Written by Logan J. Fowler and Justin Matchick
Release Date: July 21st, 2017
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen
Director: Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, Lucy, Leon: The Professional)
Pre-Trailer Thoughts: Aside from knowing that Valerian was being directed by the same dude (Luc Besson) who did The Fifth Element, I was not knowledgeable of whatever the film was about. The Fifth Element has definitely gained a popular status in the decades since its release, but one would wonder if Valerian (which has an even more “out there” look) will garner the same acclaim. -LJF
Pre-Trailer Thoughts: Based off of a classic French comic book, this movie is basically a $180 million gamble by the studio that enough Americans will choose this over Dunkirk to make their money back. But, this is coming from Luc Besson, mastermind behind Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element. His history with action and sci-fi should at least pique the interest of even the most casual movie fans. – JTM
Rate the Trailer: 3 out of 5. Valerian looks like pure escapism, with stunning visuals and a lot of adventure to be seen. However, while I do not mind Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne hasn’t really impressed me as an actress, so I’m wondering how well she will do in a film that requires more of her than Suicide Squad. Time will tell. At the end of the day, this does look pretty intriguing. -LJF
Rate the Trailer: 4 out of 5. This is very likely the closest we will ever get to a Mass Effect film adaptation.The inventive visual style and creative alien species and worlds definitely draw some strong comparisons to those games, while at the same time looking like a spiritual sequel to Besson’s Fifth Element. The film is no doubt colorful and fun looking, but for some reason I keep getting hung up on stars Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne. They haven’t really ever carried a supposed blockbuster like this before, and nothing I’ve seen in this trailer tells me they’re going to be strong presences. – JTM
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Rent. I’ll have no problem sitting and watching Valerian from the comfort of my couch. While the spectacle of it may be strong on the big screen, I’m sure I don’t want to spend that kind of money on it. -LJF
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Rent. Despite liking this trailer, it still can’t compete with the likes of Dunkirk, The Big Sick, or Baby Driver that I still all need to go see. A crowded summer season has pushed this off my radar, but this is something I’ll definitely want to check out once it hits streaming services. – JTM
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets takes off on July 21st, 2017
