This paper explores the visual storytelling, world-building, and cultural reception of Luc Besson’s 2017 space opera, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
Ultimately, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a testament to independent filmmaking on a massive scale. As the most expensive European and non-American independent film ever made, it represents a bold risk that prioritized artistic vision over safe, formulaic storytelling. Whether you watch it for the groundbreaking CGI, the imaginative creature designs, or the sheer scale of the adventure, it remains a landmark achievement in the science fiction genre.
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Planet Mül & The Pearls: A peaceful ocean world inhabited by the low-tech "Pearls." It was accidentally destroyed 30 years prior during a space war between humans and another race.
Bowie’s Elegy David Bowie’s haunting, melancholic track is not an arbitrary choice. "Space Oddity" is a song about isolation ("Can you hear me, Major Tom?"), yet Besson repurposes it as an anthem of connection. As the station grows, Major Tom’s lonely fate contrasts with Alpha’s crowded harmony. It suggests that the tragedy of our early space age was isolation, and the triumph of the future is symbiosis. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...
The Casting Conundrum: Where the Cracks Show
No article discussing Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets can ignore the elephant in the room. Critics and audiences widely noted that leads Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne lacked romantic chemistry. The characters in the comics are a married couple, equal partners in wit and combat. On screen, DeHaan’s Valerian comes off as a cocky teenager trying to impress an older sister (Delevingne). Pure worldbuilding on a grand scale
This article dives deep into the making, the universe, the triumphs, and the shortcomings of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, exploring why it remains a cult classic in waiting.