The plot stumbles along, but the movie’s sheer spectacle and chemistry of its cast and their badinage makes Valerian a necessary summer watch.

Fans of 3D-films, kids and teenagers are going to love Valerian and adults too will enjoy the film if they keep their expectations low, approaching it just as a stress-free visual entertainer.

Like The Fifth Element, this movie is quite likely garner a devout cult following a few years down the line, but unlike the former, it lacks a Korben or a Leeloo who were instrumental in keeping the audiences coming back for more.

While Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is visually stunning, but that is not enough to keep the viewer hooked on to it. Infants who stare at cartoon programs on TV even when you put the television on mute might enjoy watching this.

The set piece of the opening act, an inter-dimensional bazar known as Big Market are a few scenes that show the potential power of Besson’s transporting vision. But they all feel like manic decorations meant to stimulate and distract from the glaring deficiencies of the characters and the story.

Besson’s intention was no doubt to give you an immersive VR like experience, but the campiness and clinical, soulless execution makes you feel like you’re watching someone else play a video game that has pretty cut scenes but no challenging gameplay.

Apart from the two leads, played by DeHaan and Delevingne, the film doesn’t do any justice to any of its other actors. Be it Owen, reduced to the kind of showy military uniform that never comes to any good or a kohl-eyed Hawke, who will hopefully return if this film spawns into a series.

Luc Besson’s new film is one of those legendary box office bombs – the sort of film that’s written about for years to come, and spoken about only in hushed tones.

The visual sugar-high never killed anyone, and as far as escapist blockbusters go, Valerian and The City of A Thousand Planets is as imaginative and spectacular as they come. Just keep your mind switched off and put your 3D glasses on.