-like beings—is a marvel of makeup and CGI. Their homeworld, Mul, is rendered with bioluminescent flora and peaceful waters, creating a stark contrast to the industrial underbelly of Alpha.

What works brilliantly

1. Set and creature design. The diversity of species and living environments is not mere ornamentation; these designs make the City of Alpha feel inhabited and lived-in. Small details (market vendors, background interactions, signage) create an ecosystem that persists beyond the two leads.
2. Cinematography and movement. Besson stages sequences with a choreography that blends parkour impulses with space-opera scale. Action often reads like a dance: handheld intimacy at times, then expansive when the scene calls for cosmic spectacle.
3. Production craft. Costume, makeup, and visual effects teams commit to absurd choices (giant aquatic beasts, living forests, telepathic species) and largely pull them off. Scenes where CGI and practical elements meet feel tactile, not glossy vacuum-packed.
4. Emotional core. Beneath the bazaar of bizarre visuals, Valerian gives us a simple human through-line: the relationship between Valerian and Laureline. It’s not revolutionary, but it gives the spectacle a beating heart and keeps the stakes grounded.

2. Plot Synopsis

The story follows two spatio-temporal agents, Valerian and Laureline, who are tasked with maintaining order throughout the universe. They are sent on a mission to the intergalactic city of Alpha, a massive space station known as the "City of a Thousand Planets." Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...

Key Story Beats:

• The Mission: Valerian and Laureline must identify a mysterious threat infecting Alpha's core.
• The Mystery: They uncover the truth about the destruction of the planet Mül and the survival of its inhabitants, the Pearls.
• The Conflict: Commander Arün Filitt attempts to cover up the destruction of Mül, leading to a confrontation that tests the bond between the two protagonists.

Plot Summary: A Rescue Across Dimensions

The story follows Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne), agents of the United Human Federation. They are tasked with maintaining order throughout the universe. The film opens with a stunning, wordless montage showing the International Space Station gradually welcoming alien species, expanding over generations into the metropolis of Alpha. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets:

The main plot kicks off when Valerian has a vision of a lost paradise planet, Mul, destroyed by a mysterious weapon. He discovers that a surviving race of peaceful humanoids, the Pearls, are hiding in the lower depths of Alpha, being hunted by a ruthless Commander (Clive Owen) who is covering up a past atrocity.

What follows is a chain of heists, chases, and dimension-hopping adventures, including a trip to the interdimensional market of "Big Market," a sequence that has already been hailed as one of the most inventive chase scenes in sci-fi history. Set and creature design

The Controversy: Casting and Chemistry

No article discussing Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets can ignore the elephant in the room. Critics and audiences widely noted that leads Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne lacked romantic chemistry. The characters in the comics are a married couple, equal partners in wit and combat. On screen, DeHaan’s Valerian comes off as a cocky teenager trying to impress an older sister (Delevingne).

This miscasting is often why the film failed at the box office. However, for viewers willing to look past the awkward flirting and focus on the Laurel and Hardy-style banter or the action choreography, the film remains deeply enjoyable. The supporting cast—Clive Owen as the paranoid General, Ethan Hawke as a pimp in a pleasure district, and Rihanna as the shape-shifting entertainer "Bubble"—often steal the show, particularly Rihanna’s emotional burlesque performance.