Scarlett Johansson’s divisive and mind-bending sci-fi movie, Lucy, is a Netflix hit 10 years later. Written and directed by Luc Beeson (Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element), the 2014 sci-fi film follows a woman who, after a powerful drug is accidentally absorbed into her bloodstream, gains superhuman abilities, including telekinesis and telepathy, and seeks revenge against her former captors. Other than Johansson in the lead role, the cast also includes Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Pilou Asbæk, and Lio Tipton.
Now, a decade after its initial release in 2014, Johansson’s divisive and mind-bending sci-fi film is a Netflix hit. Lucy ranked eighth on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart for the week of August 19-25 with 4.4 million views and 6.5 million hours viewed. In the second half of the chart, Lucy is sandwiched between Tòkunbọ̀ and The Emoji Movie above it, and Night School and Kingsman: The Golden Circle below it.
Lucy isn’t available on Netflix in the United States, though it is streaming on Peacock.
How Was Lucy Received?
It Garnered Generally Positive, But Polarizing Reviews
Lucy received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised its energetic and playful tone, over-the-top excitement, and Johannsson’s charisma, which pushed through the film’s logical inconsistencies, resulting in a somewhat strong 67% Rotten Tomatoes score. Though Lucy’s reviews were mostly positive, they were also quite polarized. While its themes, visuals, and Johannsson’s performance were the subject of some praise, many criticized the movie’s plot as illogical, particularly its perpetuation of the myth that humans use only 10% of their brains.
Related
Humans only use 10% of their brains. but after Lucy is exposed to a drug that unlocks even more potential, she transforms into something new.
The sci-film was particularly polarizing among audiences, as indicated by its 47% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, recently renamed the Popcornmeter. While Lucy was a divisive movie, it still achieved tremendous box office success, earning over $469 million globally, more than eleven times its $40 million budget. On the back of this box office success, discussions quickly started about a potential sequel, though director Luc Beeson was hesitant about the idea, shooting it down multiple times during interviews.
However, despite the director’s initial hesitation, it was reported in 2015 that Lucy 2 was in development, and by 2017, there were rumors that Beeson had finished the script. However, shortly after that, Beeson clarified that he was not in fact working on a sequel to Lucy. Instead, in 2022, a spin-off series was said to be in the works with Freeman in discussions to reprise his role as Professor Samuel Norman. Though any follow-ups to Lucy have yet to come to fruition, perhaps the film’s recent success on Netflix could provide a much-needed boost.
Source: Netflix
