“It’s the neuroscience myth that just refuses to go away. No, you do not use only ten percent of your brain. In fact, scientists say most of your brain is active all the time.”
Writer and director Luc Besson would have us think otherwise, else there would be no plot for his highly creative but weak minded (no pun intended) story. His research into the potential of the human mind is impressive but alas totally false, so the story has no real merit. Regardless, the special effects are “mind boggling,” providing some relief from a storyline that goes from the ridiculous to the sublime.
Leading us to believe that the Dolphin is the only creature on earth who uses as much as twenty percent of their brain capacity, eminent scientist Professor Norman, played by Morgan Freeman, leads us down the path of disbelief via a lecture given in a Paris auditorium. Explaining that the human brain functions at about ten percent, he begins to speculate what we would be capable of if we expanded our cerebral capacity to twenty, thirty, forty percent, or more.
In the meantime a young American girl residing in Taiwan, named Lucy, through a sequence of hard to believe events, ends up ingesting an experimental drug, which slowly allows her to use more and more of her brain’s capacity. Scarlett Johansson plays Lucy, and as Professor Norman is giving his lecture, we transition between the two, watching Lucy’s capabilities as the Professor’s discourse continues.
Lucy
Entertainment Rating: ★★
Rating: R, One minor profanity, several sexually suggestive scenes, no nudity, rampant violence, murder, blood and cruelty.
Possible Oscar Nominations: Film Editing, Special Effects
The level of ridiculousness grows in direct proportion to Lucy’s expanding mental capacities, as does the violence. First there is revenge with Lucy’s mind doing all the work, then the inevitable chase across continents as a large contingent of bad people try to corral her while she is attempting to hook up with Professor Norman. There is a trail of dead and bloodied bodies everywhere and a car chase scene that is so absurd it is laughable.
You’ll have to see the movie to learn just how far Lucy’s mind expands but, as it does, be prepared for a serious reminder that Hollywood has lost its way. This film has no redemptive value, but then show me one out there now that does.
