Push is about young American people with powers trying to elude and then topple the Division, a government agency experimenting on people with powers. In this world, there are movers, that can move objects, watchers with clairvoyant skills, pushers, that can control people’s minds, stitches that heal people’s bodies and much more people with abilities. Each of the factions in this film play off their powers against one another, trying to get the upper hand and find a mysterious briefcase containing a syringe with a new formula that can increase their powers. Who will get the briefcase first?

The cheaper Samuel L. Jackson evil black guy and the chick from 10,000 BC

When I saw the trailer for Push, like many moviegoers, I immediately saw the connection with Jumper. The main problem with movies is that it’s often hard to know what production was started first and was able to get out the door before another. There’s been several instances of DreamWorks coming up with movies, such as Antz, where they clearly were inspired by another production going on, like Pixar’s A Bugs Life. In the case of Dreamsworks, they’ve done it so often that they’ve been called out about this several times.

Flame on

Needless to say, neither Jumper nor Push are exceptionally original concepts for comic book readers. While many may see a closer connection with Heroes, the X-Men trilogy of film is quite more powerful and potent than either movie. I find that both Jumper and Push are similar to the Underworld movie trilogy. They try to explain and categorize a genre that has gone on with little definition in the past. Doing so, they take but a parcel, in the case of Push, of something like psychic mutants and try to run with it. Doing so, they create their own mythologies and rules. But when looking at them, there are no obvious reasons why Push and Jumper should not coexist in the same universe – save for the varying interests of the studios backing them. And this is where movie franchises like the X-Men do things better. Because the X-Men have had years to develop, their mythology is greater and more encompassing than that of either Jump or Push.

The effects were not as cool as the Fantastic Four or the X-Men's Jean Grey

Having said this, Push is relatively better than Jumper, expanding the concept just enough to make it more interesting. For example, there are far more types of powers involved in Push. The story is also much better although it is riddled with plot holes. On whose side was the stitch with exactly? The biggest plot hole, of course, is how Hick Gant, played by Chris Evans can even cook up a plan so thorough as to elude the villains and not be picked up by the opposing Hong Kong watcher?

Adding some brains to the film

The other main criticism that I have about this film is how the bad guys all had powers of their own. Why did they ever agree to work with their government? What motivates them, when they are all seen as lab rats? I wish the movie would have explored this further.

Visually, the tapestry of this film, shot in Hong Kong was a better touch. It was far more interesting than if it had been shot in yet another North American metropolis. The architecture, the rich faces of the Chinese people gave this film a texture that such epic usually lack. The effects were good enough, although not majestic.

Both Jump and Push seemed to have problems at the box office. If I were their respective producers, I would make a sequel that combined both, much like the new Alien versus Predator franchise. Perhaps then, the fans of both movies could make a substantial effort to push this sequel into respectable numbers.

Annoying beyond limits