Lucy

How could a movie that tries to feed the audience such outrageous theories attempt to look so serious? And what was Luc Besson smoking when he wrote this? Scarlett Johansson made my eyes happy, but my brain got the medieval treatment. (10/27/2014)

It if was the 90's / Morgan Freeman speaking all the monologues after inhaling helium, I would give it 100%; but in this form, I value it mainly as a very amusing loss of judgment. Not everyone can do it with such commitment and dynamics as Besson (the chase in Paris!). I get the feeling that this is what the movie version of the Ass that pissed would look like. Unfortunately / Thank god that at a time when blockbusters are figuring out how to best employ 10% of your brain, the Frenchman's uncontrolled swelling in the remaining ninety is rather a nice bit of bizarreness. BTW, Choi is sick and Scarlett tries quite playfully to play even the stupidest scenes, such as a drug-filled, sensitive phone call to her mother. I'm not actually mad at Lucy at all, because once in a while you need to flush out your synapses with someone else's madness... [50-70%] (07/29/2014)

When you expect the female version of Taken and you get something between The Matrix, The Tree of Life, and Cloud Atlas, something is not right. The people behind this film let their imagination roam freely, the car scenes in Paris are VERY impressive, but that's where both the action and the overall script ends. The boldness is appreciated, and Scarlett Johansson tries her best, otherwise, it's a mess. (08/12/2014)

This idea is simply great. Not original, but I simply enjoy this material enormously. Just like I like that Besson turns it into a great B movie in places. He couldn't have chosen better actors, it works for him in terms of the story, although personally I could easily tolerate more philosophizing and less action in the end. I still have conflicting feelings about this movie, but I think Besson captured that idea well after all. (08/10/2014)

Revisiting Lucy after all these years, I found myself still enjoying it. Scarlett Johansson's presence on screen is never unwelcome. The story was simple yet engaging, with a good sense of pace and humor. Even though I have my own opinions on various scientific and pseudo-scientific concepts, when Morgan Freeman delivers them, I'm more than willing to suspend disbelief for a moment. The film was classic Besson: packed with action, Asian gangsters, and impressive special effects. The whole spectacle kept me entertained. What got me was how I could switch off my brain while watching a movie about maximizing brain capacity. / Lesson learned: If you have any say in it, never let anyone stitch anything inside your body. Not more than three cigarettes under the skin in case of a shipwreck. (06/27/2022)