Ever since I
first saw the trailer for Luc Besson’s Lucy, I knew I was going to have a tough
time swallowing the premise. The theory that we use only ten percent of our “cerebral
capacity” is utter nonsense and even if it weren’t I find it hard to believe
that gaining more access to our brain power would grant us the ability to
change hairdos on demand. However, I decided that if I can accept (for the sake
of a movie) that apes can leapfrog us in evolution and take over the world,
then I could go along with this premise. Well, I tried, but after watching
Lucy, I’m pretty sure apes being our ultimate demise makes more sense than
anything in this film.
Luc Besson
himself described this movie as having three parts: the first, his very own
Leon: the Professional. The second part
is supposed to be Inception (other than one zero gravity sequence, I’m not sure
where that part comes into play), and finally, the third part is 2001: A Space
Odyssey. This definitely helps to explain the film, but unfortunately it does
nothing to make it better. In fact, it explains why the movie seems like it’s
always aiming for something more, and missing.
Admittedly,
some of the sequences in this picture are interesting, but none of them seem to
add up or make any sort of sense, and Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Lucy
does nothing to help. Apparently, gaining more control of your “cerebral
capacity” not only makes your more aware of (and gives you control of) radio
waves, electrical waves, all the waves really, but also causes you to be
distant and rude… for some reason. She goes from being a real person, who is
initially terrified of being killed, to a soulless zombie, mumbling nonsensical
things and predicting the color of pens next to people on the other end of
telephone lines (because increased brain power, I guess).
Of course,
all of these powers that Lucy discovers throughout the film are totally
explained by none other than Morgan Freeman, the ultimate explainer. In a
completely superfluous role, Freeman plays a professor that Lucy must impart
her newfound knowledge to, because the movie demands it. He also explains to us
how this is all completely plausible, because dolphins have sonar. Seriously, I’m
not making this up.
That’s
another thing about Lucy, no one’s motivations make any sense. Why is Lucy so
desperate to reach 100% brain capacity (whatever that means)? We’re led to
believe that she must because she can (no word on why no one else can try and
Get Smart like her). Of course, the only way she can do this is by taking all
of the drugs, but these aren’t just any drugs, they’re special synthetic fetus
drugs, or something like that; and the movie just wouldn’t be complete if there
wasn’t an Asian drug cartel chasing after her, shooting up airports, hospitals
and schools, because they must really need those four bags of drugs back badly.
Personally, I might have tried a more subtle approach, but to each their own.
I understand
this is just a sci-fi film, and of course it’s not really saying that any of
this could ever happen (at least I really hope not), however, I feel like this
film simply throws us into its plot, daring us to question it. Everything that
happens is explained (or not explained) because of more brain power, but the
more the film went on the less brain power I felt in my own head (maybe that’s
where Lucy was gaining all her power, by sucking it from the minds of the
audience). At one point, Morgan Freeman urges Lucy to “pass on” the knowledge
she has gained; I wish this movie could have at least attempted to do the same,
but then again, maybe it just has nothing to pass on in the first place.
-Ryan Maples
Rating: 4.
And here I was about to go see it. Glad i didn't. Thanks Ryan!
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