10s Movie Review - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Director: Luc Besson
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevigne, Clive Own, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Sam Spruell, Kris Wu, Herbie Hancock, Rutger Hauer

Description: A dark force threathens, Aplha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operative Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevigne)  must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 48: A MOVIE SET IN SPACE

Review: “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”: a spectacular yet chaotic film, with ugly computer-generated aliens and a wooden love plot.
The stories about the intergalactic secret agent Valerian find their origin in a series of French comic strips released in the mid-1960s. Director Luc Besson must have been a big fan of the books, he tried to bring the phenomenon to the screen. Hoping for the new “Star Wars”. Well, that didn’t happen…
When it comes to visuals of the world of Valerian, it’s really good. It’s just such a shame that it has to have a screenplay attached to it. Because almost everything that can go wrong, goes wrong.
There is hardly a story. An artifact of an extinct civilization pops up and several parties want their share of it. The survivors of the race want to rebuilt their cultire, one group of people wants to investigate it and yet another group has nefarious plans to do so. Main characters Valerian and Laureline are of course the second group, that wants to make sure that the best possible solution is chosen.
So simple, but that’s not a problem when then background is a bit interesting and you are invested in the characters. But none of that is present. The two actors, Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne, miss every spark of charisma. DeHaan doesn’t come across as the rough space adventurer he has to portray. Instead, he feels more like a Keanu Reeves impersonator that completely misses the point. Delevigne is not much better. The love story is wooden and the dialogues are sometimes cringeworthy.
The list of error the film has is endless. Because despite the visual beauty, the context is missing. It’s messy, chaotic and it lacks interesting characters. “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” doesn’t even come close to being the new “Star Wars”.

Rating: 1, 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 55: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Director: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Genre: Action/ Fantasy/ Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 82 minutes
Year: 1992
Starring: Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry, Hilary Swank, David Arquette, Stephen Root, Thomas Jane, Ben Affleck, Seth Green

Description: A flighty teenage girl (Kristy Swanson) learns that she is her generation's destined battler of vampires.

Review: I think more people saw the TV show than the film, but this is definitely a fun watch. It’s not as spectacular and dark as the series, because it focuses more on the comedy than the horror. But still very watchable and entertaining.
Kristy Swanson plays Buffy and Luke Perry is her love interest. Donald Sutherland plays Merrick, not very spectacular though. Rutger Hauer is the villain but doesn’t get a lot of screen time. Paul Ruebes, aka Pee Wee Herman, plays the villains sidekick. His death scene is hilarious by the way.
For horror fans this might not be satisfactory, but if you like the comedic kind with a low budget and no special effects, you will be happy. This story sounded ridiculous when it first came out, but eventually it got millions of fans because of the TV show.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 116: The Hitcher

Director: Robert Harmon
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn

Description: A young man (C. Thomas Howell) who escaped the clutches of a murderous hitchhike (Rutger Hauer)r is subsequently stalked, framed for the hitcher's crimes, and has his life made into hell by the same man he escaped.

Review: He should have listened to his mother. Jim says it: “My mother told me never to do this”, when he picks up a hitchhiker. The hitcher acts weird and eventually Jim gets him out of his car. But the nightmare is just about to start for him.
The action and tension in the film are its strongest features. The pace is high and you’re constantly on the edge of your seat. Kills, collisions, shoot outs, explosions. But the constant threat is there as well and you feel it.
The identity of the hitcher stays mysterious and you don’t now his motive either. This adds to the tension and suspense of the film. My fellow Dutchman Rutger Hauer plays one of his best roles in “The Hitcher”.
Although the film is so action packed and thrilling, the believability of the film is questionable. And some developments raise questions as well. But this doesn’t bother you that much, because it’s a very strong thriller.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 73: Blade Runner

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 1982

Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Darryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos

Description: In a cyberpunk vision of the future, man has developed the technology to create replicants, human clones used to serve in the colonies outside Earth but with fixed lifespans. In Los Angeles, 2019, Deckard (Harrison Ford)is a Blade Runner, a cop who specializes in terminating replicants. Originally in retirement, he is forced to re-enter the force when four replicants escape from an off-world colony to Earth.

Review: The plot for “Blade Runner” seems simple, but due to the development is a pleasure to watch. Who expects just science fiction is wrong. There is more than meets the eye.

The first thing you notice is the great special effects, especially when you realize this dates from 1982. Director Ridley Scott managed to present a futuristic Los Angeles. This is a good example of a classic dystopian world, which is very popular nowadays. Because of the great visuals and the music by Vangelis, “Blade Runner” reaches an iconic status.

The movie has the right pacing. It isn’t very fast, but every minute the story unravels. There is also a good balance between action sequences and more dramatic moments.

This is science fiction at its best, very close to perfection. Sadly nowadays they don’t make them like this anymore.

Rating: 4 / 5