Film Review: Push

Posted in Film, Reviews
By Sam Bathe on 20 Feb 2009

After popular TV show Heroes so successfully captured the super-power idea, during season one at least, it seems like an odd time to release Push. Overseen by stylish director Paul McGuigan, last found helming Lucky Number Slevin, Push imagines a similar world in which a small number of humans boast special abilities.

Ranging from movers, able to move objects without touching them, pushers, able to control people’s thoughts and actions, watchers, able to see into the future and bleeders, able to emit a high-pitched sonic vibration which can harm and kill living beings and inanimate objects, plus several others, those with powers are forever on the run from Division, a secret Government organisation testing augmentation drugs on the gifted.
After surviving the experiment, pusher Kira (Belle) escapes Division and stumbles upon mover Nick (Evans) and young watcher Cassie(Fanning), whom make it their duty to hide and protect her, but with Division only ever one step behind, and Kira’s two saviours on the search for a case containing $6m, safety lasts only for a brief moment.

Despite the sorry state Heroes finds itself in at the current time, Push still can’t match the TV show’s efforts. McGuigan’s picture feels like an art house feature film version of the TV series, following the abilities to a tee and lacking all imagination and creativity.

Though shot with great style and flair, the story lacks depth, Push fails to explain or explore the super-powers in any great detail.
The $6m case plot device feels inadequate to get the film moving, and is thoroughly underwhelming considering those chasing after it have the ability to read people’s minds, see into the future or pick up objects without touching them, though the most aggravating moments in Push come when the bleeders are on screen. Their high powered screams prove to be some of the most annoying scenes in cinema in recent memory, to the extent you’ll contemplate leaving the screening.

Set and filmed on location in bustling Hong Kong, the tight urban street and winding alleyways suit the film perfectly, but this is not enough to save Push from the Oscar season garbage dump.

★★★★★

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