Lucy

Cert (UK): 15

Runtime: 90 Mins

Director: Luc Besson

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

Rating: ****

Ever wondered what it would be like to access more then ten percent of your brain? Well, watching Lucy will give you more then enough information. Lucy is an overly intelligent film which provides a blend of philosophy and scientific theory, making the film become uneven. The film is being promoted as a Sci-Fi action movie, when in reality the action is limited as Director Luc Besson uses only a few stylized action beats which do not deliver as much impact as they should do.

The film begins with Lucy being persuaded by her boyfriend into taking a suitcase which holds a valuable synthetic drug CPH4 to drug lord Mr Jang (Choi Min-sik), who further uses her as a drug mule. During her brief captivity Lucy is kicked in the stomach which releases a large quantity of the drug into her system, causing her to gain access to one hundred percent of her brain. Besson takes us through her transformation, through imagery and information provided by Professor Samuel Norman (Morgan Freeman).

Titular character Lucy is played by Scarlett Johansson (Avengers, Captain America), who takes on the action role admirably. Using her strong dominant traits from her role as Black Widow, Johansson portrays a strong yet vulnerable woman, as she maintains sympathy for Lucy although the character begins to lose emotion and become detached from the audience. However Besson does under use Johansson's action skills which leaves a slight hole within her character.

The supporting cast does little to supplement Lucy, as the audience will find it hard to relate or feel empathy for them. Morgan Freeman (A Dark Knight, The Shawshank Redemption), is pleasing as Professor Samuel Norman, however he only seems to be used to provide information and explain the basis of the movie.  He might as well have been a narrator, as his character was disappointingly underdeveloped. Amr Waked almost comes across as unnecessary since he has no real premise, and his dedication to protecting Lucy as soon as he meets her was both cringing and random. Choi Min-Sik, plays the villain, although his introduction to the film was not a forgettable one, his role as a whole was weak becoming almost faceless along with his henchmen.

Reactions to the movie may vary, as Lucy can be seen to be aimed at a specific audience. If you are a film lover, who relishes in the art of film making, analysing and exploring the director's concept, you will enjoy the intelligent and playfulness of Besson's decisions. However if you are more of a casual film goer who just wants to enjoy the entertainment value of a good film, the eccentric avant garde approach may seem overused, bordering on unrealistic through the CGI. Nevertheless, the concept of the film is captured magnificently through Besson as he makes science come to life.

Overall Lucy is a intelligent, forward thinking film with a great premise which has been brought to life through fantastic visuals. However the scientific knowledge overpowers a the plot which could have been developed further along with the characters who were underused, and due to this may disappoint regular movie-goers who won't recognise Besson's film making decisions as art.

Written By Harley Gower

(Lucy will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 12th January 2015).