Movie Review: Lucy

Director: Luc Besson

Cast: Scarlet Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi and Amr Waked


If you thought Luc Besson could only make stylish action vehicles, think again. With Lucy he defies his usual generic urges and gives us a sci-fi comment on metaphysical possibilities. But unfortunately the artiste can only be as good as his imagination. And it’s here that the film has to draw its limits. Besson’s all too familiar passion with Paris, with police, with car chases and with gangsters comes to the fore. It’s perhaps the familiarity that overshadows the newness of what Besson is trying to portray about life and faith. Its novel that he tries to delve into recesses of the way the human mind behaves. How many times does an action oriented sci-fi film actually transcend into the intelligent realm? As rare as it might be, Lucy gets there but not quite.

Morgan Freeman is a scientist propounding theories about the advanced functionality of the human brain. Ordinarily it’s believed humans use 10 per cent or less of their brain capacity. Had we been able to use more, the canvas or possibilities of what we could do in our world could stretch beyond comprehension. Its classic sci-fi stuff. Something that Neil Burger’s Limitless explored back in 2011. But with Lucy, Besson tries to angle the same premise into a more provocative subject. Scarlett Johansson’s character goes from stereotypical blonde to Stephen Hawking smart in a matter of hours. The mob develops a synthetic drug based on a hormone called CPH4. They cut open Lucy’s stomach and fill it with a packet, which she may smuggle into another country as a drug mule. Funnily enough a similar plot was seen in a few films from South India. Nonetheless, the packet bursts and sets into motion a genetic mutation that beings Lucy on par with Neo from The Matrix, minus the ability for flight but with the ability to time travel.

Interestingly, Besson uses stock footage of wild animals, natural phenomena and general documentary material to elucidate the metaphors he’s trying to portray through his story. It is a decent effort at increasing the intelligence of the film. But then it’s a gimmick. It’s a fancy trick that makes the movie more engaging than your average car chase, fist fight, good versus bad feature. As for the trademark action, if you’ve seen the trailer of the film, there won’t be anything more in the film. Low on action, high on emotion, very high on philosophy, Lucy seems to have come from a far more pensive Besson than usual.

End of the day, all critique becomes redundant when the film manages to entertain you. But it’s here that Lucy finds its Achilles’ heel. It intrigues you for a while, but then like any illusion you’re brain kicks into 10 per cent and looks through the con.