Review: Scarlett Johansson and Luc Besson take us for a wild ride in 'Lucy'

Alyssa Audrey Taylor ‘17 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Lucy is a movie with an interesting (and done before) premise: what happens if we can unlock the full usage of our brains? The concept of us only using 10% of our brains has been proven to be myth, but the film ignores that and uses the concept to drive the film along. The movie has stunning imagery (a requirement for French filmmaker Luc Besson) and solid acting from Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, as well as the rest of the cast.
Lucy is an American student in Taiwan, who has been dating a guy who forces her to bring a mysterious locked briefcase to the drug lord Mr. Keng. This sets her off on the path of being a drug mule of a synthesized version of CPH4, a compound normally found in pregnant women. There are 3 other drug mules, who are on their way to deliver the drugs in different countries. Along Lucy’s journey, the bag starts to leak into her bloodstream turning her from a normal woman to an omnipotent being. The CPH4, while increasing her usage of her brain, is also limiting her time on Earth (somehow she’s acutely aware of the fact that she is overloading and going to die). She decides to hunt for the other bags of CPH4, because she needs them and they’ll be a danger to mankind.

Along the way, there’s lots of action, from typical Besson shoot-em-up scenes to Lucy levitating people and objects. She recruits the help of a French police officer (Amr Waked) and a professor (Freeman) who specializes in the the topic of brain usage to help her with all the knowledge she has as well as getting the bags. She is able to do a wide range of things from understanding different languages instantly to seeing streams of data in the air. The film becomes less believable and silly as time goes on, but it’s fun because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Towards the end it starts to get a little drawn out and tedious, but it isn’t too bothersome. There are lots of funny moments in the movie, some intentional and some not, but it’s entertaining all the way.
Lucy is a movie with a lot of thrills, good action scenes and great cast. It isn’t the most believable movie when it comes to science, but if you cast that aside you’ll be able to enjoy it in all it’s glory. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and neither should you. Lucy is a hero that you immediately root for, from opening to close. The movie is a fun action movie with an interesting premise that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.
Overall Grade: B+

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