Lucy – Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Chris Eberle

Synopsis

Lucy is a student living in Taiwan. One afternoon her boyfriend asks her to deliver a mysterious briefcase to a man in an office building. The result is far more than she bargains for when she is forced into a violent situation. Suddenly she finds herself able to block out pain, manipulate objects and absorb knowledge at a tremendous rate. She also realizes her life will end soon so she contacts a leading scientist in the field of brain studies. They meet just as the men who originally captured her arrive seeking revenge. The final battle is a race against time so Lucy can pass on everything she has learned before it’s too late.

Commentary

Don’t be fooled by the four-star rating – if you’re a sci-fi geek and a fan of cerebral movies, Lucy is for you. My only real beef is that it’s a bit too short. The story develops at a brisk pace then bogs a little towards the end which is then all-too abrupt. These are minor nits however. I found it very entertaining and thought-provoking. Scarlett Johansson does a superb job portraying first a terrified naïve student; then an emotionless human computer with unique abilities. Combined with some truly spectacular special effects, the film really draws you in, especially if you’re a science nerd like me. The idea that any of this could be even remotely true is both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. Exploring human potential is a movie is not new (Transcendence comes immediately to mind), but Lucy handles it very well; highly recommended.

Technical

The image is reference-quality throughout with naturally saturated color, deep consistent contrast and razor-sharp detail. The CGI effects are incredibly well-done and perfectly integrated into the live-action footage. The transfer is free of edge enhancement and has no flaws I could see.

The DTS-HD Master Audio encode is equally spectacular with a tremendously wide soundstage, well-rendered dialog and good use of the surround channels for ambient effects. The sub gets a great workout during the opening and closing music which has awesome depth and slam. It’s not the one-note bass we hear in a lot of modern music. Low instruments and percussion alike are enhanced by tremendously low frequencies that provide just as much aurally as they do viscerally.

Extras

Bonus features are a bit slim compared to most new releases. You get a 16-minute making-of documentary and a 9-minute explanation of the science behind the story. My review package also included a DVD with digital copy.