If The Guest is hobbled by an inability to reject the unconventional, then Luc Bessons Lucy - which, with a 66% Tomatomater rating and a stunning $458 million in worldwide grosses, proved to be the summers most surprising hit - is totally crippled by its own contrarian propensities. Critics praised Lucy for its visual flair and inventive action sequences, and while theres no denying that the film is an strikingly immersive experience, its also hard to argue that it adds up to anything more than that. The best action blockbusters - including this years Edge Of Tomorrow and Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes - balance their action with grounded authenticity; their impact isnt merely visceral, but also sympathetic, to the point that the viewer is able to actually empathise with and feel for the characters onscreen, regardless of what crazy circumstances they might be in. Lucy, despite a speedy 90 minute runtime and a robust turn by Scarlett Johansson, isnt interested in eliciting such feelings; Bessons focus here is clearly on thrilling the senses, not pulling on the heartstrings. Which is totally fine. Lucy is a fun, efficient little actioner that, like fellow Besson productions Taken and La Femme Nikita before it, is compulsively watchable in the moment. Just dont expect for it to linger long afterwards.
