Beginning of a new and original franchise!

PUSH

Certification: PG

Starring: Chris Evans,

Dakota Fanning,

Camilla Belle, Djimon

Hounsou, Ming-Na,

Maggie Siff, Lu Lu

Director: Paul McGuigan

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

IT HAS been a while since we last saw child prodigy Dakota Fanning in a big budget motion picture, the last being War Of The Worlds in 2005 opposite Tom Cruise.

Now a young teenager, she no longer looks too much of an old soul, or as freaky as some might say, with her wise-beyond-her-years acting.

But she has somehow developed what I like to call "the hunchback of Nicholas Cage" for this movie. Let's hope it's just her take on the character and not something we need to worry for her at her tender age.

Fanning introduces us to the world of Push with a monologue at the beginning that, if nothing else, sets the rules of the game.

In this world, people with psychic abilities are pursued by an underground government organisation known only as The Division, headed by Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), who wants to use them to create an army of super-humans.

"Movers" can move objects without touching them. "Sniffers" can recall the past by sniffing a particular item. "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 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."

Nick Gant (Chris Evans) is a second-generation, less powerful mover and is convinced by Cassie Holmes (Fanning), a second-generation watcher, to track down Kira Hudson (Camilla Belle).

Kira, a powerful pusher, has just escaped from The Division with a drug that could boost any individual's ability, and Carver has sent sniffers to track her down.

But all watchers have already predicted the three meeting in the very near future, including a Hong Kong mob boss who is also interested in what she carries as he sends out his bleeder sons to capture her.

It is refreshing to see a superhero movie that is not from a pre-existing comic, leaving a lot of room for the storyline to take liberties. But although terms like mutants, telekinesis and psychics are avoided, it still resembles the more famous and more interesting X-Men, thus making Push feel second rate.

It is obvious that director Paul McGuigan tries hard to inject style and grit into the progressions, but some scenes work well while others not as much, a trait often seen in his previous efforts such as Lucky Number Slevin and Wicker Park. However, working with photography director Peter Sova, McGuigan manages to show the chaotic Hong Kong suburbs as picturesque and photogenic. Plus, using an indie film look, he definitely creates 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 a particular group trumps another, just like rock-paper-scissors.

Unfortunately, though, it becomes apparent that he is in way over his head as plot hole after plot hole start to surface. Especially his storytelling towards the end that becomes too confusing and doesn't hold together well. Belle as the "key" to it all suffers the most from the script as she appears bland and aloof. Hounsou once again takes on a role that wastes his massive talent. Fanning as the world-weary young teenager on a daunting rescue mission needs a lot more for her character to be interesting, and Evans seems 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 is far from being the next big thing.

Reviewer's Rating: 4/10

The Brunei Times