Rather than treating these aliens as background dressing, the film imbues each species with unique biology, architecture, and sociology. From the information-broking, platypus-like Doghan Daguis to the towering, underwater Bromosaurs, Alpha feels alive, chaotic, and functional. Visual Innovation and The Big Market
When visionary French director Luc Besson released Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017, it arrived as a staggering monument to independent filmmaking. Armed with a budget of nearly $200 million, Besson bypassed Hollywood’s traditional studio system to adapt the beloved 1967 French comic series Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières. The result was a cinematic experience defined by its sheer scale, unprecedented visual ambition, and an uncompromising dedication to worldbuilding.
Yes, there is an extended cut (approximately 8 minutes longer than the theatrical version). It does not fix the dialogue issues, but it adds crucial world-building scenes in Alpha, including a longer introduction to the "Kistans" (humanoid fish creatures) and an extended sequence of Valerian navigating the city’s red-light district. If you can find the Blu-ray extended edition, it is the definitive way to watch. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...
The central failure, however, lies in the casting and characterization of its heroes. Valerian is written as a cocky, womanizing rogue, but DeHaan’s performance lacks the roguish charm of a young Harrison Ford or Bruce Willis. Instead, his delivery comes across as petulant and uncharismatic, making his relentless pursuit of Laureline feel less like romantic tension and more like workplace harassment. Conversely, Delevingne’s Laureline is competent, sharp, and consistently right, but she is forced to play a reactive role, perpetually annoyed by a partner the script insists is heroic. The pair share no romantic chemistry; their bickering feels sibling-like rather than passionate. This disconnect is fatal, as the film’s emotional core—Valerian’s attempt to prove his love by earning her respect—rests entirely on an unconvincing dynamic. In a genre where audiences connect through characters, Valerian offers two beautiful, expensive mannequins.
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. Rather than treating these aliens as background dressing,
The emotional and structural anchor of the film is Alpha, the titular "City of a Thousand Planets." The film’s brilliant opening sequence, set to David Bowie’s "Space Oddity," chronicles the real-world history of the International Space Station. Over centuries, human astronauts welcome increasingly bizarre alien species, docking new modules to the station until it becomes too massive for Earth's orbit. Pushed into deep space, Alpha evolves into a floating metropolis of 30 million inhabitants.
: During their mission, they uncover a dark secret involving the destruction of the planet Mül and a government cover-up led by Commander Arun Filitt . Valerian must eventually choose between following orders and doing what is morally right for a displaced alien race. Cast & Key Characters Armed with a budget of nearly $200 million,
Beneath the neon lights and laser fights, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has a surprisingly heavy conscience. The Pearls of Mul are not warriors; they are peaceful, empathetic creatures destroyed by human greed. The human general’s excuse—"We thought they were enemies"—is a direct allegory for real-world military mistakes, from My Lai to drone strikes.
At its core, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" is a film about identity, community, and the power of human connection. The City of a Thousand Planets is a symbol of hope and resilience, a place where individuals from different backgrounds and timelines can come together to build a new society.