Superhuman

Rating: 9/10 (23 August 2014)

Lucy takes the old adage that humans only use 10% of their brains (dolphins use 20% apparently) and runs with it. In fact, under Luc Besson's direction, it runs surprisingly far, and the end product is almost something of a new genre of bio-thriller and is, by my reckoning, at least 20 times more exciting than say the latest Captain America instalment, if only for its emotional reality. I was particularly awed not just by the action scenes but by moments such as Lucy's phone call to her mother, just before she becomes overwhelmed by her new skills.
On the downside, the film seems to reference and even pay homage to, lots of other films, most notably 2001 A Space Odyssey and seems, at times, very similar to Scarlett Johansson's last film, Under the Skin and Besson's The Fifth Element. There are some nice touches and many very violent moments. It seems you can get away with lots of blood and retain a 15 certificate as long as there's no nudity. The furthest Lucy goes romantically is a chaste kiss with a police officer. The violence and drug abuse is fairly graphic but is reminiscent of Pulp Fiction in its wit and style. Everyone acts their socks off and I laughed, cried (almost) and gaped at the action. A lot of the film is derivative and the science is sometimes shaky but there is also a lot of stuff to enjoy in a movie which manages to meld English, French and Hong Kong sensibilities.