5. "Grew up reading the graphic Novel" In response to Reply # 0
Valerian et Laureline were some of the best science fiction books of my childhood besides Luc Orient ( Which needs its own movie) as well as Yoko Tsuno.
If this came out right after 5th Element I would have had complete faith that he'd pull it off but his recent projects make me worried. Lucy was trash.
time is money, money is time so i keep 7 o'clock in the bank and gain interest in the hour of God I'm saving to buy my freedom, God, grant me wings, I'm too fly not to fly _ Saul Williams
I had hella fun watching this. Super cliched, but hella fun.
The film is visually unlike anything I've seen so far this year. And the 3D is incredible. Best use of 3D so far in 2017 (Outside Ghost in the Shell, but this is a MUCH better movie).
I hope I get another 3D screening. I wanna vape beforehand.
13. "Don't waste your money." In response to Reply # 0
Poorly cast and acted. And written. First half world building was cool, tho. But man this slagged on with pointless, overstimulating, clustered action.
14. "Absolutely loved it. It will be polarizing but plot isn't the point." In response to Reply # 0
And honestly, acting isn't even the point, although I was pleasantly surprised by the leads because I was expecting much worse.
It's an old comic book brought to the screen, and it remembers that it's a comic book, unlike these other superhero films that take themselves so friggin seriously.
It's cheeky, whimsical, and simple...I found the simple childlike take on love and adventure to be refreshing.
And the atmosphere, aeathetics, visuals, etc would be beyond worth the tickets even if there was zero plot. I cared more about the characters than the plot, I really didn't care much about 90% of the plot, but that's kind of how comic books generally hit me too ...I read them for the visuals and the characters, and the plot is just a device to put them in situations, and the quality of dialog is almost always beside the point.
This movie is a trip. I'm tempted to go see it again.
16. "Sort of but with some crucial differences:" In response to Reply # 15 Sun Jul-23-17 08:08 AM by Jon
It's definitely by far much more similar to Fifth Element than it would be to modern day comic movies. It's clear this is the same director.
But depending on what you want from a movie, you're not guaranteed to like one if you liked the other.
Fifth Element was much more about the story, had a plot that felt like the purpose of the movie, and had more compelling human characters and acting performances.
Valerian, on the other hand, most of the intriguing characters arent even human and play small roles, the human acting is mostly forgettable (although liked the leads more than most ppl did), and the plot seems like a complete and total afterthought. ... BUT, you'll see more imagination juice packed into any given 10 minutes of Valerian than the entirety of Fifth Element (which says a lot, bc Fifth Element was a trip)
For Fifth Element the story was the point.
For Valerian (like most comics) the plot is just a device so our heroes can get us lost in the jungle with all the tigers and bears and waterfalls.
It needs to be digested like a dream or an old school comic book than a traditional film.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86672 posts
Mon Jul-24-17 03:25 PM
17. "Really terrific... with the exception of DeHaan, who is miscast." In response to Reply # 0
If young Tom Cruise (or any number of young black actors ready for roles like this) played Valerian, it's an instant classic. No question.
Instead, it's an intriguing "what if," with tons of visual splendor, outstanding world-building, exciting action... and a lead who simply isn't right for the part.
18. "Finally going to see it this week. " In response to Reply # 17
I feel like this is a reworking of the Fifth Element, which for me is the root of the visual aesthetic that is utilized by GOTG and Ragnarok, with new filmmaking technology. Its crazy that the Fifth Element is twenty years old...
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