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Canberra Today 15°/19° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Review / ‘Lucy’ (MA) *** and a half

ScarlettFRENCH writer/director Luc Besson’s latest release combines science fiction, a genre that seldom charms me, with ultra-violence, a genre that can deliver great satisfactions.

You can process “Lucy” from either of those points of view. What most enhances it is a view of the universe that cocks a vigorous snoot at creationism and treats science with respect after a somewhat preposterous initial proposition.

Her boyfriend asks American-student-in-China Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) to deliver a locked briefcase to Mr Jang (Min-Sik Choi), the epitome of high-level, vile wickedness. Before long, Jang has inserted a bag of a blue substance to carry in her abdomen.

lucy-official-international-trailer-2014-action-sci-fi-movie-scarlett-johanssonMeanwhile in France, Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman) tells students that we use only about 20 per cent of our brain’s capacity; what wonders might ensue if we learned how to employ the rest for mankind’s benefit?

The blue substance will do just that. The contents leaked from the bag in Lucy’s belly convert a feather-headed blonde into a merciless warrior working under Norman’s guidance while protected by police Captain Pierre (Amr Waked) from the pursuing Jang and his army of disposable Chinese warriors.

Flying bullets and dead bodies lead to the triumph of right and impressive CGI images distilling the universe on to a USB stick. Great fun.

At all cinemas

 

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Dougal Macdonald

Dougal Macdonald

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