Lucy (15)

Directed by Luc Besson
Starring Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi

Bonkers but hugely entertaining thriller from Luc Besson that sees Scarlett Johansson enhance her action girl status as the titular Lucy, whose brain power is hugely boosted after being forced into being a drug mule by a thuggish Asian drug lord. The experimental drugs sewn into her abdomen get into her blood stream and instead of killing her, the overdose makes her brain start working at unprecedented levels. Before you know it she is a super human, meeting up with brain scientist Morgan Freeman while avoiding those pesky Asian thugs seeking to retrieve their drugs. We get a fabulous car chase through Paris, some freaky mind controlling violence and an extremely bizarre transcendental ending that almost blows it.
The film is a very brisk 89 minutes (how rare for a film to be a bit too short rather than a bit too long these days) and the science behind it is total bunkum, but it is a wild ride and very entertaining, Freeman is always an authoritative voice you can believe in. Johansson doesn't really have to do too much emoting as the super-powered but emotionless Lucy, but is becoming a familiar presence as a woman not to be messed with. Great to see Kasper Jul pop up - actor Pilou Asbæk from fab Danish TV show Borgen!
Besson does stylish action with a strong female lead well. It is also such a relief to see an original movie - not a sequel, remake or comic book film!
8/10

September 2014


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