Lucy, 2014.
Directed by Luc Besson.
Starring Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Analeigh Tipton, Amr Waked, Choi Min-sik and Pilou Asbæk.
SYNOPSIS:
When forced to partake in a drug-dealing operation across countries, student Lucy is harassed and beaten, only to have the drugs seep into her system. Chased by cops and gangsters, Lucy begins to use the deepest, darkest parts of the brain to escape and control the world around herself.
Fast paced is a quote that studios will often attach in their marketing for one of their big summer movies. Lucy is fast paced but this is definitely to its own detriment, with it often stumbling over its plot points, with limited action and seemingly even less thought process.
Lucy starts clouded in mystery. The titular character of Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is quickly captured by a Korean gang and coerced into becoming a mule for a new drug, having it planted in her stomach. The film starts fast in a way an audience wants it too, with action and the promise of excitement. We get a brief look at Morgan Freeman talking about the brain at a lecture, giving the film credit because, you know hey it’s Morgan Freeman!
Once Lucy’s drug bag breaks inside her and her body begins to ingest the substance she becomes very quickly super-powered. Her brain is functioning at a higher level giving her new abilities and this is where the film starts to fall apart, stumbling all the way to the finish. Whilst definitely a concept I could easily get behind in terms of unlocking the brains potential the plot almost immediately loses where it’s going and I could never quite work out what it was after this.
Is it trying to convey a philosophical message? Is it about the gangsters trying to get the drugs back? We’ve seen Lucy become a near immortal, shrugging off pain and fully controlling other people, thus rendering all threat in the movie gone. The idea of her failing is now laughable. Is it about her surviving this drug induced cellular climb to fully unlocking the brain? I don’t know and I don’t know if this film does either. Maybe I wasn’t accessing enough of my brain to understand.
The film does use some good effects to show the rapidly rising powers that she is gaining, with radio frequencies, people and computers all used well. There’s a car chase in Paris that is executed brilliantly with some other smaller action sequences that look ok.
Lucy’s biggest crime is marginalizing the talents of its leading lady. Scarlet Johansson starts off looking an emotional wreck, wrought with fear. A phone call to her mother is the last time we see any true emotion from her which is a shame. She becomes a robot and because of her higher knowledge she apparently has a goal we can’t understand, above us mere mortals in the audience. After the emotional performance she gave in Her and even as Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier I felt short changed. The supporting cast is fleeting and unmemorable.
This film’s most redeeming quality was its short run time of around 90 minutes. Perhaps if it was longer it wouldn’t have felt as rushed, with its plot made clearer and more time to develop Lucy’s character. However it could have just led to it sputtering out and still falling flat on its face.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ / Movie ★ ★
Matt Spencer-Skeen
Originally published August 23, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
