Push is one of those movies that a critic could rip to shreds on the holes and wild coincidences that keep the plot moving along. Every character seems to have a super power that only gets half explained. The movie seems incomplete, or at least sequel ready. Well, I say, bring on the sequel because I loved this movie with all it’s flaws. Push is the most entertaining movie I have seen in the last six months.
The movie opens with Nick witnessing his father getting killed by a secret government agency known as division. Nick’s father has mental powers that division want to control and use as a weapon. They also like to experiment on gifted people, which often ends in their death. Nick likewise has the mental powers. He has telekinesis, but does not fully understand all that he can do.
Ten years later Nick is earning a meager living in Asia, using his powers to cheat at dice games. That is until division shows up asking about a girl, Kira, who has the ability to influence people, and who has recently escaped from Division. A younger girl, Cassi, who can see the future, also shows up at his doorstep, with predictions that Nick must help her, even though their future looks bleak.
Nick then finds himself in a world of people who have different mental powers. He and Cassi do battle with a Chinese mob and Division to help Kira, and bring down Division. The first thing Nick learns is that he does not know his own potential. He finds that out as soon as he takes on Division leader Henry and his body guard Victor, who has the same telekinetic ability. They battle like two Jedi Knights without light sabers.
Evans is good in a role that relies more on action than dialogue. I recall thinking that his Human Torch was the only decent character in The Fantastic Four movies. I chalked that up to the character, but perhaps I should give Evans more credit. He carries this movie, playing a role that in lesser hands, lets say a young Jean Claude van Dam, could have been ridiculous.
The real treat for me though is Fanning. Can this girl ever stop being impressive? Early in the movie she is called twelve, and corrects the mistake by saying she is thirteen. Hell, she could have said she was twenty three and I would have believed her. Fanning plays her role with the most amazing maturity. The audience laughed out loud when she got drunk.
I do not give credit for this film to the director, Paul McGuigan. In fact, he is actively working against this movie. Too often we have to sit through grainy footage as if all of a sudden he switched to cheap video. He also likes scenes of an actor walking about with songs playing in the background. Credit for this movie goes to writer Paul Bourla. Finally, we have an entertaining movie not based on any other source material.
Sure this movie has all kinds of plot holes and points that make you think, “How could they...?” But if you consider that almost everyone in this movie who has a line of dialogue, has a mental ability, then you have to excuse those questions. Push is not a movie for thinking about, it is a movie for sheer escapist entertainment. If you like your action/science fiction/superhero movie served cold then Push is the movie for you.
