Lucy (2014)

"We humans are more concerned with having than with being."

Lucy (Johansson) is coerced by her boyfriend Richard (Pilou Asbaek) to deliver a briefcase to Mr. Jang (Choi).  Mr. Jang is a ruthless business man who kills Richard and forces Lucy to be a drug mule for a new drug called CPH4.  The drugs are forcibly sewn into her abdomen and she is sent back to the U.S.  Prior to her flight, she is beaten which releases the drug into her system.

The drug gives Lucy enhanced mind capacity and physical agility.  She begins researching the condition and stumbles upon the research of Professor Samuel Norman (Freeman).  She plans to meet Professor Norman in Paris to share her knowledge.  Along the way she recruits the help of Parisian police captain Pierre Del Rico (Waked) as she tried to track down the rest of the drug mules before Mr. Jang's goons can unleash the drug on the world.


I have to admit, I was skeptical of this movie when it first came out.  It seemed ridiculous, but the film did better than I expected and a friend recommended that I check it out.  It is a unique film.

It is an interesting concept, even if the science does not back up the premise.  It fully embraces the fantasy genre and creates it's own mythology.  It has a unique style and the visual effects are very impressive.  That said, the stylized approach can be polarizing.  I loved the story structure and enjoyed the homages to other films in this genre, but I understand how others would hate all of that.

Scarlett Johansson has proven that she is a talented action star, and she gets to do more of that here.  But she is also a talented actress and gets to show the transition of Lucy from terrified to emotionless.  Min-ski Choi is quietly menacing as Mr. Jang.  He is a dark and brutal villain without going over the top.  The rest of the cast are fine.  Morgan Freeman is always a good choice to portray a wise man / mentor.  The rest of the characters aren't overly memorable and you probably won't remember their names.  They simply serve as pieces to move the story / action forward.

It was an interesting film that makes you think while you enjoy intense, brutal action.  I enjoyed it, but it definitely isn't for everyone.

Lucy (2014) 89 minutes
Rating: R for strong violence, disturbing images, and sexuality
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson as Lucy
Morgan Freeman as Professor Norman
Min-ski Choi as Mr. Jang
Amr Waked as Pierre Del Rio