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1 August 2014English89 min

Lucy

5.314 reviews
CriticsMixed

Bayesian avg · 14 critic reviews

7.5+ Exceptional · 6.5 Recommended · 5.0 Mixed

6.01 ratings
Users

User Score · avg of 1 ratings

8.0+ Exceptional · 7.0 Recommended · 5.5 Mixed

Luc Besson DirectorLuc Besson WriterÉric Serra MusicThierry Arbogast Cinematography

Lucy is a 2014 English-language French superhero film set in a world that is run by the mob, street gangs, drug addicts, and corrupt cops. Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), a woman living in Taipei, Taiwan, is forced to work as a drug mule for the mob. The drug implanted in her body inadvertently leaks into her system, changing her into a superhuman, due to accessing much more than the normal 10% of her brain capacity. She can absorb knowledge instantaneously, is able to move objects with her mind, and cannot feel pain or other discomforts.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for Lucy is mixed-to-average, with most reviewers finding it a watchable but flawed experience. Scarlett Johansson's performance and the film's visual qualities draw the most consistent praise across reviews. The most common criticism centers on the screenplay's implausible and increasingly absurd premise, which many felt undermined the film's attempts at cerebral storytelling. Several critics noted it works best when not scrutinized closely, suggesting audiences suspend logic for the runtime.

14 reviews · 7 positive · 5 mixed

Praised: Johansson's performance and visualsCriticised: Implausible and absurd screenplay

AI-generated summary of 14 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (14)

Rajeev MasandTop Critic· IBNLive
5.0
"At best it's a guilty pleasure, with a convincing performance from Johansson who convincingly goes from victim to warrior with the ease of a pro."
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Rohit Khilnani· India Today
6.0
"...whether this fallacy makes sense or not, it doesn't matter. It just makes for an interesting film plot which filmmaker Luc Besson exploits and successfully delivers through this entertaining film."
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Aubrey D'souza· BookMyShow
6.0
"Luc Besson delivers a visually stunning and explosively wonderful experience."
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Soumya Srivastava· Hindustan Times
6.0
"Watch it for the 'breathtaking' VFX and Scarlett Johansson and for 90 minutes of visual delight. However, we suggest you leave your reasoning powers at home for this one."
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Renuka Vyavahare· Times Of India
6.0
"Lucy may fail to woo the mainstream audience as it doesn't boast an extravagant budget or thrilling special effects. You don't feel for the protagonist either as she loses everything that makes her human, including pain and fear of death. However, if you are a fan of 'experimental' cinema, you will appreciate this unconventional attempt."
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Paloma Sharma· Rediff
6.0
"Lucy could have used more action and a better soundtrack and although it isn't really a masterpiece, it cannot be dismissed either. Lucy is a visual treat -- like National Geographic in HD. But better."
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Sachin Chatte· The Navhind Times
6.0
"Scarlett Johansson is first rate, whether it is the action or the trauma scenes, she pull it off convincingly. Clearly Besson has used 10% of the brain while writing the screenplay, else Lucy would have been even more fun."
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6.0
"Lucy is fun while it lasts, and if you choose to take the philosophical questions that it poses back home with you, then you could spend some time tossing and turning them over in your head, to draw your own conclusions. But somehow, it never quite seems like that was Luc Besson's intention with this film."
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Bryan Durham· DNA India
5.0
"With aspirations of being cerebral and cool at the same time, Lucy falls somewhere in the middle. This one isn't a one-size-fits-all, you could either love it or loathe it. Watch this one only for Scarlett Johansson. And better luck next time, Luc!"
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Mihir Fadnavis· Mid Day
4.0
"If you're looking for a good Scarlett Johansson movie, you're better off watching Under the Skin instead."
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Troy Ribeiro· NowRunning
4.0
"Overall, despite good production quality, decent visuals, and high action drama, Besson's fans would be disappointed because of the lack of noir-action drama. For the thinking audience, the same hooks that make the film engaging makes it look ridiculous and absurd."
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4.0
"Lucy won't stretch your brain capacity..."
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Deepanjana Pal· Firstpost
"The problem with Lucy is that Besson's suggestion that the unlocked intellect will turn us into superheroes doesn't feel entirely credible. The science he lays out in the film and what happens to Lucy feel a little out of sync. You could perhaps still, with a pinch of CPH4, believe Lucy can control everything from gravity to another person's musculature. However, when electric cables start shooting out of her and she travels back in time to touch digits with an ape like in Creation of Adam, it becomes difficult to take the film seriously."
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Rachit Gupta· Filmfare
"End of the day, all critique becomes redundant when the film manages to entertain you. But it's here that Lucy finds its Achilles' heel. It intrigues you for a while, but then like any illusion you're brain kicks into 10 per cent and looks through the con."
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Cast & Crew

Details

Release Date
1 August 2014
Runtime
89 min
Language
English

User Ratings & Reviews

Users6.01 rating

1 rating from the community

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