[tps_footer]Lucy is an action-thriller that starts with an intriguing premise—what happens when someone has 100% use of their brains when an average human uses only 10%.

When that ‘person’ happens to be Scarlett Johansson, and the filmmaker is Luc Besson (director of La Femme Nikita, Leon, The Fifth Element etc.), you would be right to expect a winner.

‘Lucy’ begins with the right notes: a gullible blonde gets trapped by the Chinese mafia into transporting some experimental drugs stitched into her stomach. But when one of the packets bursts, she is transformed into a superwoman of sorts who can control mind and matter beyond capabilities of human beings. She, of course, has to seek revenge, but also contribute to science through an avuncular researcher (Morgan Freeman).

Neither the action nor culmination of this story is as mind-blowing as one would expect, given the effects of the drug in question. The plot meanders into what a human brain can visualize or achieve, transporting the viewer into the past, into space, though computer graphics that are less than impressive.

Johansson, not the most versatile of actresses, and Freeman add their Hollywood celebrity muscle but these are not parts requiring much acting rigour. Eric Serra’s music is underwhelming, as is the cinematography. Besson, who writes and produces films more often than directing them himself, is far from the form that gave us some of the action classics mentioned above.

His efforts squeeze in a message, rather than focusing on just the chase, hunt and vengeance, verge on infantile. Disappointing and rather silly.

Rating: **[/tps_footer]