Lucy is Neither Science Fiction or Memorable

When I first saw the trailer for Lucy starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman I wasn’t too intrigued.  It seemed to be an interesting concept but one that would surely fall into the forgettable, 90 minute Hollywood “sci-fi” film category with films like Apollo 18 and Chronicle.  Then I found out it was directed by Luc Besson, the visionary directory who gave the world The Professional one of the greatest films of all time in this bloggers book.  I had to give it a try.  Going in with an open mind, I was surprised to find the film accelerate from 0-60 in no time at all.  After a random and unexplained opening scene the viewer is dropped right into the middle of a nefarious drug smuggling operation controlled by an unnamed organization of Asian mobsters.  Not what you were expecting right? Me neither.  Scarlett Johansson’s character Lucy is put in a situation in which she ends up ingesting a new mysterious drug she is supposed to be transporting.  Naturally, this has significant side effects including allowing her to, drumroll…..use 100% of her brain capacity as seen in the trailers.  Morgan Freeman’s random scientist character has almost no significant role whatsoever and serves as more of a narrator.  Someone who is describing what’s happening in a way that allows the viewer to kind of understand what’s transpiring.  The film felt very chaotic.  Jumping from one thing to the next in a series of violent random outbursts as Lucy attempts to secure more of the drug that is fueling her existential evolution while also trying to take down the mobsters who put her in this situation.  While certain moments were exciting, nothing jumped out as particularly memorable and to call the film science fiction is one hell of a stretch.  More focus on the science and less on the car chases would have worked to the films advantage but as I expected, the end product tries to be more of a Hollywood action flick than a thought provoking sci-fi film.  Mr. Besson, what were you thinking?? I should have gone with my initial instinct instead of sitting through a 93 minute cross between Taken and Limitless.  Thanks but no thanks.