Scarlett Johansson is best known for her long-running role as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. In between her appearances as the Avenger, the native New Yorker with Danish ancestry has also shot other action films worth checking out, for example the manga adaptation “Ghost In The Shell”, which does not match the anime film adaptation in philosophical content, but still in my opinion for visually stunning sci-fi action. This isn’t about “Ghost In The Shell”, but about 2014’s “Lucy”.
“Lucy“You can currently stream with two major streaming services at no additional cost in the subscription. It is available on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
And streaming is worth it, because “Lucy” is an entertaining and gripping staged sci-fi action from the French star director Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”, “Leon – The Professional”), in which Scarlett Johansson becomes the most powerful person on earth due to unfortunate circumstances.
That’s what “Lucy” on Netflix is all about
College student Lucy (Scarlett Johannson) has only known Richard (“Game Of Thrones” villain Pilou Asbaek) for a short time and has befriended him despite his unfaithful ways. Not a good idea: Richard works as an errand boy for powerful criminals and forces Lucy to deliver a suitcase for him.
Soon after, Lucy finds herself in the hands of Richard’s Korean employers, who implant a package of superdrugs in her abdomen to smuggle to Europe. But in an incident, the package breaks and the blue powder spreads all over Lucy’s body. She develops strange powers, her perception becomes stronger and a little later she can control electronic devices such as televisions and radios remotely. But that’s just the beginning of their power…
Because, as brain researcher Samuel Norman (Morgan Freeman) explains in a parallel montage, people only use 10 percent of their thinking apparatus. However, the chemical reaction in Lucy’s body has started a chain reaction that is now revealing more and more untapped potential. Suspecting that she may not have long to live under these circumstances, Lucy turns to Norman for help.
A different kind of action thriller
“Lucy” begins as a typical revenge thriller, but soon takes a very different turn. Once the drug called CPH4 infiltrates her cells, Scarlett Johansson’s character first shoots her tormentors on the spot. But soon another goal emerges: Lucy is suddenly a completely new being. Her perception increases immeasurably and her memory stretches back to her birth.
She now possesses almost unlimited knowledge, feels every cell in her body and is even able to control matter. Even most of the Avengers can’t compete with that, but what to do with that much power?
Lucy quickly realizes her responsibility to humanity and calmly accepts her own impending doom. The brutal gangsters who follow her every step become a minor matter. An original and refreshing approach to an action movie, the premise of which is completely far-fetched, but thanks to Luc Besson’s ingeniously exaggerated staging, simply very entertaining.
It is not for nothing that we give 4 out of 5 stars in our FILMSTARTS review and rate: “‘Lucy’ is insane, totally gaga, over the top in every way, not even a tad believable, but still a lot of fun.”
You should not expect a science-based science fiction film from our streaming tip, that would only rob you of the fun. Think of Lucy as a superhero movie instead. After all, in this genre we don’t mind if a spider bite makes a boy crawl along the walls or gamma rays spawn a green rage monster.
Despite everything, “Lucy” also contains some exciting angle: What moral duty does an omnipotent being have? What makes people more destructive: knowledge or ignorance? And despite our efforts to understand, isn’t all life traceable to the primitive cycle of procreation and decay?
Science fiction fans with an affinity for philosophy can indulge themselves. For everyone else, there’s still plenty of action worth tuning into on Netflix!