I had been looking forward to the latest release from esteemed director, Luc Besson for what seemed like a never-ending wait over the course of what was only a few months. His most recent film mostly commonly referred to as Valerian, adds to extensive and highly admired body of work , made up of over 50 films to date. With his most well-known being the ‘Taken’ franchise, ‘The Fifth Element’ and ‘Lucy’. It begs no great surprise that I would have been so enveloped and eager for its approaching release the first trailer I saw, as his 1997 sic-fi classic ‘The Fifth Element’ is one of my all time favourites. The similar core theme of creatively stimulating visuals and unexplainable vision through one persons eyes had me hooked and counting down the days till I could see it for myself.
The lead up to the film was filled with opposing opinions to my own expectations, as critics has labelled it an immediate ‘flop’. With the blame for many lackluster fueled reviews being put upon everything from the casting choices to the lack of knowledge behind the actual origin of the film’s content. The trailers themselves were in the line of fire, as they didn’t actually set up the plot for the viewer but more so distracted them with impressive visual imagery. But as a predominantly visually driven person, the trailers layered shots were what led me to want to watch the film as badly as I did. In terms of promotional strategy however, one of the biggest mistakes was made that impacted on the its reception. The release date didn’t take into consideration what would be the films main competition in a time of some significant releases. problematically the film was less than smartly released on the same day as the highly anticipated WWII film, ‘Dunkirk’. With a considerable more serious undertone obviously for its subject matter, the competitor dominated in comparison. Mainly by bringing in an openly varying audience of a more mature age range all the way down to the curious youth that Valerian probably betted on targeting.
Not one to care about the opinions of others until I see it for myself. I went into the cinema with the same eager excitement I had when I first saw the trailer whilst waiting for another film in the seats of the same cinema. ultimately I wasnt disappointed in the slightest once the credits rolled, with my own opinions opposing those I had been fed by the paid professionals who did their job of sourcing after something small so that they could magnify it for everyone else to see. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the only doubts I had beforehand. This being the uncertain level of acting ability I thought the leading female protagonist, Cara Delavigne would possess in order for me to see her as ‘Agent Laureline’ and globally renowned not a Fashion model. I actually thought she did surprisingly well in comparison to her other major acting role I was underwhelmed by only last year, this being her role as ‘The Enchantress’ in the DC extravaganza that was ‘suicide Squad’. All of the other characters I thought were portrayed successfully by a diverse selection of actors and actresses.
Like ive said numerous times, the visuals of the film were what grabbed my attention and lead my eager curiosity to see what else the film had to hold. After finally seeing it for myself, I wouldn’t be able to name an equally comparable creative universe since the game changing release of Avatar back in 2009. Every aspect of each shot was clearly well-considered and possessed various degrees of development. Both the imaginative locations and the inhabitants that thrived in them each held artistic details that enveloped you into wanting to learn more about them and their world. If it be the peaceful humanoid pearl gathers that occupy a paradise of white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, or the Doghan Daguis translating triplets that hold the information and understanding of over 1,200 alien languages not to mention over 500 computer derived languages.
My favourite sector of ‘ALPHA’, a floating melting pot for over 3000 alien species that only continues to grow would be the lesser visited back streets of Paradise Alley. A bustling venue filled with a nightlife like culture that thrives of the exoticism of street performers, merchants and immigrants. The short time that we visit the Vegas like strip, we are shown the unique abilities of a dancer names Bubble. Played by Rihanna, the spacial immigrant is a prisoner to a club owner who exploits her skills as he hides her from authorities. Through her true to life desperation, she stays until Valerian comes along and with her help he promises to set her free. My favourite scene is when we finally see her metamorphic abilities in play as she dances for the agent whose to transfixed to even sip his complimentary cocktils…that is before its whipped out of her hands by the then cat eared alien before she performers aerial acrobatics. The whole scene is a feast for the eyes as I for one was intrigued to see what her next costume and character would be, from a latex red-haired nurse to a pig tailed school girl she plays with the guilty pleasures and even fetishes of many and even though the film is aimed at a primarily young audience it still possess mature themes that are subtly hidden behind captivating imagery.
I for one could spend hours researching into any species laying home on ALPHA and I hope that Besson follows in the same footsteps as James Cameron who even after Avatar, produced illustrative journals to the other worldly creatures that populate the universe held within both his mind and the big screen. The film overall was a well deserved watch from myself and I hope many others choose to follow their own desire to see it for themselves and not solely the put off impressions provided by critics. As time goes on I will look forward to the opportunity to not only see the film again, but also to learn more about it. I would of course recommend a visit to the world of Bessons imagination as you follow agent Valerian and Laureline across the galaxy on their fast paced adventures.
BRANDON BAILEY 