★ 6 / 10
***People with various mental abilities fighting each other
Wuchak
***People with various mental abilities fighting each other in Hong Kong over a suitcase*** Three individuals with mind powers in Hong Kong (Chris Evans…
***People with various mental abilities fighting each other in Hong Kong over a suitcase***
Three individuals with mind powers in Hong Kong (Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning & Camilla Belle) vie with agents of a shadowy government agency called the Division over a mysterious suitcase. The super powers include pushers, who can push thoughts into other’s minds; movers, who have the power of telekinesis; watchers, who are seers; sniffers, who can find others; shadowers, who can block watchers and sniffers; screamers, who can attack through shrieks; and more. Djimon Hounsou plays the head agent of the Division.
“Push” (2009) is a thriller that combines the style and themes of “Lucy” (2014) with the surreal take on a major Asian city of “Lost in Translation” (2003). Imagine the abilities of Professor X, Jean Grey and Magneto of the “X-Men” flicks, but without the costumes and superhero trappings, and you’d have a good idea of “Push.” The setting of Hong Kong is a highlight, but it focuses mostly on the working class underbelly rather than the posh areas of Tokyo seen in “Lost in Translation.”
The style is hip and kinetic, like “Lucy” and “Eye of the Beholder” (1998), and the film does a good job of keeping the complicated elements understandable to the viewer. There’s also a quality score/soundtrack. Yet it’s the least of all these pics mentioned. The story’s just not as engrossing, but it’s not too far off either. The Division is suggestive of MK Ultra on steroids.
The film runs 1 hour, 51 minutes and was shot in Hong Kong.
GRADE: B-
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★ 6 / 10
Not too bad
Sergiodave
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…
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'.
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★ 5 / 10
Weak plot, OK action, confusing...a good rental don't see in theater
goods116
***PROBABLE SPOILERS*** First, to be clear, I love action movies, I crave the latest superhero movie, I like Lost, Heroes, etc., what I am saying is that I can…
***PROBABLE SPOILERS*** First, to be clear, I love action movies, I crave the latest superhero movie, I like Lost, Heroes, etc., what I am saying is that I can enjoy mindless action or sci-fi for what it is.
That being said, Push was a weak film on most levels. The Honk Kong setting was the only positive, but not enough to carry the film. The problems were multiple, and the movie ended up being incoherent. Some of the problems: (1) The origin of these people with powers makes no sense; (2) The intro scene with the hero as a boy tells us little; (3) How did all these people, and a 13 year old girl end up in Hong Kong?; (4) One minute he can't move dice and one day later he is all powerful?; (5) In general, how the powers work seem inconsistent; (6)The characters come in and out with little explanation to their connection to the story and why they are there or how they got there -- this is probably the biggest weakness; (7) the main plot line is muddled ; (8) many loose ends -- what happened to the mother?
Some of the fight scenes are OK, and as I said, Hong Kong, but the movie was nothing more than a sequence of scenes with characters that just show up randomly and confront or attack each other or hideout. This is probably OK to watch on HBO or on a plane, but don't spend 2 hrs in a theater.
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