Push

Before the film begins, Dakota Fanning’s monologue quickly helps elevate the momentum for “Push.” She educates the viewer of the discrimination her kind has suffered. If one adds the theatrical trailers to the equation, the film seemingly promises a high-action ride and an unique twist to an already well-used plot. While “Push” does begin strongly, its loopholes and unsatisfactory ending eventually botch the film.

Fanning plays Cassie, who’s a psychic with the ability to foretell the future; people like her are called watchers. She explains how inhumane experimentation on psychics began during World War II in hopes of creating a super solider. After the war, governments created divisions to continue the testing on psychics. Ever since, the Division has mercilessly tracked down psychics for experimenting. The one problem this program keeps encountering is that all psychics end up dying after being injected. All changes when Kira Hudson (Camilla Belle) survives the injection and manages to escape with the remaining dosages. A massive manhunt begins throughout Hong Kong to find the Division’s one hope.

Nick (Chris Evans) was only ten years old when his father urgently told him that in the future a girl would come to him with a flower. When she did, Nick would have to help her since the survival of their kind depended on this. Hiding his son, his father is soon killed by Division Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou). Ten years past, Nick is now living in seclusion in Hong Kong until Cassie knocks on his door and explains how he was in her vision. Together they try to find Kira and the drug before the Division can.

While this movie isn’t as a big of a disappointment as last year’s “Jumper,” it does leave behind its own ample amount of unanswered questions. What exactly is the injection? Why doesn’t the government just use the psychics as they are instead of killing them off for the past 60+ years? The list of questions is long and for the sake of space, I’ll leave it be. However, the latter question makes the entire basis of the movie rather silly since the psychics shown appear to be extremely powerful and nearly unstoppable.

The movie introduces several different kind of psychics. The bleeders scream with their mouths wide open, causing people’s insides to bleed. Watchers draw countless pictures since the future’s constantly changing based on people’s intentions. Movers, such as Nick, are able to move different objects. Kira and Division Agent Carver are pushers with the ability to alter people’s thoughts and create false memories.

Perhaps what caused the biggest disappointment was the movie’s stale plot. After Nick’s father is murdered, one might wait anxiously for the girl to deliver the flower. The audience is informed early on of her identity and perhaps all the suspense was taken with that. The plot then became searching for the suitcase Kira had hidden with the stolen drug. The finding of a suitcase is a thin plotline at best, and the filmmakers lengthened the search by inserting multiple fight scenes with the same psychics and an undeveloped love story.

While both talented, the chemistry between Chris Evans and Camille Belle was never convincing. The director tempted to create a tender moment at the end by zooming unusually close to Evan’s bloody face and Belle’s flawless face. The outright difference of their faces doesn’t produce tenderness, save the stark reminder of how much Evan’s character had to painfully endure before finally reaching his girl.

Offensive Content

The movie has plenty of offensive violence, but surprisingly low in the sexual and profanity area. God’s name is profaned a few times throughout the film, and I heard about ten other profanities, including one GD. Kira and Nick do share a couple of kisses, and his hand briefly touches her derriere. Cassie’s skirts are rather short, and there is one scene of her getting drunk in desperation to see clearer visions. It never shows her actually drinking the alcohol, and she falls asleep quickly soon afterwards.

Violence is constant throughout and should be expected since there is a manhunt for Kira. Some women are shown beaten in the film. Kira is slapped and punched, and an evil watcher is slapped by her father. There are several fistfights where blood is generously shown. While the bleeders are screaming, fish are shown bursting, and many people writhe in agony while their ears bled. There are several deaths and shootings. Several people are coerced into committing suicide by pushers. Finally, a man is shown impaled by a stick in his face.

All throughout the movie, the characters worried about the future, even obsessing over it. They tried their best to alter future events. They found that the future was based on their intentions and in a continual state of change. Personally, I feel so safe and relieved that the Lord’s plan of salvation has remained unchanged since before the beginning of time to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Now, waiting for His return, I have no doubt that the events of Revelation will occur exactly as written.

When Cassie was told that she would be killed by a tiger, she became frightened and haunted by the thought. Since God didn’t exist in their world, they were understandably frightened, since they were utterly alone in their existence. In Luke 12:4, Jesus said, “I tell you friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.” In this brevity of life, we should not waste precious minutes with worry, but remain fully confident in Christ. For He did say, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.”

[Fear, Anxiety and Worry… What does the Bible say? Answer]

I personally do not recommend the film. There are better films with similar plots that provide cleaner and better entertainment. In addition, this film does not offer any morale, closure, or most importantly any answers. Much hype was made of Cassie’s mom being the greatest watcher of all time. No introduction was ever made, although heavily hinted that there would be. The film ended with a somewhat indecision of what the next step would be. While I understand that not all movies, like life, end neatly with a perfectly tied bow, the film’s long run was wasted on the same screamers, pushers, and watchers’ fighting, instead of answering at least a few questions.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Mild

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Positive
• Neutral
• Negative
• Young people