An 'amazing story' for today

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2017)

Confession time first – I was initially drawn to this movie because it stars Scarlett Johansson, a favourite screen actor of mine who by this time had become enough of a 'star' to help a movie into the listings even (perhaps especially) though the script may be a little outside the usual Hollywood fayre. This movie may be a case in point, the story of a girl who accidentally ingests a dose of drugs which cause her to bring into use the full power of her brain beyond the 'ten percent' of it which we normally call on.
It's worth remembering that this movie is a work of fiction, based very loosely if at all on any real science, rather than a documentary, something which director Luc Besson has himself pointed out in at least one interview. But while it's not something you'd quote in a science paper, this movie is a great piece of entertainment whose pace and increasing scale make for a great adventure.
Scarlett Johansson is found again in the kind of role which she plays so well, that of the bemused 'outsider' who doesn't initially understand what's going on around – or in this case, inside - her. Her journey from this state to one of awareness and growing command of her increasing power gives the film a very strong narrative drive.
During one sequence, the title of one of the old pulp sci-fi magazines, 'Amazing Stories', came to mind. 'Lucy' is truly an 'amazing story' for our day, based very loosely (if at all) on actual science, but if taken in that spirit – as a 'scientific thriller', perhaps - it makes for great entertainment, and is well worth seeing.