LUCY
France, 2014, 90 minutes, Colour.
Scarlet Johansson, Morgan Freeman.
Directed by Luc Besson.
Lucy seems a rather quiet name for a film by Luc Besson, more famous in recent decades for his producing and direction action features. However, he has had a continued interest in science and science-fiction, most significantly in The Big Blue and his well-regarded The Fifth Element.
While he does exercise his flair for action sequences, especially in a rapid car chase through the streets of Paris, he is interested in themes of evolution, behaviour of prehistoric animals, of apes and their gradual development, the nature of the human brain, its capacity and humans not using their brains to full capacity, rather 10%,. So, he has created an action parable about the capacity of the human brain.
Lucy is a science-fiction film. However, it might be called philosophy/metaphysics-fiction, especially with its cosmic overview of animal and human development as well as it speculations about what might happen to a human being using full capacity. At the end, when Lucy has exercised the hundred percent and she is asked where she is, she replies that she is everywhere. She is omnipresent and omniscient. A symbol of God?
During the early sequences, Besson has inserted quite a number of images of animals and their behaviour, drawing from the beautiful films about nature and the world, Baraka and Samsara. When Lucy is introduced, and her boyfriend is trying to persuade her to deliver a locked case to reception at a Taiwanese office block, the director inserts visuals of animals circling each other, wary, fearful, and the superior animals pouncing. We realise we are not just in a simple story of a young woman, an American in Taiwan, who gets caught up in action adventure.
Lucy is played by Scarlet Johansson, following her non-visual performance as a computer companion in the film, Her. At first, she is apprehensive, especially when confronted by the Taiwanese chief drug dealer. Then there is the mystery of the blue bags in the case, a drug whose origin has not been specified, part of the mystery of what is going on. Obviously the Taiwanese need to know what the drug is and so insert the bags into a group of mules, including Lucy.
Up till now, routine but mysterious. Then Lucy’s bag begins to leak with dire effects on her on a plane and at the Berlin airport. But, Lucy is changing, makes her way to Paris with the Taiwanese in pursuit. A French captain of police is interested in her case, driving with her in an intense chase through the streets of Paris and being something of a bodyguard.
After the drug setup, the film moves to the science aspect, introducing Morgan Freeman as an expert on science of the brain, and, with his elegant delivery, we learn quite a deal about the functioning of the brain.
Lucy wants to have a record of what has happened and the Professor supervises her link with a computer, the screen noting the ever increasing use of all of her brain.
And then, the film leaves us with some philosophical speculations about human capacities, the exercise of the brain – and how humans could transcend their mundane behaviour and existence.
Which means that Besson has provided a science and philosophical parable, outstanding in its visual impact, challenging in the questions that it asks and that it implies.
1. A science-fiction film? A philosophy/metaphysical-film?
2. The director, his career, early scientific themes? His transition to action? Signs-fiction? His continued emphasis on strong women characters?
3. The present, the near future, the development of technology?
4. An international production, the settings in Thailand, the plane, the Berlin airport, friends and the cityscapes? The musical score?
5. The explorations of the brain, presumptions about its use, 10%, with the possibility of up to 100% and the consequences? Drugs, the capacity for transition, the consequences?
6. Lucy, the symbolism of her name – light? An ordinary young American woman? In Thailand, the short relationship with Richard, his asking her to do the delivery, her refusal, his persistence, their finally agreeing, his suddenly being shot, the bag chained to her wrist, going to the reception, the phone messages, Mr Jang, his company, the members, Lucy going up, the henchman, the fears, the case and its being opened? Issues about the source of these drugs on the nature of the deal, not clear?
7. The visual device of animals, evolution, the parallels with human behaviour? Scenes from Baraka and Samsara?
8. Lucy, the various drug mules? The effect, the bag seeping, the effect on Lucy, the crisis on the plane, at the airport? The transition to Paris?
9. Paris, the Taiwanese pursuit? The phone call to Professor Norman? The Professor, his status, his research? His colleagues? The interviews, their surprise?
10. The drug, the damage to the bag, the effect on Lucy, control, the hospital?
11. The Taiwanese, the dealers and their pursuit, the other drug mules and their being killed? Wanting to retrieve the bags of the drug?
12. Lucy and the drive through the city, relentless, the stunt work in the crashes? Her becoming more impersonal?
13. The Professor, the expertise and his watching, Lucy and the computer, her brainpower increasing?
14. The computer as the extension of Lucy, the black substance, its enormous increase, the effect on her, the screen signalling the increases in her brainpower and its use? The building up to 100%? The explosion? The USB stick?
15. Lucy and her different personality, strength of character, the extent of her knowledge and power, her saying that she was everywhere – and a symbol of God?
16. The film and the meaning of life, the visuals of human origins, the apes, prehistoric animals, animal conflict, working together, threats, gradual intelligence?
17. Notions of intelligence, the visuals of the cells breaking and combining, the brain, its capacity, predicting behaviour, ESP knowledge, philosophy and the meaning of life? And an image of omnipresence and the divine?
