Review of Lucy (2014) by Barney O — 22 Apr 2017

WHAT I LIKED: The bottom line is that 'Lucy' is a film all about its themes, as it explores some great concepts really rather intricately, yet the beauty of it is that it does so with a fairly light touch. Yes thankfully Luc Besson doesn't take things too seriously as he frequently wallows in the film's surface action and occasionally human connections that are equally brought to life by the incredible Scarlett Johansson.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Because so many moments towards the end leave you slightly miffed, it would be easy to point criticism at 'Lucy's' far-fetched plot, but I'm always a firm believer in the idea that nothing is too mad for film. The bottom line is that if you find yourself feeling that, there's probably other issues at hand, and that's definitely the case with the third act here. Yes unfortunately what leaves you behind as 'Lucy' develops is the fact it begins to lose its humanity and tension, and it consequently feels like it's all gone a little far and forgotten about the things that truly engage. By the end it's lost its grip entirely, and it consequently ends up feeling rather silly, and annoyingly far-fetched overall.

VERDICT: A unique and thought-provoking venture from Besson; it's a shame Lucy just loses its focus on the important things towards the end.