Push (4/10)

Is it just me or did Dakota Fanning developed the “the hunchback of Nicholas Cage”? Let’s hope it’s just her take on the character and not something we need to worry for her at her tender age.

So, just a short recap on the special abilities that were more like rules of the game. “Movers” can move objects without touching them. “Sniffers” can recall the past by sniffing on one’s possession. “Watchers” are clairvoyants who sketch out images of the future. “Pushers” can create believable lies in the minds of others. “Bleeders” are banshee-like individuals who use their screams as weapons. “Shifters” temporarily change appearances of objects. And “Stitchers” can heal as well as they torture.

The setting resembles a lot like the first season of Heroes. There is even a line in the opening sequence that may as well have been verbatim to the hit TV series’ catchphrase, “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”

It is refreshing to see a superhero movie that was not from a pre-existing comic book, therefore there was a lot of room for the storyline to take liberties. But even though terms like “mutants”, “telekinesis” and “psychics” were avoided like a plague; it still reminded a lot of X-Men, thus making Push feels second-rated.

It was quite obvious that director Paul McGuigan tried hard to inject style and grit into the progressions, but some scenes worked well while others not so much.

However, working with his photography director Peter Sova, McGuigan managed to show the chaotic Hong Kong suburbs as picturesque and photogenic. Plus, using the concept of “indie” filmmaking, he definitely created a niche appeal and a good substitute for green-screen special effects.

Writer David Bourla, left to his own devices for the first time, has done well in creating a setting whereby one particular class trumps another, just like a game of rock-paper-scissors. Unfortunately though, it became apparent that he was in way over his head as plot holes after plot holes started to surface. Especially his storytelling towards the end that became too confusing and didn’t hold together well.

Camille Belle as the “key” to it all suffered the most from the script as she appeared bland and aloof. Djimon Hounsou once again took on a role that wasted his massive talent. Fanning as the world-weary young teenager on a daunting rescue mission needed a lot more for her character to be interesting, and Evans seemed to be struggling with the weight of the movie on his shoulders.

Perhaps with a better writer, this movie may just have been the beginning of a new and original franchise. But sadly the end result of this very promising premise was far from being the next big thing.