Summer movies are a time for big-budget, popcorn-level ridiculousness. But is it too much to ask us to use our brain? OK, how about 1.4% of our brain.
Brain power is the topic at hand in French director Luc Besson's new film Lucy. Besson is a man not known for subtlety, realism, or depth, but they all can't be Bergman can they?
The conceit of Lucy (let me keep it brief as not to offer too many spoilers) is that humans normally only use 10% of our cerebral power (a widely spread cliche), so what if by chemical means, humans could use more: 20, 30, 40, up to 100%? The means? Obviously, it is having massive amounts of synthetic hormones surgically inserted into your body as a drug mule (in a very unsafe looking thin plastic sack).
Scarlett Johansson is one such (albeit unwitting) drug mule. The fun of the "get to the chase" set-up of the movie is palpable. There is barely an intro to her character before she is thrust into a world of killer Taiwanese mobsters, locked briefcases, assassins, chases, guns blazing, and mysterious surgeries.
The Run Lola Run fast-paced flight of the film is a gas. Taiwan to Berlin to Paris, it all whizzes by. No matter how this party girl student becomes knowledgeable in heavy firearm use, acrobatic fight choreography, learning foreign languages, massive amounts of cash to buy designer heels and same-day international, first-class flights from Asia to Europe (she's a student, right?), it can all be explained away.
Bright blue crystal superdrugs.
You should expect no less from the creator of The Professional, The Fifth Element, and a Joan of Arc reboot. Besson is ridiculous and if you shut off your brain, you can learn to love him too.
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