Lynn Belvedere

Luc Besson’s LUCY

Morgan Freeman as Professor Norman and Scarlett Johansson in the title role in Luc Bessopn's new film, LUCY
Morgan Freeman as Professor Norman and Scarlett Johansson in Luc Besson’s new film, LUCY

This is becoming the year for the most explicitly female-targeted movies, and fast paced LUCY has the red-hot Scarlett Johansson as a big-screen action heroine with strong screen presence. Lucy has unstoppable superpowers including strength and fighting know-how, in this mind-bending thriller with a science fiction bent.

LUCY is a quality French-made film, penned and directed by Luc Besson (Le Femme, Nikita, Fifth Element, Transporter, Taken) in his first foray into the superhero sub-genre.

Scarlett Johansson (Under the Skin, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier) plays Lucy who begins the movie as an unwilling drug mule and then transforms into the drug-fueled superhero, after she gains amazing powers from the glorified drug CHP4, and is able to take on the bad guys in Taipei and Paris.

Morgan Freeman is again believable (although typecast) in his predictable and recurring Hollywood role as Earth’s one and only truly brilliant and wise man.

With films like LUCY now being made, it now means that major blockbuster franchises no longer require just male moviegoers to achieve top-tier blockbuster status.

Unlike the ‘potential of our species plots’ of both TRANSCENDENCE and 2001, Luc Besson has the courage to explore existence itself with his unconventional approach that sees the narrative travel back and forth in time. The narrative line works well with the suspense building up all the way to the very end.

Highly Recommended. Classified MA15+. Running time 89 minutes.

Official Website: http://lucymovie.com/

Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -