Is it good cinema? That depends on your tolerance for nonsense. If you need your science fiction to obey the laws of physics, Lucy will make you pull your hair out. If you need your action star to show emotion, Johansson’s robotic turn might frustrate you.
Controlling electromagnetic waves and even altering her own physical appearance. lucy 2014
Following the theory that humans only use 10% of their cognitive capacity (a theory long debunked by neuroscience, but bear with us), Lucy begins to access 20%, then 40%, then 70% of her brain. With each percentage point, her humanity fades. She loses pain, fear, and desire, replacing them with computational logic, telekinesis, time manipulation, and eventually, omnipresence. Is it good cinema
2014 was a pivotal year for Scarlett Johansson. While she was simultaneously conquering the box office as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Lucy offered her a solo lead vehicle that cemented her status as a legitimate action star. If you need your action star to show
The premise is deceptively simple. Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is a reckless American student living in Taipei, Taiwan. She is coerced by her new boyfriend into delivering a mysterious briefcase to a powerful gangster, Mr. Jang (Min-sik Choi, in a terrifying turn). When the deal goes sideways, Jang’s men knock her unconscious and surgically implant a bag of a synthetic drug called CPH4 into her lower abdomen, intending to force her to traffic the substance across international borders.
Visually, Lucy is a feast. Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast utilizes a palette of stark blacks, electric blues, and deep reds, creating a comic-book aesthetic that suits the exaggerated premise. The effects, particularly the sequences where Lucy manipulates matter and travels through time, are inventive and visually striking.