Valerian Review: 6 Ups & 4 Downs

2. The Supporting Cast Is Terrific

Clive Owen Valerian
Lionsgate Pictures

Huge budgets typically invite talented ensemble casts, and Valerian certainly doesn't want for an impressive array of supporting players, even if most of them are used relatively sparingly throughout.

The easy highlights are Ethan Hawke as an eccentric club owner named Jolly the Pimp, and his shape-shifting "entertainer" Bubbles, played in one of the movie's more ludicrously entertaining sequences by Rihanna.

There's also Clive Owen showing up in a theatrically-released movie for the first time in ages as Valerian and Laureline's boss, Rutger Hauer hanging out for a cup of coffee in the opening sequence, and John Goodman and Elizabeth Debicki voicing alien creatures for good measure.

These appearances help spruce the movie up when DeHaan's lack of charm starts to grate, and the only shame is that they're not in the movie more, honestly.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.