Starring: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Cliff Curtis, Neil Jackson, Ming-Na

Directed by: Paul McGuigan

Summit Entertainment

The Official Site of Push

Discuss Push on the boards!

Since the beginning of World War II the ruling powers of the world have been experimenting on individuals determined to have psychic potential, (psychics, telekinesis, clairvoyants) all in hopes of enhancing their abilities and using these super soldiers to make the world a better place (Or at least a place where people can turn off the light without getting out of bed.) This is what we’re told in the opening credits of Push, an action-thriller that pits good-looking people against each other in a series of power trips and head games.

After a secret drug to amplify these brainy powers is created and its test subject goes missing, we’re introduced to two 2nd generation kids with gifts of their own (Chris Evans can move thins with his mind, Dakota Fanning can see the future and wear ridiculously short skirts for someone her age) that find themselves sucked into the hunt by the prophecies of their parents. These two rookies, still struggling to understand their powers, gather a group of similarly gifted people to help them find the missing subject and take down the evil corporation responsible.

Each character has a reason to go after the agency behind the drug, be it saving a loved one or just good old-fashioned revenge, and for every reason there’s a new power to explore. Casual moviegoers that haven’t really embraced the recent pop culture boom of super powered people running all over their TV and movie screens may get lost in the parade of mind-readers and prophets, but it’s in using these characters and their gifts to their fullest where Push really shines.

The film doesn’t shy away from exploring what these powers can do both alone and in unison. We’ve seen these tired old tricks in action a dozen times before but Push finds a way to use them together that kept me both guessing and entertained. At the same time this is really a film more about the wirework then it is about staying one step ahead of its audience, so don’t worry too much about getting lost.

We’re all there for the action anyway, right? As much as I love a good twist or clever use of a character’s ability to see through time by smelling someone’s toothbrush (Yeah… totally weird, but it works well within the context of this bizarre new world), it was the rainbow sparkled punches and image of Chris Evans being pinball-bounced off the walls by a telekinetic baddie in the film’s trailers that sold me my ticket. Push boasts a few cool action sequences that included hovering guns and screaming banshees powerful enough to make a fish explode but it feels like it never goes big enough. Even in the film’s finale, when the cries of an epic villain make the walls tremble around him, we see the force of his power not in the toppling of a structure of steel and stone but bamboo and string. It fit the beautiful Hong Kong setting but was somehow a little anti-climactic and visually plain.

Push feels as if it’s building towards something it never truly reaches. A collection of nice ideas, some that reminded me of stronger films (this thing has pieces of The Professional, The Fifth Element, Jumper and on and on) but nothing of its own worth remembering. The anti-climactic build up combined with the film’s refusal to clean up a key story line or two, just reeks of a desperate plea for a sequel.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10 - An 11 million dollar box office all but shuts the door on any dreams of a Push franchise… unless of course it can find some love on DVD. Anything is possible right? And it’s not like Push is unwatchable. I’d go as far as to say that if you like this sort of thing, if you’ve been able to stomach 3 seasons of Heroes and not cut the chord, then Push should be a nice night out for you.

There was a time where I know a movie like Push would make its way into my DVD collection where it would rest comfortable between B-grade action classics like Next and Shooter, but (as much as it pains me to say this) in these economic times, leaving Push in stores is an easy sacrifice. These days where people are tightening their spending and watching every penny, there’s no way a movie like Push will stand out next to smarter, more satisfying films of its kind like Iron Man or The Dark Knight. Once I win the lottery though…

Headbutts are totally back. Seriously. Tell a friend.

The Fifth Element - Push feels like a collection of different ideas from different movies and of them, the easiest for me to recommend is The Fifth Element. The connection, I’ll admit, is a little weak – both films feature multiple groups trying to track down a mysterious girl that holds within her great power – but it was enough for me to be reminded of it while watching Push. The Fifth Element has its issues, I won’t fight you on that, but I really enjoy the film. Great action, solid idea and a fun tone throughout. We’ve been treated to a number of sci-fi space adventures since the green screen has been invented and while The Fifth Element is far from the best of its kind, it managed to carve out its own niche and become original in a genre that was in need of a fresh perspective.

I’m still in a bit of a fog from last weekend’s trip to New York Comic Con. I’m terribly bad at wrap-ups so I’ll just say that I had a great time, the WatchmenPush is now up and done with and by the end of the weekend that Wanted review will be written as well as one for Underworld 3 which I managed to catch during the week. Hang in there. In the coming weeks there should be plenty to read. I hope. I’ve gone and jinxed myself haven’t I?