Besson evolves

Rating: 9/10 (29 July 2014)

I'm a big fan of Luc Besson as a writer-director ("Leon", "The Fifth Element", "Angel-A", "La Femme Nikita") and he normally restricts himself to action with a good dose of violence, and only the occasional philosophical hints. In his best films, the focus is often on a young woman who is aided by an older man, and he is true to his methods in this film, although he adds a significant layer of philosophy and epistemology. Some may find this distracting, and for some it may be above their comprehension, but for me it was marvelous, to the point where I actually could have used fewer car chases and a little less violence.
Here is an intelligent script with wonderful photography and music, and a sly use of canned footage that will amuse you. Morgan Freeman is his usual awesome self, and Min-sik Choi ("Old Boy") is appropriately menacing.
Go see this film, but don't expect the normal Besson film. That's good. Perhaps Besson is evolving just as Lucy evolves.