Lucy (2014)

Your science teacher already debunked the brain fact Lucy is built on, and Luc Besson does not care even a little. Scarlett Johansson starts as a panicky student holding a briefcase and ends up as a walking search engine. Along the way Besson cuts to nature documentary clips of a cheetah on the hunt, in case you missed that she’s in danger. Morgan Freeman gives a lecture to explain the plot, and he’s so calm you almost buy it for a second. Choi Min-sik is a great villain stuck in a movie with no time for him. The real problem is that once Lucy powers up, nothing can touch her, so the action is just her waving at people until they float. 89 minutes, $469 million worldwide on a reported $40M budget, and a C+ CinemaScore from the people who paid for it. A 3.6 because it’s a dumb idea that thinks it’s a deep one. $596 says you google whether the brain thing is real before the ending sinks in. It isn’t.

What works: Scarlett Johansson commits fully, Choi Min-sik is menacing, and the short runtime means it’s over before you can get bored.

What doesn’t: The science is nonsense, and once Lucy is all-powerful the movie has no stakes, no tension and nowhere left to go.

Who it’s for: People who want a quick, shiny action flick and don’t mind a lecture they’ll have to ignore.