User reviews

This little bit of cinematic junk food is moderately entertaining if you're not looking to exercise any brain cells. It's about a bunch of people -- some good, some bad -- with special powers in pursuit of a suitcase that contains something that everybody wants. I could go into what the suitcase actually contains, and why it's important, and why everyone wants it, but I don't have the energy, and it doesn't matter much anyway, because the film is more interested in its style than it is in its plot, which isn't in this case a criticism.

The film reminded me of a jacked up version of one of those 1940s crime thrillers, where everyone speaks in a hard-boiled patter and what happens isn't nearly as important as how it all looks happening. So what if this film's plot seems needlessly complicated, and so what if there are way too many narrative threads that don't ever get completely developed, and so what if the whole thing is edited to within an inch of its life? It's still pretty fun if you're in the mood for it.

Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning are the nominal stars, and Djimon Hounsou makes an appearance, proving yet again that what he really needs more than anything is a better dialect coach.

The crazy color palettes and art direction in this film reminded me as I was watching it of "Lucky Number Slevin," another bit of entertaining B pulp. How funny then that I look at this film's director's (Paul McGuigan) resume only to find that it includes....you guessed it....."Lucky Number Slevin." If nothing else, his films certainly have a visual style in common.

Grade: B

Push offers a very interesting premise with its wide variety of psychics and the agency trying to keep it all under control and use them. Hong Kong offers an exotic background for the action to take place.

The movie makes an interesting attempt at being half action thriller, reminiscent of a Bourne movie, and half super-hero blockbuster, in the tradition of the X-Men. But director Paul McGuigan is never able to make us fully feel for the characters and their ordeal and the action sequences, while pleasant to watch, never instill emotional response. We're not scared for anyone, our blood does not pump during chases either.

The two stars of Push are an unlikely duo of actor which surprised me somewhat. Chris Evans has often been derided as being just another bland pretty face. Here, he is paired with young Dakota Fanning, who has been revered by many as a child prodigy actress. What's interesting to me is that, had I not seen previous films from these two, I wouldn't notice much difference in quality between the two. They both give a suitable performance. Neither Oscar-worthy nor garbage.

Unfortunately, the support cast is very weak. Camilla Belle is pretty but bland as usual. Cliff Curtis and Djimon Hounsou are both amazing actors but here they have very little to work with. I blame McGuigan and writer David Bourla for not providing them with opportunities to shine.

What makes this movie a 5 rather than a 6 is its confusing and botched conclusion. As if somehow the production ran out of time and needed to wrap things up on the spot. Perhaps hoping for a sequel? Push has an intriguing premise and more than enough basic material to be stretched into a trilogy or even a short TV series but as is the rule of thumb with those sort of things, it is doubtful things will get better should sequels be produced.

I wish the premise had been used to tell a better story, in a better way.

The fact I had heard next to nothing about this movie made my expectations low, but while it was light on characterisation and a back story it was an okay 'Super Power' movie. Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning were fine in the leads but I couldn't figure out whether Camilla Belle's performance was deliberate or an inability to act. I would say give the movie a try, it's better than 'Jumper'.

All of the reviews I've read of this movie have savaged it and, personally, I didn't think it was nearly bad as bad as all that. There were some interesting characters (the guy they enlist to help them hide themselves from the bad guys comes to mind here), and it put a new and interesting spin on the whole "people with super powers" genre. BUT...what really makes me love this film is the depictions of Hong Kong. See, I have been living in Hong Kong for almost 5 years now and I've told all my friends and family that if they want to get a good look at the many sides of the city (other than the touristy facade is typically presented), watch this movie. The film makers really did a great job of capturing what it's like to wander around Hong Kong, and the cinematography is like eye candy.

From the cover of the DVD, I thought this was going to be another superhero movie, that and also because Chris Evans was in it. But still, I decided to give the movie a go. And I am quite glad that I did.

"Push" is actually a rather decent thriller and action movie. The movie is driven by a nice story that you get caught up in and you are quickly and easily introduced to the events and thrown right into the midst of the story. That worked out so well.

Initially what really thrilled me was that the movie took place in Hong Kong. That was a trip down memory lane for me, as I used to work and live there for four years. So it was nice to see places that I recognized, and I just love that constant buzz and bustle that there is in Hong Kong.

The ideas for the various powers that people possess was quite nice and interesting. However, I was not too keen on the screamers, with their eyes turning all reptilian and being able to blast things with ultrasonic sound. But in overall, the concept of the powers and how the skills worked was quite well.

"Push" have a good list of actors and actresses, and people do great jobs with their roles. However, I must say that the movie was initially carried by Chris Evans (playing Nick Gant), Dakota Fanning (playing Cassie Holmes) and Xiaolu Li (playing Pop Girl (the Asian Watcher)).

I thoroughly enjoyed "Push" and it was a rather nice surprise of a movie. It even have enough value for a second watching.

Push is a movie that shouldn't have been a movie. There are so many cool ideas and concepts here, a world I'd love to know more about and explore further but cramming it all into one movie was a mistake. This would work so much better as a (mini)series but we get what we get. As a movie, it's a mess of mixed ideas mashed together, characters rush through things and the world is a string of narration and clumsy storytelling. The acting and the cinematography are all a little off too leaving this feeling like it's got great potential but in reality it's a whiff on delivery.

I still feel like this is worth a background watch for science fiction fans, the ideas here are really interesting but the reality is that it's a clunky, awkward and underwhelming mess of a film.

I really liked the concept of this film, with the idea that some people could have psychic powers and the institutes that might try to take advantage of that and use them as weapons, although it has all obviously been done before (Star Trek's Khan Noonien Singh/Deadpool/Captain America/His Dark Materials and many more) and there are a lot of comparisons to be made, but it had its own stuff going on too. However, I personally felt that given twenty more minutes, this film could have had a better pace, more time to explain what was going on and a chance to see the relationships forming properly, which is where I think it lacked somewhat. I'd like to read a book version in the hope that it would give more information and I'd like to find out what happens after the end of this film as I was left hanging for answers.

My favourite Chris (Google his Twitter Pictures) was good in his role, but I thought Dakota stood out as the best performance. She's a very talented young lady. I also think the guy from Fear The Walking Dead, whose name I've forgotten, has a certain something that is appealing and I liked his character.

An enjoyable watch, but don't get too invested as there doesn't seem to be any additional information on this universe.

These days you can't throw a half-brick in the air without it landing on someone who can fly, or was bitten by a radioactive spider (and that's assuming that the 'half-brick' in question doesn't GIVE the person it lands on the power to fly or climb walls!). However, back in 2009, superhero movies (or those generally showing young, good-looking people with superpowers) weren't quite always guaranteed to make as much money as today's average Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Therefore, 'Push' sort of flew below radar at the time. I'd like to say that it's achieved a 'cult following' over time and it's a bit more of a 'sleeper hit,' however, it seems to have been completely forgotten. And, in my opinion, that's a shame - I really enjoyed it!

I guess to sum it up simply, it's a bit like the 'X-men.' There may not be a 'recognised' team of superheroes dedicated to saving the world here, but you do have a sub-group of human who are 'cursed' with special powers and so destined to either be hunted by shady Government agents before being studied in Top Secret laboratories , or simply working for the afore-mentioned shady Government agencies.

Chris Evans is one such 'person of power' - yes, THE Chris Evans who glossed over the 'Fantastic Four' to become one of the headliners of the Marvel universe, Captain America. However, rather than wielding a red, white and blue shield (or being able to burst into flames at will!) here he's a 'mover.' This is one of the many types of 'ability' these 'special' people exhibit and, in his case, basically means someone with telekinetic powers. He's currently on the run from the authorities in Hong Kong, but his life of hiding comes to a premature end when a young 'watcher' (someone who can see the future and played by Dakota Fanning) tracks him down in order to help her rescue more of their kind.

What follows is effectively a 'chase movie' where the 'gifted' youngsters are pursued by their evil equivalents. And, like I say, if you like superhero-type movies, it's all good sci-fi fun. The characters are likeable enough and there's good chemistry between the leads. Plus there's plenty of action and a few fight-scenes using special powers which are quite inventive and do stick in your mind once the credits have rolled.

If I had to mention a negative side (besides the kind of uninspiring title!) I'd say that the world which we find ourselves watching does need a lot of explaining so that you know all the rules of how it all works. Nowadays, we know what to expect in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but, back then, there was quite a lot of 'exposition' supplied in lengthy voice-overs of segments of dialogue. I'm not sure whether 'Push' was based on a comic, or book, but it felt like you'd certainly pick it up quicker if you'd read a great deal of backstory surrounding what's going on. And, it's because of this lack of knowledge as to what powers people possess, that our heroes seem to bounce from one scene after the next meeting a new person with the exact superpower required to either get them out of their current predicament, or move the story along.

