Push
Synopsis
A riveting action-thriller, “Push” burrows deep into the deadly world of psychic espionage where artificially enhanced paranormal operatives have the ability to move objects with their minds, see the future, create new realities and kill without ever touching their victims. Against this setting, a young man and a teenage girl take on a clandestine agency in a race against time that will determine the future of civilization.
The Division, a shadowy government agency, is genetically transforming citizens into an army of psychic warriors—and brutally disposing of those unwilling to participate. Nick Gant (Chris Evans), a second-generation telekinetic or “mover,” has been in hiding since the Division murdered his father more than a decade earlier. He has found sanctuary in densely populated Hong Kong—the last safe place on earth for fugitive psychics like him—but only if he can keep his gift a secret.
Nick is forced out of hiding when Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), a 13-year-old clairvoyant or “watcher,” seeks his help in finding Kira, (Camilla Belle), an escaped “pusher” who may hold the key to ending the Division’s program. Pushers possess the most dangerous of all psychic powers: the ability to influence others’ actions by implanting thoughts in their minds. But Cassie’s presence soon attracts the attention of the Division’s human bloodhounds, forcing Nick and Cassie to flee for their lives.
With the help of a team of rogue psychics, the unlikely duo traverses the seedy underbelly of the city, trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities as they search for Kira. But they find themselves square in the cross hairs of Division Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), a pusher who will stop at nothing to keep them from achieving their goal.
Dove Review
“Dakota Fanning is a good actress” is what I kept telling myself as I watched this long movie, which was actually just under two hours in length but felt longer. Indeed, Fanning is an incredible child actor and she is in many scenes in the film. She says all of her lines convincingly, but unfortunately her character Cassie Holmes uses foul language in a few scenes and gets drunk in another scene. It’s not a very good example for teens who may possibly catch this film.
The movie is about a “watcher” (clairvoyant), which is Cassie, and she and Nick Gant (Chris Evans) join forces to end the corrupt Division’s evil. As a child Nick’s father told him that one day he would meet a young lady who would give him a flower and to trust her. Shortly after meeting Cassie, she indeed presents him with a flower. Then she solicits his help to squash the evil power of the Division. Along the way they deal with the Division’s Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou) who is able to place lies into people’s minds and make them believe it is the truth. In one case he convinces a man who had no brother that he did indeed have a brother, and that another man killed his brother. The man finds the alleged murderer and kills him.
The film has a lot of plot and it drags from time to time but at any rate the movie contains strong language and violence and cannot be awarded our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal as a family-friendly film.