Scarlett Johansson stars as the female protagonist, named (you guessed it) Lucy. After being persuaded by her ex-boyfriend to deliver a package to a businessman who turns out to be a gangster, Lucy finds herself forced into smuggling a packet of an experimental drug. Which is concealed in her stomach. When the packet bursts, and the mind altering drug is released, she begins to use more of her brain than any creature ever has before, and gains amazing powers. Morgan Freeman co-stars as Samuel Norman, a professor who specialises in the capabilities of the human brain, and, more specifically, what humans could do if they used more of it.
There is no denying that the concept behind this film is amazingly clever. The writer, Luc Besson, is the mastermind behind classics such as The Fifth Element and Leon. The writer is, therefore, well versed in writing gripping thrillers with complex plots. To a certain extent, this film does live up to that reputation. It starts off just as any other sci-fi action thriller would, setting a good pace, introducing the characters, and slowing revealing the main concepts behind the movie. However, by about halfway through, things start to get strange. Despite there being plenty of action and spectacular visual effects, the plot starts to get slightly confusing. Some of the scenes also get more and more outrageous. Especially the ending. It seems sometimes as though the entire story is going off the rails.
Adding to this feeling is the lack of emotion and feeling portrayed throughout Lucy. This is partly due to the role Johansson plays. After watching the film awhile, you start to get the impression that having an enhanced mind would cause us to lose some of what makes us human. Scarlet Johansson portrays this by playing the protagonist with a cool detachment, seeming very aloof. Whilst this is a bit of acting genius on the star's part, the lack of emotion I mentioned before doesn't solely come from the main character. The film seems so caught up in the scientific facts that it seems to leave out the feeling. Often it feels as though you're sat in a biology class, or listening to a philosophical debate. This philosophical side to the film does, however, lend it some depth and intensity. The ending of Lucy is especially obscure. The very last line, spoken by Johansson, gives you the impression that there is an underlying meaning, a lesson to be learned from the film. However, whatever that meaning is, it is buried so deeply behind the special effects and strange, crazy plots twists that it is impossible to discern.
Despite it's many obscurities and, at times, lack of emotion, Lucy is strangely and unexpectedly captivating. If strange sci-fi films are for you, I'd recommend you see this.
