Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (M)

137 min Often with a film review, context is everything. You can’t compare the magnificence of Dunkirk with the gorgeous silliness of Valerian but you can talk about Valerian in the company of other sci-fi extravaganzas which feature prominent CGI, wistful messages of hope, and pay tribute to childhood joys. So let’s stick with that as a starting point.

Director Luc Besson has reportedly spent his whole life dreaming of adapting the graphic novel Valerian and Laureline, which he loved as a child. He also spent a large chunk of his own money on the project, which can either be seen as an indication of self-indulgent madness or a commitment we should respect.

One thing’s for sure: Besson gave this film his all and, for all its flaws (the