A fascinating thriller whose style overcomes its shortcomings

Rating: 4/10 (17 November 2014)

Lucy was one of those films that I really wanted to see during its initial run but kept missing and putting off until it was gone from theatres. Finally I got the opportunity to see it and I'm happy to report that the anticipation did not ruin the film. It was an interesting thriller with plenty of action and it wasn't until long after the film was over I started to think about how ridiculously implausible the entire concept was and yet while the movie was on I never thought twice about it. The story and ideas and visual effects were good enough to make me believe everything it was giving me. I have always been a fan of Luc Besson films and this is no exception though I don't think it has quite the depth or intensity of some of his other work. I think the concept is excellent but the delivery might be just a little bit rushed and perhaps too much is covered in just one film. Still, for a straight up action flick it was worthwhile! My biggest beef with the film was towards the end when really the intensity should be at an all time high it felt like they struggled with ideas to continue the story. When they wrap it up you're left with more questions than answers and a bit of a feeling of being ripped off too.
Scarlett Johansson is a mixed bag for a lot of people. She has done a lot of great films and this was a really good role for her. She spends most of her time as the super-being Lucy but she quickly makes you understand she is just an ordinary girl before it all happens to her. She makes the role believable and she plays it very well. Who can ever say anything bad about Morgan Freeman? The instant this guy joins a cast he adds credit to a film. Its because no matter how big or small the role he plays it well and has incredible charisma on screen. His role is fairly small in the film and I wanted to know more about him but he still was a welcome addition and his scenes opposite Johansson were particularly good. One of the most underused characters in the film and such a typical Luc Besson character (and I mean that in a good way!) is Amr Waked, the French cop who becomes Lucy's unwilling partner. He gives a solid performance in a few small scenes and he's completely underused. I could have watched a whole film with just him and Lucy but there is too much story here. Min-sik Choi is decent as the cold hearted brutal villain but he doesn't get a lot of screen time either.
I guess I just enjoyed Lucy purely for its style. It is lacking in a few key areas and they could have made this really something. But you cannot deny Besson's style and as always his car chase scene was expertly crafted and just different enough to make sure it didn't feel like you had seen it before. He loves action and he loves a story that is just a little bit improbable. At first I didn't understand the "artistic" flare of showing predatory animals or flashes of nature but the idea is to make you understand human emotions before watching a human being unlock 100% of their being. To say their brain doesn't really help with their improbable concept. Lucy taps into psychic abilities, mental abilities, physical abilities and spiritual abilities. However, because there is so much there to cover you're left having to fill in a lot of blanks. Still Lucy is fun to watch and while it likely won't stick with you long, it was entertaining enough for the time. 8/10