However, I can forgive that and simply enjoy it for what it is - a harmless piece of superhero fun. Even if it never got the recognition that I felt it at least deserved, it's still fun. And, if you can find it on any of the popular modern streaming services, I'd recommend you watch it - even if it's just to see what Chris Evans did before life in the MCU.

Push, a sci-fi thriller that's part X Men and part Incredible Hulk (not to mention part Jumper and part Heroes), is a coagulated mess, full of vim and vigor but unsure where it wants to go. It has a fine cast, but it often feels like a numbing video game, complete with quick cuts and slowed-down CGI effects. Its plot is often befuddling, as if it was scrawled by a hyperactive spider monkey who'd just had ten vials of crack explode in his stomach.

First up, the Incredible Hulk part - seems the ever-popular clandestine government agency is out to find people who have special powers (that'd be the X Men part). Powers, it should be noted, that the government itself gave to the people in the first place in an attempt to weaponize them. What sort of powers, you ask? Well, some can move objects with their minds. Some can push thoughts onto others. Some can see the future. Some can see an object's past through smell. Some can alter the shape of things for brief periods of time, some can heal, and some can wipe memories. So you can see why the always-nefarious government would want to get ahold of these powers.

Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning) is a Watcher, constantly drawing pictures of what she sees happening. Her mom is a prisoner of the Division, which is trying to track down another girl who's escaped from their clutches, the only person to survive injection of a new superdrug designed to enhance their abilities. Cassie believes that if she finds the girl and the hypodermic needle she's stolen, she'll be able to free her mother. She turns to Nick Gant (Chris Evans of Fantastic Four), a Mover on the run. In fact, everyone's on the run from the Division - in China, no less, a good setting for this kind of thing, what with a billion people living there. Head of the Division task force out to get this mysterious girl is Henry Carver (two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou, playing a bad guy for once), who's naturally extremely endowed himself with paranormal abilities.

And all of this sounds sort of intriguing, if somewhat predictable - you know that the evil government agency has nothing but malevolent intentions with those who have these cursed abilities, but the plot is convoluted, needlessly complicated by endless double crosses and feints. To compensate for the opaque storyline, we get choppy edits and fast camera-work. The special effects seem to have been lifted right out of an old copy of Mortal Kombat; were I not in a crowded theater, I'd have shouted "Finish him!" a few times. Sometimes these effects are slowed down; you know, to show you how awesomely powerful the impact must be. Ouch, sucks to be him, right? Chris Evans is rather generic as the hero guy; one wonders what would have happened if an actor with some charisma were in the lead. Dakota Fanning, on the other hand, seems to have gotten past her awkward years on screen. She's no longer the cute little moppet, but she's not the listless, sullen preteen of War of the Worlds. Her Cassie is precocious, dressing a little like a streetwalker, maybe Madonna circa 1985, but she lends gravitas to the role that you wouldn't think possible from such a youngster. She's outstanding as the vulnerable, but tough, Watcher.

In the end, it's Fanning's work plus some interesting fight scenes that save this from being a complete disaster. The dumb script (cmon, people who can kill by shouting?) is overcome by only the loud, ceaseless soundtrack full of bad-music-video songs. Push isn't nearly intriguing enough to warrant a theater ticket.

Starting in the 1940s, certain lucky individuals were chosen for experimentation in order to create or enhance their psychic abilities. Now, decades later, a variety of second-generation psychics are all after the same thing -- a case containing a secret -- and hope to find it before The Division does.

This film will likely be seen as comparable to other superhero movies, such as "X-Men" or "Watchmen". And, in all fairness, it would be hard to critique it without mentioning recent films of the genre. I saw a stronger parallel between this one and "Night Watch", as their are not only good and evil factions, but a limited amount of powers the superhumans can have. Although i liked "Night Watch" better, this film was enjoyable and never lost my interest.

Unknown to me during my viewing, this film was very indirectly based on reality. I joked to my friend that this film was "based on a true story", but compared to some "true stories", this one might have a case. The US government did in fact have a Cold War program called the Stargate Project. This program, which sought out people with psychic abilities, continued all the way until 1995.

