I haven't seen it but wouldn't it be functionally the same as "this potion makes you super powerful", with the 10% thing being more a means to an end?
Yeah, the 10% didn't bother me all that much, except it is super stupid and the movie leans super hard into trying to explain it and make it sound legit. Had it just been " this stuff inexplicably gives you super powers " then that would be fine, but no, it goes full force into bad science babble.
Morgan Freeman plays the world's worst scientist in this movie, and it really wants you to think he is an expert, so it starts with him giving a lecture inside this huge lecture hall full of professional looking students and other science people. And he goes on about how humans only use 10% of their mental capacity, but if they could unlock more cool stuff would happen. At 30%, full control of their own body would be possible, and at 40% control of other people.
Now wait, I hear you asking. Arbitrary numbers aside (really the % breakdown only exists here so you can gradually watch it go up to 100 through the movie) how the hell do you jump from control of your own body, which ok I suppose that seems reasonable, to control of other people? We've got no time for questions like this, because he keeps going. At 90%, full control of matter becomes possible!
HOW?! No reason is ever given, Dr Freeman (not from black mesa) just says it, and a room full of people who claim to have backgrounds in science ahh and nod and clap, clearly impressed.