Lucy
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi
Director: Luc Besson
A woman is tricked into being part of a shady deal that ultimately leads her to being forced to act as a drug mule for an illicit new drug. When the drug leaks into her body it unlocks her mental capacity allowing her to utilize more than the standard 10% as more of her brain is unlocked more powers are unlocked including her ability to manipulate objects, people and time. With her newfound abilities Lucy is able to turn the tables on the druglord who put her in this situation.
What looks to be Director Luc Bessons action spin take on the Bradley Cooper vehicle Limitless, Is rather a tepid and mind scratchingly odd spin where Besson has a Terrence Malick moment. If you were internally begging for the action version of Tree of Life well your prayers have been answered.
What is a great if not unoriginal premise, the powerful drug that unleashes the power of the human mind; is squandered with unnecessary commentary on the history of human kind, and artsy footage added in to emphasize a point. When Lucy is being surrounded by some henchman we cut back and forth between footage of a Cheetah circling a gazelle. It’s something I would expect from a bad student film, Not Besson.
While Besson is known for strong female characters Johansson’s Lucy is woman who for almost the entire run time is devoid of any emotion leaving very little to connect with (Lucy is a monotone Black Widow with more powers and less personality). We see Lucy able to comprehend knowledge at an astounding speed to the point of being able to work two computers faster than a computer is technically even capable of working. The further Lucy disconnects from society the further the audience in turn disconnects from her.
While I enjoy the concept, the plot is razor thin and nonsensical. At one point Lucy kills everyone in a hotel room yet leaves Mr. Jang (The great Min-sik Choi) the man who caused the drugs to be inside her alive, why? One can only assume so they can meet again later of course. Some people live many people die and Lucy just randomly picks who it will happen to. At one point she is able to just make everyone in a room but one police officer fall to the ground unconscious though later she floats some henchman to the ceiling. It’s random like a little girl playing with a new toy.
We get Morgan Freeman playing the same old wise Morgan Freeman character Professor Norman, Lucy reaches out to him due to his rudimentary theories on the human brain. Suddenly she is set to meet him to help record all the knowledge she has gained. For someone who is instantly the smartest person in the world there is little reason for her to reach out to Norman who has little to offer her.
It’s disjointed, incoherent and not very good.
Grade -63