The strength of "Push" comes in its character development. Critics have said the film is too flashy, and the plot convoluted. I would tend to agree or at least sympathize with this -- there was a bit too much action at times, and the story was more dense than two hours could properly cover. This is a film that needs to be three hours or a trilogy. But, as I said, character development was strong. Where we didn't always understand what "the Division" does, we were able to understand the protagonists well enough to care about them.

Dakota Fanning delivers a breakthrough performance here. I've spent years making jokes at her expense, calling her the white girl who gets called up to play the precocious child in the latest big budget film. But Fanning is escaping the "child actor" phase, and really comes into her own in "Push". She plays a watcher (one who sees the future) that deals with very adult problems -- looming death, alcoholism and growing up alone.

Despite the film's few flaws -- the flashiness and convoluted story, including an ending some may find unsatisfying -- I really did enjoy this one and would recommend it to those who like superhero movies or just good, well-written action. Summit Entertainment has a history of producing great films -- "Memento" and "Fear and Loathing", to name just two -- and they should be proud to have this in their collection.

Evans fits well with his character and his chemistry with Fanning is charming. Both do a great job in keeping the film grounded and though there are supernatural elements to this, it feels very real and rugged. The rest of the cast too were good, though some lines feel like they were delivered quite monotonously. I really would have loved it if they had more of Ming-Na Wen though. She plays Emily, and appears in a few scenes then absolutely disappears in the ending.

The setting and the cultural input also really helped to bring some colour to the film. It also made it easier to have a kind of Mafia and guns going on thing since the Chinese are typically used as gangsters in films. Now that I think about it, the stereotypical roles in this regarding race is so very typical and horrible. Evans, Fanning and Belle who are all white, are also the good guys. Division is run by a black person, and the other group going against them are the Chinese gangsters. Wow.

On to other things, the visual effects were well done and kept to a minimal which made it more realistic. The cinematography, editing and directing was all well done and came together quite well.

The story was pretty intricate but not hard to follow and I really liked it. It seems unfair to end it the way it did, and I am expecting a sequel but seeing as there still isn't any, I'm a bit disappointed. This film does seem to be underrated and apart from the stereotypic racial roles, I quite like this film.

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Just saw Push recently. The beginning of Push immediately grabbed my attention. I thought, "Wow! How could I dismiss this film all this time. It's really great." But as the movie progressed, it grew bland and dragging. I wasn't even paying attention to it at one point.

The cinematography was great and the way the concept has so much potential. The way these people with powers were divided immediately got me hooked. But the problem is, this was not utilized in the film too much.

There are also too much pointless exchange of words and not enough action to get the plot going, and after a while it gets irritating. I can't help but think that this could be a wonderful film if it was just executed well.

They just kept trying to make him a superhero, neither this or Johnny storm worked. But anyways this is a decent movie, cool concepts and characters. Story is a little bit of a mess but it's still interesting , well paced and decent action scenes. Def worth checking out , one of Evans better movies not marvel related.

Dakota Fanning leads off with a narrative exposition about Nazi beginnings of Division and the various mutant powers. There are a plethora of these: Watcher, Mover, Pusher, Shifter, Shadow, Bleeder. This is a complex array and they are dumped on the viewer en masse, which makes this highly complex magic system become formless and impenetrable.

Set in Hong Kong with an exceptionally capable cast roster there are some great scenes and the cinematography is beautiful. The plot consists of running around talking to a bewildering array of NPC quest givers in search for a MacGuffin that does something important - it is never quite clear what! Perhaps a smaller cast and more focus, with some abilities held back for a sequel, would have been better.

The star of the show is Fanning and her 'father/daughter' relationship with Chris Evans is effectively portrayed. Initially this was planned as the first movie in a trilogy, it is clear why no more were made; I gave up the will to live about halfway through!

I was really surprised by how entertained I was by this. There were many negative reviews of this film and after watching the film I realised how many critics are actually quite lazy. They derided the plot as convoluted but actually I found it complex but understandable. To dismiss it as a heroes knock-off is also unfair. It's a sci-fi film but that doesn't mean all sci-fi films are the same. The film makes good use of its Hong Kong location more so than any recent film I've seen and the characters were memorable. The special effects were there for the story and not the other way around. I usually read film reviews but am glad, in this instance, I ignored them.

Just finished watching it on TV. It is ok film. Nothing mind blowing but it is not boring and it goes well. If you do not expect anything you can not be disappointed and it will be a positive experience. Chris Evans is the biggest plus of this film - his looks that is ;)