MOVIE OF THE WEEK (7/25/14): LUCY
| "This hotel will NOT charge me for using the mini bar on my watch!" Scarlett Johansson takes to arms as the title character in a scene from director Luc Besson's action thriller LUCY. Credit: Jessica Ford © 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. |
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min Sik, Amr Waked and Pilou Asæk (yes his name is spelled like that, people!)
WRITER(S): Luc Besson
DIRECTOR(S): Luc Besson
WEB SITE: www.lucymovie.com60 SECOND PLOT SYNOPSIS (OR AS CLOSE TO IT AS ONE CAN TRY TO MAKE): Scarlett Johansson stars in Lucy as the titular character, who when we are introduced to her is standing outside a hotel in Taiwan having an animated conversation with Richard (Pilou Asæk), her boyfriend of one week in . What are they talking about? Well, there's a briefcase that he has asked Lucy to take inside and deliver to Mr. Jang (Choi Min Sik).
Well, as the events unfold, Lucy learns why Richard was so apprehensive about taking that briefcase inside since it results in murder and her kidnapping. Inside the briefcase are four mysterious blue bags of ... something ... That Lucy later learns is a highly concentrated, synthetic dose of CPH4. A real chemical produced by pregnant women, CPH4 is described as an "atom bomb" for babies during pregnancy, opening up their brain functions and development of their bones. Information like this – along with how humans are only believed to utilize 10 percent of their brain capacity – are among the things that have fascinated Professor Samuel Morgan (Morgan Freeman), an expert in brain function.
Thus, you can imagine his surprise and intrigue once he receives a call from Lucy – who has inadvertently been ... "given" ... a large dose of CPH4 by Mr. Jang's goons in hopes of smuggling the drug safely inside her body on his behalf. Problem is, the bag bursts inside Lucy's body, mixes into her blood stream and well, what happens next begins to increase her brain function.
A lot.
What happens after that might just change life on earth as we know it – literally.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST?: Scarlett Johansson fans, Morgan Freeman fans, people interested/fascinated by the brain and/or human evolution; those who enjoy Asian action films; anyone who is intrigued by films where the premise revolves around becoming an ultimate version of his or her self; fans of strong female action heroes
WHO WON'T – OR SHOULDN'T – LIKE THIS FILM?: Christian fundamentalist scientists/Answers in Genesis supporters; anyone who can't "go with" the film's plot once things start moving in earnest
BOTTOM LINE – IS IT GOOD, GREAT, BAD OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? If you fall into the first category, the film is good. Like, really, REALLY good. And even if you have some fundamental issues with the film's science and/or their implications, you'd still have to admit the film is very well done and entertaining no matter what side of the evolutionary debate you choose.
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT? "Engrossing." "Detailed." "Visually stimulating." "Fascinating." "Kick ass." "Interesting." – In most cases, words like these are used as pure hyperbole in ads for movies from major critics to lure you, the general public, out to see films that are rarely anywhere close to deserving such kudos.
Well, give credit to Lucy star Johansson and writer/director Luc Besson for crafting up what not only is a film deserving of those words, but arguably showcases the finest performances of their respective careers.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about Freeman's performance; after all, this is a man has played God in more than one movie and no one batted an eye about it. Needless to say, he's his usual great self in the film. Likewise, the supporting cast – Amr Waked, who plays a French police sergeant contacted by Lucy once she begins realizing her potential, in particular – does an equally good job selling their fascination and utter astonishment at everything Lucy's ever-expanding powers allow her to do.
Now, back to Johansson and Besson.
In order for Lucy to work in any capacity, you have to believe Johansson can be a woman who is powerless when we meet her and then believe her character's literal evolution is not only possible, but plausible in the world in which Besson places the character. Johansson delivers at every turn, not once making you feel like anything she does is out of place, silly or detrimental to the story presented. She's at one moment genuinely afraid for her life and then, once her transformation starts, as cool, calm and confident as any of her starring Marvel turns as the "Black Widow."
While Her proved Johansson can be engaging without her physical form being present, Lucy illustrates how can she dominate the screen essentially on her own. For just as much as there is a seductive quality to her physicality, there is an equally seductive one to her intelligence that draws you in. It's feminine chic without attempting to be, which in turn is a testament to the quality of the performance.
This would NOT, however, matter had Besson created a world that is more cartoon than intriguing sci-fi action adventure. Luckily for both Besson and the audience, that is not what happened as Lucy visually has an appeal more like Gravity than The Expendables while mixing in slick, Matrix-style (back before it became cliché) action sequences with Hong Kong-flavored martial arts cool. The opening 10 minutes is a testament to this and nearly worth the price of admission alone with its nice infusion if National Geographic-style predator footage.
WHO WON'T – OR SHOULDN'T – LIKE THIS FILM?: Christian fundamentalist scientists/Answers in Genesis supporters; anyone who can't "go with" the film's plot once things start moving in earnest
BOTTOM LINE – IS IT GOOD, GREAT, BAD OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? If you fall into the first category, the film is good. Like, really, REALLY good. And even if you have some fundamental issues with the film's science and/or their implications, you'd still have to admit the film is very well done and entertaining no matter what side of the evolutionary debate you choose.
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT? "Engrossing." "Detailed." "Visually stimulating." "Fascinating." "Kick ass." "Interesting." – In most cases, words like these are used as pure hyperbole in ads for movies from major critics to lure you, the general public, out to see films that are rarely anywhere close to deserving such kudos.
Well, give credit to Lucy star Johansson and writer/director Luc Besson for crafting up what not only is a film deserving of those words, but arguably showcases the finest performances of their respective careers.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about Freeman's performance; after all, this is a man has played God in more than one movie and no one batted an eye about it. Needless to say, he's his usual great self in the film. Likewise, the supporting cast – Amr Waked, who plays a French police sergeant contacted by Lucy once she begins realizing her potential, in particular – does an equally good job selling their fascination and utter astonishment at everything Lucy's ever-expanding powers allow her to do.
Now, back to Johansson and Besson.
In order for Lucy to work in any capacity, you have to believe Johansson can be a woman who is powerless when we meet her and then believe her character's literal evolution is not only possible, but plausible in the world in which Besson places the character. Johansson delivers at every turn, not once making you feel like anything she does is out of place, silly or detrimental to the story presented. She's at one moment genuinely afraid for her life and then, once her transformation starts, as cool, calm and confident as any of her starring Marvel turns as the "Black Widow."
While Her proved Johansson can be engaging without her physical form being present, Lucy illustrates how can she dominate the screen essentially on her own. For just as much as there is a seductive quality to her physicality, there is an equally seductive one to her intelligence that draws you in. It's feminine chic without attempting to be, which in turn is a testament to the quality of the performance.
This would NOT, however, matter had Besson created a world that is more cartoon than intriguing sci-fi action adventure. Luckily for both Besson and the audience, that is not what happened as Lucy visually has an appeal more like Gravity than The Expendables while mixing in slick, Matrix-style (back before it became cliché) action sequences with Hong Kong-flavored martial arts cool. The opening 10 minutes is a testament to this and nearly worth the price of admission alone with its nice infusion if National Geographic-style predator footage.
However, the larger question being posed is the intriguing concept explored: What could we do as a species if we were able to use all of our brain's capacity? While Lucy won't do anything to settle the debate on any scientific or religious level – especially given its seemingly-but-not-really ambiguous ending – it definitely delivers one of the most entertaining flicks of the year thus far.
Imagine what it would be like if Besson had used 100 percent of his brain's own capacity in making it ...
Imagine what it would be like if Besson had used 100 percent of his brain's own capacity in making it ...
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
Comments
Post a Comment