As much as a one trick pony only knows and repeats the same actions possibly due to a lack of ingenuity or in the sense of Hollywood, being pigeoned-holed as a director to your make type of film because studios want only your style of direction. Besson basically flips you the bird with his new film Lucy.
Yes, there is a car chase through the busy streets of France, insane whoever-is-in-that-car-is-dead crashes, deadly gangsters, gunplay, and a scene stealing heroine. But what viewers may not expect of this film is a metaphysical exploration into the why any of this is possible. You, me, the sky and the nature of our existence lingers over what I thought was going be a two hour cinematic dissertation on why we need more female leads in action roles.
Scarlett Johansson plays Lucy, an unfortunate mule subjected to a high dose of a synthetic drug which allows her to access the other ninety percent of her brain. She’s lethal and handles an automatic pistol with precise carelessness. Baddies beware. Raise the stakes of black mamas eight-eighty to one hundred and seven-two and watch as this dopehead substracts them from life’s equation using only her mind. So much potential for so much death and what we receive is only a sample dish. The summer needed a female heroine and ultimately, whether you like the film or not Lucy pays women the ultimate compliment.
In the Professional Gary old man yells out EVERYTHING!!! In response to how many of his people are needed to pursue Leon. If Besson brought his usual everything to this film, it would’ve been a cluster of fuckshit and awe. Instead, what you get is an intelligent, questionable brow, “action” flick with use of a lot more special effects than ever witnessed in a Besson film since the animation Antboy.
It took me two viewings of the last quarter of the movie to understand or construct an idea as to importance of its plot. Perceptions will vary and if there is a common idea Besson wants to establish about the nature of man and the existence of the ethereal, I’m afraid his words fall upon deaf ears inside auditoriums full of people who only want to see.