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Lucy

1 August 2014English1h 29m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 12 scored reviews · 2 not rated

Johansson holds it together, but the premise keeps falling apart.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Scarlett Johansson's central performance
  • Criticised: Implausible premise and weak screenplay

Audience

User score 6.0 out of 10 from 1 rating, not enough ratings for a verdict yet

Not streaming in India

Critic consensus

What 14 critics are saying

Critical reception for Lucy is mixed-to-average, with most reviewers finding it a moderately entertaining but flawed film. Scarlett Johansson's performance and the film's visual presentation are the most consistently praised elements across reviews. The most common criticisms center on the film's implausible and increasingly absurd premise, a weak screenplay, and an inability to sustain engagement throughout — with several critics noting that the more one thinks about the film's internal logic, the less it holds up.

How the 12 scores spread

2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

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

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From the papers

Critic reviews (14)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    IBNLive

    Film review ·

    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.
  2. Top critic

    Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    If you're looking for a good Scarlett Johansson movie, you're better off watching Under the Skin instead.
  3. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    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.
  4. India Today

    Film review ·

    ...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.
  5. Rediff

    Film review ·

    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.
  6. The Navhind Times

    Film review ·

    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.
  7. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    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.
  8. Wogma

    Film review ·

    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.
  9. DNA India

    Film review ·

    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!
  10. NowRunning

    Film review ·

    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.
  11. Filmfare

    Film review ·

    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.
  12. Firstpost

    Film review ·

    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.

Credits

Cast & crew

Cast

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