Push (2009)

When I saw the trailer of Push,I thought it was going to be one of those cheap movies made at low cost in order to getting a release during the low seasons of the cinematographic industry from the year.The fact that this movie went completely unnoticed when it was shown in cinemas from the United States confirmed my very low expectations with this movie.However,I won some enthusiasm for this movie when I knew its director was Paul McGuigan,whose previous movie, Lucky Number Slevin,was an entertaining rehash of the formula which was popularized by Lock,Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and its many imitators.When I finally saw Push,I took a very nice surprise with it.It's not a great film,but I found it to be a solid and very entertaining thriller with an ingenious screenplay and interesting characters.The story from this movie is developed on Hong Kong and it was an excellent decision to do that,because the exotic taste from that city makes the movie richer,not to mention the obvious possibilities of comparisons with the popular TV series Heroes go down.McGuigan's direction is perfect.He puts to this movie a good level of energy and dynamism,but he recognizes the moments in which the narrative requires a more subtle and controlled work.The direction is,by my point of view,the best element from this movie.I also appreciated the sober use of the special effects,because they only appear as authentic auxiliaries to the story.The cast is very competent.Chris Evans shows energy and conviction on his role; Dakota Fanning confirms she has left behind her past as a mini-adult,for becoming into an excellent juvenile actress; the great Djimon Hounsou brings a lot of style and energy to his character; and Ming Na is also pretty good on her role.The important fails from this movie appear on the ending.On that moment,the movie shows absurd exaggeration for finally concluding on an ambiguous and not too satisfactory note.But,in spite of that,I had a very good time watching this movie.I took a very nice surprise with Push and I recommend it because,although it is not a great movie at all,I found it very entertaining.

Fmovies: The trailer for "Push" did not give me a desire to see it in the theater... It was actually a last minute choice to go see it in hopes to see a good action movie. I was certainly surprised -- I have heard some bad reviews of this film, but I must say the choice to go see it was WORTH my time. The story was excellent and pieced together very well. The way it was written was something I rarely see in movies anymore. Most directors rely on special effects and explosions anymore, but "Push" used it's action/CG as a companion to the plot. The plot's structure was on the line of "The Jacket" or "Burn After Reading" where details, no matter how subtle, seem to twist and mesh into a well-thought-out idea. The little visions of the future and appearance of random characters are not meant to be simply passed off. You are allowed to think in this one... What a nice change! Switches between the gritty and crisp, colorful filming worked well in bringing a certain mood to the appropriate scenes (which also looks brilliant on BluRay). The actions scenes were great as well... With the company of the Pushers' powers and the manipulation of people and objects around them, those scenes did not usually go in the direction I anticipated.

This is not fair to call "Push" a "super hero" movie. It is not really a super hero movie, nor is it a traditional action movie; I believe this was the intention. The bolder science fiction basis kept the plot focused and within the realm of "its own" feel and stayed away from the "everything everyone else is doing" feel. Actions scenes were powerful yet short; I was left wanting more, so when the next series of craziness began I was more involved and appreciated it more.

Sure there were some editing flaws, but even major blockbusters going back to "Jurassic Park" have issues. Even still, I have found that some of these reported "flaws" in "Push" are incorrect after viewing it for a second time on BluRay.

As a final note, the entire cast held their roles wonderfully and left a lasting impression of each of their characters. I guarantee that if the original cast chose to return, I would be in line for a "Push" sequel on opening night.

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.

Push fmovies. While there have been superhero genre films, there is something about the way that Push takes you through the back alleys, fish markets and pint-sized hotel rooms of Hong Kong that sets it apart and makes it palpably exciting. It is exotic, but this is no fantasy world, it is a dirty reality that the characters inhabit.

Fitting perfectly with this is the lack of a clear hierarchy of super powers. In most superhero films, there are clear levels of powers, and you know exactly which characters should be stronger than others, but Push has a perfectly muddied picture – we're on the edge of our seats, because we don't know who should win. It feels oddly realistic.

Chris Evans rises to the occasion as usual as the semi-powerful protagonist, Nick, mixing in his trademark cocky funny attitude with a subtle melancholy outlook. Dakota Fanning is definitely growing up, and she is highly likable as the adolescent future teller. Camilla Belle is gorgeous, and Djimon Hounsou is as intimidating as ever as the primary villain.

It's weird to see people compare this to Jumper, because while Jumper was filled with cheap tricks, Push has you talking about the movie when you leave theaters, and thinking about its concept long after. I really like the universe it created, so I really hope we'll get to see it again with a sequel!

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.