PUSH - movie review, grading, discussion & SPOILERS

[Captain Craig]

My grade: C

Old poster, opens this Friday the 6th I do believe.

That is a generous grade cause the more I think on it the more this is leaning in the C- direction.

I saw this last night at a free screener and when it was over the audience literally seemed to just be happy it was over. No discussion as people shuffled out discussing any cool scenes. No discussion about where a future film might lead. Nothing. Its not uncommon to hear this at screeners I attend, hell opening night movies I've attended.

Was it a case of bad directing?
Maybe it was a sloppy screenplay?
Perhaps some elements are tied up in bad editing?
Even still it could be a combination of them all I suppose.

Plot points seemingly come to furition at times with no explanation. Other plot points are never brought up after the first act. Another plot point is mentioned throughout the movie with no payoff. Now if that is a set up for a sequel then it was handled bad. The other three people I was with felt a payoff and that one point needed to be handled here.

Spoiler: What is the plot point I mean?

Cassie's(Dakota Fanning) mother is shown at the begining. She is shown as having something to do with an escape at the facility she is at. Other characters in the movie mention respecting her. An escape/break out is a desired thing for Cassie. Nothing though.

During the movie you scratch your head at Camille Belle's character(Kira) and say, no way she physically does that. Not in the state they present her. Later a reveal is shown and you begrudginly go "ok, fine I'll buy that excuse" but by then you may not care.

When the movie seems to be heading to a final conclusion it then just ends. I mean a serious fade to black *bang, bang* its over ending. You can't assume that the action they alluded to happend cause you don't see it. Maybe "x" happened and maybe it didn't.

PUSH does nothing to 'push' the envelope of non-comic superhero style movies. It doesn't add anything new or mix anything up.
I thought Wanted was very mediocre last year, yet some seemed to eat that up. If mindless action is what you want then maybe Push is for you. If you thought Wanted was good and "fresh enough" maybe you'll like this.

Its just to mediocre for me. I'd pass on it in a Wal-Mart $5 bin, Wanted I might get.

 

[Agent Richard07]

I'm planning to see this on Saturday. I like the cast and it looks like a fun movie on the level of Jumper or UltraViolet.

 

[Captain Craig]

Jumper was better and that movie had some issues, just not like PUSH.
Can't speak for UltraViolet as I've not seen that one.

Just see a matinee and save yourself a few bucks.

 

[Aragorn]

Ultraviolet might as well have been called CGI: The Movie. It was sort of like Equilibrium (same director)... if Stephen Sommers had gotten ahold of it and spent all the money on the effects.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

So if were to see either TAKEN or PUSH, which should it be?

 

[sidious618]

So if were to see either TAKEN or PUSH, which should it be?

Taken.

Now, I've not seen either but one of these films has Liam Neeson in it while the other doesn't. That's all I need to know.

 

[Daneel]

Jumper was better and that movie had some issues, just not like PUSH.

Oh, that's not encouraging... I thought Jumper was pretty bad. But who knows, different strokes and whatnot.

I've been debating whether or not to see this one. Right now, I'm leaning towards not bothering, unless I just get incredibly bored one day and decide "what the hell". Maybe I'll wait and see if there's an overwhelming consensus when the reviews start coming in.

I also can't shake the feeling that while I'm watching it I'll be asking, "So when do Hiro, Sylar, and the Petrellis appear?" Perhaps I'm wrong and it won't remind me of Heroes as much as I think it will (and I will of course reserve judgement until I actually see the film, if I do), but that's the impression I'm getting from the commercials.

 

[Aragorn]

Ebert ripped this movie, Fanboys, Pink Panther 2 and He's Just Not That Into You. But he liked Coraline.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

... it looks like a fun movie on the level of Jumper or UltraViolet.

That's like saying "that restaurant's food is healthy on the level of Bubonic Plague and AIDS."

 

[Admiral_Young]

Isn't Push an adaption of a comic? Or maybe when I saw the comic it was an adaption of the movie. My friend is interested in seeing this...we'll see.

 

[Captain Craig]

Isn't Push an adaption of a comic? Or maybe when I saw the comic it was an adaption of the movie. My friend is interested in seeing this...we'll see.

No, a comic has been made out of it as a lead up to the movie.

 

[Base_Delta_Zero]

I gave it a B+ because I like movies with psionics and Chris Evans is pretty cool. It clearly suffers from being the first of a planned trilogy, though. Situations and characters are alluded to and threads left dangling that will inevitably pop up/be resolved in a sequel, should there actually be one. The final setpiece battle was crazy-cool and utilized the various powers well, I thought. Acting was meh.

I'd have to say my favorite parts were how the Pushers and Movers were depicted. I don't know that I've actually seen telekinesis or telepathy used quite like that in a movie. Video game, book, sure, but movies don't usually get how friggin' game-breaking these powers should be against normal people or even other psi-empowered people of lesser strength.

