* and 1/2 out of ****
You would think that an action movie starring my sweet ScarJo beating up bad guys can't miss, right? Think again. The movie is over-directed (by Luc Besson) and takes itself far too literally and seriously.
The stupid premise in Lucy is that we humans use only 10% of our brain power…but what if we were able to use more? Scarlett Johansson (in a very good performance) is Lucy, a woman who gets caught up with some really bad people. She is forced into being a drug mule, transporting illegal substances from one country to another. A plastic bag containing a fancy new designer drug is sewn into Lucy's belly and is soon ruptured. The result is that Lucy gets a major high and, by using more and more brain power, she acquires the gifts of sonar and telekinesis. She may even get to 100% brain power, giving her the ability to cross time and space, but first, she has to get revenge on the thugs that did this to her.
This really is one of those movies where all the good action is in the theatrical trailer, so there is no reason to see the whole thing.
Morgan Freeman is on hand to dispense brain power nonsense and not much else. He is basically playing the same role he had earlier this year in the equally terrible Transcendence.
To show that her knowledge is expanding, we get now tired digital shots of cells mutating inside Lucy's body. Besson also thinks it's cute to cut in animal wildlife scenes of predators and prey with scenes of our heroine being lured into the bad guy's lair.
David Cronenberg did this same type of film much better with intelligence and showmanship gore in the low budget Scanners (1981). Lucy is just silly with dull action and tired digital effects. For a movie about brainpower it's pretty dumb.
