Lucy vs. Hercules! Since neither film is all that great, I decided to break down various aspects of each and declare a "winner". Though they're not exactly the same type of movie (science fiction vs. action epic), I thought it might be an interesting exercise. Happy reading!
Image source, Lucy: http://images.fandango.com/images/fandangoblog/Lucy-Scarlett-Johansson.jpg
Image source, Hercules: http://i57.tinypic.com/29ykthz.jpg
- The plot of Lucy is far more original, but it almost completely collapses in the ridiculous final act. The film starts off promising, but around the halfway point the scale tips in favor of the absurd. Whatever messages the film is trying to convey (is it pro-cell phones or anti-cell phones? I couldn't tell), gets lost in the shuffle. It's messy.
- Hercules isn't breaking any new ground in terms of storytelling, but the film does take a few unexpected turns (i.e. mainly, the fact that it isn't completely engrossed with Hercules' labors and rather portrays the titular hero as a vulnerable team player).
- Scarlett Johansson has the chops to carry a film. As Lucy, she represents a formidable hero who has both the brains and the brawn to kick some serious butt. As mentioned previously, she is let down by an abysmal final act in which she (SPOILER ALERT) devolves into an emotionless computer. Not exactly riveting.
- Hercules features a fine performance from Dwayne Johnson. However, he doesn't get any classic action hero lines (i.e. think of Gerard Butler in 300 or Brad Pitt as Achilles in Troy), so he loses points for that reason if nothing else.
- Luc Besson has created several great films, my favorite being Leon (The Professional). Here, he maintains his typical sense of humor throughout. The short vignettes and montage sequences are used well in the first & second acts.
- Brett Ratner has yet to create a truly outstanding action film. His crowning achievement is Rush Hour.
- Lucy has Morgan Freeman. Literally, the rest of the cast is a waste. There are about 2 total female characters (one being Lucy; the other being her "friend" whose screen time totals less than 1 minute as she represents the stereotypical "dumb girl roommate"). The males in the world of Lucy mainly serve to get in the way and really serve no purpose. Morgan Freeman is a narrator "disguised" as a character in the film. He simply explains the events that are unfolding.
- Hercules has a collection of supporting characters, who all get their day in the sun. We get a view of Hercules that is almost the stuff of ancient urban legend. Hercules and his crew go into battle together, and the friends he does battle with are just as vital to the victory as he is. It's an interesting deconstruction of the Herculean mythology. The film also scores points by crafting a world in which women fight alongside men and intellect is rewarded as is brawn. The colorful crew makes the fight sequences more entertaining and takes some of the pressure off of Dwayne Johnson to carry the film... though that wouldn't be all that difficult on his massive shoulders. The dude is jacked.
- This one is a tie, because Lucy's key villain (a particularly angry Asian mob boss) is menacing but almost absent from the film. He makes a memorable impression in his opening moments, but then fades into the background as the film devolves.
- Hercules doesn't really have one singular threat for the hero's main adversary, a main problem with the film. However, it does feature some green undead zombies which are pretty cool.
- Lucy features a pointless car sequence that solely serves to check off the list of requirements for an action movie set in Europe.
- Hercules has some nice battle sequences that don't quite measure up to its predecessors in the genre (i.e. 300, Gladiator, Troy, etc.). Still, they're fun to watch.
- I was surprised that I enjoyed Hercules as much as I did. Don't get me wrong, it isn't great, but you know what you're signing up for when you walk into the theater. It does have a surprising sense of humor about itself, and the supporting characters really elevate the film beyond a purely muscle-filled Rock-fest.
Lucy: 2 out of 5
Hercules: 3.5 out of 5
