Lucy (2014)
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlet Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Sik-min, Amr Waked
Primary genre: Science fiction
Secondary genre: Action
“Lucy” bears all the expected characteristics of a Luc Besson production: guns, a gorgeous and strong protagonist, climactic shoutouts, stylish action scenes, a great cast and a few philosophical springles enough to tease the brain but not enough to challenge it. Dissecting the debunk case of how humans can unlock their brains’ full capability, “Lucy” takes this idea and runs with it becoming a laughable film amidst scientific cinephiles and art house junkies. This is not the Luc Besson of “The Big Blue” (1988), “Nikita” (1990) or “Leon” (1994). It is “The Fifth Element” (1997) cranked up to 11 within the world of neurons.
“Ignorance brings chaos, not knowledge”
The French auteur is using a pseudo scientific concept to justify bonkers sequences and a briskly pace, occasionally stopping to have Johansson’s charismatic heroine sprouting verbal nonsense in autistic fashion. If you are smart, you have no tact! While the main premise could set up a promising melee between Lucy and the evil drug traffickers, the script introduces several superpowers which strip away the dramatic stakes. The final confrontation is being used to add some entertaining value to an anemic plot lacking urgency or suspense. Lucy is a god and nothing can stop her driving this European production off a cinematic cliff. You will be hard pressed to find someone not laughing their guts off at the sheer absurdity of it all.
Besson attempts to present an interesting case about the current state of human nature in a world absorbed by consumption and the loss of identity through a sea of evolving materialism and questionable morality. Be that as it may, the shenanigans are widely inconsistent - Lucy’s powers range from becoming telekinesis to matter manipulation (!). Some of these have a few seconds of screentime and are never seen again generating the question of why bother in the first place?
Yet, like any Besson flick, “Lucy” has its merits. It is well made, Eric Serra’s soundtrack is on fire and it boasts a central performance by Johansson who slips comfortably in action oriented roles. Moving the action to Paris is just an excuse for the Frenchman to showcase his city with lots of Peugeot and to convince movie goers that Parisians are actually polite (clue, they are not). At the same time, he wastes his capable cast who are there to collect a lovely European paycheck and the villains are practically non existent (truly a wasted Choi Sik-min).
Diving too much into what makes “Lucy” a film is like eating ice cream in summer in 50 degrees. It’s a waste of time. What you can do though is embrace its entertaining value. Armed with a sufficient amount of stupidity, an appealing lead and wacky visuals, its momentum offers old school escapism. You don’t have to unlock your brain to do such a thing.
Ridiculous French actioner
+Johansson
+Wacky visuals
+Serra’s soundtrack
+Interesting ideas and themes
+Brisk pace
-Finale is utterly ridiculous
-No dramatic stakes
-Pseudo science