Movie Review: Lucy (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again; Luc Besson is like a one-man factory that’s quite adept at cranking out a number of action films every year. He’s an incredibly prolific writer/producer/director, and his latest effort behind the camera, Lucy, could be one of his better films in recent years. Starring Scarlett Johansson as the titular badass, it’s a fun and energetic sci-fi/action film, even if it often takes itself a bit more seriously than it should.
The plot revolves around Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), a young, attractive woman who suddenly finds herself taken hostage by a gang of Korean mobsters. She’s then forced to act as a drug mule by literally having a bag of super-drugs sown inside her. But when that bag of drugs begins to leak into her system, Lucy gains the ability to unlock her brain’s full potential, essentially becoming an all-powerful being who can control anything and everything. What does she do with that power? She seeks revenge, of course.
Lucy is definitely plenty of fun. It’s the movie Transcendence should have been. Throw in some elements from Limitless as well as Besson’s knack for creating likable and believable protagonists (think Taken), and you definitely have a recipe for success. Scarlett Johansson has really grown into a kick-ass action star, and her sudden transformation into an omnipotent badass was easy for me to buy.
The main problem with the flick, however, is that Lucy becomes way too powerful. As she unlocks more of her brain capacity, she basically becomes unbeatable, which robs the film of any real suspense. While it’s great to watch her levitate Korean gangsters with her mind, you also don’t feel like anything’s at stake. The more powerful she gets, the less interesting it gets.
Luc Besson does a sold job with the direction, although the film does try to overreach with its theories on life and time. They’re mostly harmless, but add very little to the film in terms of dramatic punch, and come off as a bit amateurish. I also found some visual choices to be a tad weird and out of place, particularly when Lucy hooks herself up to the internet. In terms of supporting performances, Morgan Freeman basically plays himself and earns another freckle for explaining the science behind what’s happening to Lucy. Oldboy’s Mink-sik Choi plays the man responsible for Lucy’s woes, Mr. Jang, but isn’t given all that much to do, although he does shine in the film’s opening 20 minutes.
The Verdict:
Lucy is held back by it’s slightly misplaced ambitions, but still manages to entertain if you forgo logic and go along for the ride. It could have been better, but works nonetheless.
Numerical Score: 6.5/10
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