Pretentious and Disappointing Combination of Action and Art Films

Rating: 5/10 (12 November 2014)

The American Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is studying in Taiwan and is dating Richard (Pilou Asbæk) that she met at a nightclub. When Richard has a briefcase to deliver to the mysterious Korean Mr. Jang (Min-sik Choi), he tricks Lucy and cuffs her to the briefcase. Lucy has no other option but to meet Mr. Jang, who is a dangerous drug lord that kills Richard. Lucy discovers that the briefcase contains the synthetic drug CPH4 and she is forced to work to Mr. Jang as drug mule with three other men and transport the drug to Europe hidden in their abdomens. However one of her captors kicks her in the abdomen and releases the CPH4 in her body. Soon Lucy enhances her brain capacity and develops her physical and mental capabilities. She uses her abilities to kill the criminals and flees. However her power does not stop increasing and is destroying Lucy that needs to use more CPH4 to stabilize her body. She contacts Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman), who is an authority in brain capacity, and the scientist becomes her hope to save her. But Mr. Jang wants to retrieve his drug and is hunting Lucy down.
"Lucy" is a pretentious and disappointing combination of action and art film. Action movie audiences are very different from art film ones and that is why "Lucy" does not work. The story begins with non-stop and engaging action and Scarlett Johansson is practically unanimity among movie lovers; therefore the beginning is an excellent action movie. Unfortunately there is a twist in the genre and the plot becomes a non- sense and silly rip-off "2001: A Space Odyssey" with Lucy becoming an omnipresent being. In the end, "Lucy" is a mixed unsatisfactory bag of genres that does not please most of the viewers. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "Lucy"