What if you were kidnapped by a group of suited men with guns and had a powerful and valuable drug surgically implanted in your stomach? And what if this led to you becoming the most intelligent person in the history of the world? I’m not sure mankind would be ready for it, something Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman could attest to, since he uses that line, yet again, this time as a professor of Neuroscience, in “Lucy”. And the “drug problem” is exactly what happens to Scarlett Johansson, who plays the title character in this latest sci-fi action thriller from writer/director Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”).
Once Lucy realizes that the CPH4 leaking from the bag is messing with her brain and bodily functions, she gets it removed. But not before her brain power expands from about 10% (the current maximum for humans) to more than 20%, the equal of dolphins, according Freeman’s Dr. Norman. And that’s just the start. Meantime, the drug smugglers are out to find Lucy and get their drugs back, while she’s out for revenge, more drugs (to feed her new, unique habit) and to share her new-found discoveries with the professor.
“Lucy” begins very slowly. The set-up, in which Lucy and a former boyfriend
contemplate which of them will deliver a briefcase to a man in a hotel,
is painful to watch as it drags on way too long. Besson must have given the movie’s editor the day off when they were cutting the first 10 minutes. And things
don’t get much better with Johansson’s over-the-top scenes that lead to the implanting of the drugs. But once the CPH4 kicks-in, so does the actress’ performance and the film. Johansson as a ruthless, emotionless killing machine works quite nicely. A car chase through the streets of Paris is
the most genuinely entertaining sequence in the entire movie.
Besson takes some risks with “Lucy”, the first being the actual concept, which expands into theories on evolution, human existence and the future of the species. He gets very creative with imagery, using cut-away videos of animals in nature, outer space and microscopic findings. There are touches of “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “The Matrix”, “Inception”, and in one particular section, a montage right out of “The Tree of Life” (but it makes much more sense here). A few of the theories will be easy for audiences to accept. The rest, including speeches on why we were created and our ultimate destiny, is no more than sci-fi movie mumbo-jumbo.
The biggest problem with “Lucy” is that with all the crazy concepts and Lucy’s wild antics, there are no true surprises. “Lucy” is too straightforward, with
hardly any pulse-raising moments or emotional highs. The climax seems very rushed and the pay-off is forced and a little hokey. Johansson and Freeman are together for only two extended scenes, in yet another “extended cameo” performance for the veteran actor. This is a rare starring role for Johansson. Unfortunately the role limits her opportunities to show she can truly dominate a film.
“Lucy” is rated R for some strong action/violence. It’s appropriate for teens and up. The premise makes it intriguing enough to keep your interest, but in the end, it’s not nearly as satisfying, memorable or groundbreaking as Besson intended it to be.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Lucy” gets a C.