Parents' Guide to

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Silly but exuberant sci-fi adventure has fantasy violence.

Movie PG-13 2017 137 minutes
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Sarah K.
Sarah K. Adult
March 26, 2018
age 18+

Not appropriate for young children

The visuals were stunning and it was very well done... (barring some very shallow treatments of death and killing, as well as very old world, objectification of women). I would have really enjoyed the many positive aspects of this film, IF I had watched it without my children. Fortunately, I was able to block several shots but we did not completely escape some young adult content and adult scenes much to my deep and utter disappointment. The icing on the cake was that the ending had strong references to sex. So, after watching over a full hour of the story, we had to skip the ending! There was also a reference to gore... that I can't even document... I wanted to be sick and I am crushed that we cannot unsee that scene. There was some talk about life being painful, and death not. (Not a great message if you have vulnerable teens!) I was so mad about this film not being rated appropriately that I created an account with Common Sense Media just so I could warn other parents. Don't waste your time. What 16-18 year old wants to watch a movie like this with their parents? This is not a family movie by any stretch of the imagination. You might consider saving this movie for after the kids go off to college!

This title has:

Too much sex
2 people found this helpful.
fresnogamer
fresnogamer Parent of 1, 10 and 12-year-old
September 2, 2017
age 16+

Stripper Pole Okay For 11+?!?!?!

Really CSM? 11+ for a movie containing a stipper dance?!?! Nuff said I guess.
2 people found this helpful.
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS, it's the 28th century, and agent Valerian (Dane DeHaan) has a strange vision about an alien race. He and his intrepid partner, Laureline (Cara Delevingne), are sent on a mission to a huge, interdimensional black market to retrieve a miraculous little creature that can multiply matter with its body. Then, returning to Alpha (an interconnected series of ships populated by thousands of races, aka "the city of a thousand planets"), the heroes discover that it's under attack, with a strange radioactive zone spreading from its core. Eventually, Valerian and Laureline discover that there's a connection between Valerian's vision and the threat. Worse, they discover that there's a huge cover-up -- and it goes all the way to the top.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21):
Kids say (21):

Expensive and impressively, colorfully designed, this sci-fi/action movie is frequently silly and not always very smart, but it has a joyous exuberance and a sheer, dizzy love of the genre. Written and directed by Luc Besson and based on French comics by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets feels directly inspired by Star Wars, as if it were riding a wave of enthusiasm spurred by that film's 1977 release. It's an homage that might have been conceived by Roger Corman, by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus at Cannon Films, or even by a kid in the backyard. The only differences are that it has a $200 million budget, and it's way, way too long.

Some of the movie's images -- such as an immense marketplace in an alternate dimension, or the complex structure of Alpha itself -- are absolutely breathtaking. And Besson's action and chase sequences are bright and snappy, with touches of swaggering humor (helped by Alexandre Desplat's full-blooded, jaunty score). Model-turned-actress Delevingne isn't a great thespian, but her presence has a Barbarella/Galaxina quality, with a bit of Bond girl thrown in. Meanwhile, while DeHaan is fine in introspective indies, he doesn't seem quite right as a Han Solo space-cowboy type. But most quibbles of this kind are easily forgiven, thanks to the movie's overall cheery spirit and positive vibe.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets's violence. Does the fact that it's largely bloodless -- and that it uses futuristic technology -- make it less intense? Why or why not? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Did you notice any examples of kindness, sharing, and helping others in the movie? Do you think the movie promotes compassion?

  • Who are the movie's heroes? What makes them heroes? Are Valerian and Laureline role models? How do they demonstrate courage? Teamwork?

  • Laureline frequently challenges her position as Valerian's sidekick. Do you agree with her? How would you describe her role? How does she compare to other female characters you've seen in sci-fi/adventure movies?

  • How does science fiction help tell stories about who we are and what's going on now?

Movie Details

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