Seems like an interesting new world they created. Would be fun to RPG in (tabletop or video game). I wish they hadn't set it in Hong Kong, though. Plot-wise, there was no reason it couldn't have taken place in say, Las Vegas.

Anyway. Entertaining. I found it better than Jumper, easily, but could see the two coexisting in the same reality. As for Heroes, eh, that show doesn't have a patent on emerging superhuman abilities, sinister government agencies and characters seeing the future.

 

[Captain Craig]

I gave it a B+ because I like movies with psionics and Chris Evans is pretty cool. It clearly suffers from being the first of a planned trilogy, though. Situations and characters are alluded to and threads left dangling that will inevitably pop up/be resolved in a sequel, should there actually be one. The final setpiece battle was crazy-cool and utilized the various powers well, I thought. Acting was meh.

**bolding by CCraig**
To me that was the biggest flaw of this movie. I voiced this sentiment several ways to the people I saw it with to which they agreed. However, the reviewer at AICN articulated pretty well.

Even if your goal is to plan a series of movies your initial movie should still have a satisfactory beginning, middle and end. This movie clearly suffers from being too much set up with little to no payoff in terms of a conclusion.

I'm guessing this movie could look worse in the years ahead should it not get to follow-up on dangling elements and barely fleshed out characters.

 

[Psion]

Seems like an interesting new world they created. Would be fun to RPG in (tabletop or video game). I wish they hadn't set it in Hong Kong, though. Plot-wise, there was no reason it couldn't have taken place in say, Las Vegas.

Oh, I'm glad they set it in Hong Kong; as a big city with roots in another culture, it felt futuristic, gritty, and alien all at the same time. I couldn't help but be fascinated by the look of Push. I also agree about the RPG potential of the game. After the movie, my friends and I talked about fleshing it out for a small campaign. Over all, I liked it better than Jumper, which I felt had a neat concept that was cheapened by the execution. Push set about telling a very tight, personal story set in what must be an expansive reality. I have no interest in going back to the cinema to see it again, but I'll pick up the DVD.

 

[DarKush]

I thought the movie was okay, a B-. It started out pretty good, but dragged in the middle-I nodded off once or twice. I had mixed feelings about the setting. On one hand it was different, but at the same time why would US agents think they had authority in Hong Kong? That was never explained.

I did like the concept and the depiction of the various powers though the FX were so-so. Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans, Djimon Hounsou, and Neil Jackson (?) all did well. Didn't like the girl playing Kira-not attractive enough and she was a little lifeless. The Chinese agents were a mixed bag. I did sort of like how Chris Evans kept getting his ass kicked. He was a different type of leading man/action hero.

I think this movie needed more action, a better ending, and a hotter lead actress.

 

[Agent Richard07]

^ Camilla Belle? I think she's plenty attractive. She always gets my attention. They did good casting her.

Yeah, I saw the movie. Decent concept, great cast, and I agree with what you said about Hong Kong, Psion, but the movie was still missing something. And what Kira did at the end seemed like a dumb move. I mean... On a plane?

I didn't know this was supposed to be the first installment in a series. With only $10 million on its opening weekend, I don't see more being made.

 

[Agent Richard07]

As for Heroes, eh, that show doesn't have a patent on emerging superhuman abilities, sinister government agencies and characters seeing the future.

Exactly.

 

[Mr Light]

I just saw PUSH yesterday and I liked it a *LOT* more than I thought I would. It was a solid movie.

It had an interesting and dense story with a lot of twists and turns in a way that reminded me of the original Underworld. The entire plot basically revolved around a complicated issue of precognition, predestination paradox, altered memories and the nature of reality. I actually thought it was very clever. It had I believe NINE different power sets to deal with. The Hong Kong location filming was gorgeous and different from the usual mold. The score and directing were also different and interesting. I thought the acting level was pretty good except for Camilla Belle.

My only complaint is there isn't a lot of powers-on-powers action, but the movie remains fast-paced because they're always on the run and could be discovered any moment. I look forward to a sequel!

Here's one odd thing about the movie; Dakota Fanning is like 13 in this movie but she wears a ridiculously inappropriate short mini-skirt. A really weird choice for the movie...

A question for those who saw the movie: So when a Pusher creates a new memory in you does it stay there permanently? If so that makes that power class WAAAAAY too over-powered. The Shifter's trick only works for like an hour. All they have to do is pass the President in a parade and bam he's your slave for life. It's too much!

 

[Agent Richard07]

^ I was glad to see Dakota Fanning brake out of her "cute little kid" mold and and take on an edgier role along with everything that it required. She had to play a street kid all alone out there in a dangerous world and she didn't pull any punches.

As for the pusher's power. I don't know. Either it didn't last or people were able to reason away whatever false thoughts were implanted, which is probably the same thing if you think about it.

 

[Mr Light]

Fanning was great as always in it. She came off as this bitter, cynical and world-weary little tween, not easy. Her getting drunk was also pretty funny. Wow I just thought of something, wasn't she just in a movie where she got raped? Is she really trying to push the envelope or something here? Is she going Miley Cyprus on us?