Valerian Review: 6 Ups & 4 Downs

3. The Plot Is Basically Nonsense

Recounting anything beyond the most basic shell plot to this film is honestly a bit of a headache, because it's so messy, confusing and convoluted that it's hard to figure out how everything actually connects together.

While the film can certainly be enjoyed as a sensory experience with the most cursory understanding that Valerian and Laureline are the good guys trying to help out an alien race, making true head or tail of it is a pretty thankless task and, honestly, not advised.

If you need to read Wikipedia's plot summary after leaving the cinema, don't feel bad. If you came here hoping for a smart, nuanced story (for some reason), you'll probably end up disappointed.