Push (DVD)

.../> Now, the powers in Push and their similarities.

'''Movers''' – Yep these people have that wonderful power to move things with their mind, just like Sylar from Heroes, in fact, it was so similar, that at one point in the film Nick even used the same two fingered hand movement like Sylar does when he moves things.

'''Watchers''' – they don’t just see the future, no they draw it when they see it. Oh yes, just like Isaac ...
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'''Pushers''' – push thoughts into peoples minds. As Heroes fans will recognize, that is just like Matt Parkman’s mind reading ability evolves into in Series 2. With it even focusing on the eyes, just like it does with Matt sometimes!

'''Sniffs''' – Can find people anywhere just by smelling something they have touched – now this is a slight variation on Molly, who could think about someone, and pinpoint their exact location.
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For once in my life I am up on the films, I think it must be the first time ever that I can say “yeah I’ve seen that”, from ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’, to ‘Burn after Reading’, or ‘Grand Turino, I have seen a lot of the newly released films this year, and last week decided to go and see another, the simply titled ‘Push’.

I had seen it advertised a couple of times, on TV, and at the cinema, and decided that it didn’t really look all that brilliant, and was probably just jumping on the bandwagon of a hugely successful TV programme, and so never intended to go and see it, alas, curiosity got the better of me, and one day with time to kill roaming the long streets of Cambridge I decided to pop into Vue and see whether my preconceptions were right…

The Cast and Characters

Starring in the film as Nick, is Chris Evans, who some will know of from ‘Not another Teen Movie’. Nick is what is known as a “mover” (original naming I know) that basically means that he can move stuff with his mind, he is a second generation mover, sharing the same power as his Dad, who is seen in the beginning of the film.

Cassie, a second generation “watcher”, is played by Dakota Fanning (Taken, War of the Worlds), she can see into the future, her mother was a very good watcher, and was renowned for her skills.

Kira played by Camilla Belle (10,000 BC) is a pusher, which means she can put thoughts into your head.

They are the main three characters in the film, with most of the plot evolving around them.

The Plot

The film opens ten years ago, with Nick and his father running through a hotel, being chased by agents from “the division”, Nick’s father pushes (with his mind) Nick into an air vent so that he can get away, and his father is then killed. Shoot forward ten years to modern day, and Nick is living in Hong Kong, and not as talented with his moving as his father was, unable to even fix a game of dice. He returns home, and soon has Cassie knocking on his door, she has drawn a picture of them and a case of $6,000,000 so has hunted him down so they can find it.

Meanwhile… at the division headquarters, Kira is being subjected to a dose of the drug which the Division have been developing, which is designed to boost her powers, so far though, everyone who has been injected with this drug, has died. Kira becomes the first survivor, but makes a rather swift escape from the building.

The film follows Nick and Cassie as they begin to hunt for the case, and eventually team up with Kira. All the time, the division are using all their man power to track them down.

The film has some rather cool action scenes, and was rather interesting to watch, but the overwhelming similarities to that TV programme were just constantly on my mind. To give it credit though, I think the film has a quite good ending.

The Acting

To be honest I can’t really fault much of the acting, Dakota Fanning was good throughout, although perhaps not quite as good as she was in ‘Taken’, Chris Evans played his character successfully, and it was believable that he was useless with his power for most of the film. I think from the main three, Camilla Belle was the best, and her character felt deepest, and most convincing.

However, while there wasn’t too much fault, it wasn’t the best acted film I have seen, and certainly won’t be winning any awards for it.

Save the Cheerleader

So for anyone who hasn’t as of yet got that TV programme reference, it is of course the absolutely addictive series – “Heroes”, now on season 3 every Monday BBC 2. Heroes was as far as I know a really original show, and produced and directed in a way which makes it unique on TV, especially considering it boasts the budget of many Hollywood films.

For those who don’t know, the main characters have powers, and they just so happen to be very similar to those that are used in the film. OK, so your thinking, “well those powers aren’t much knew, they have been subject of sci-fi for years”. Yes well…

First of all, the plot – it is about, “The Division”, a government agency designed to hunt down the dangerous ones with powers, and features some of these powered people as agents.. wait… just like –_ “The Company” _in Season 1 & 2 of Heroes, in fact- even the ominous name. Also like- Pinehurstin Series 3.

Now, the powers in Push and their similarities.

Movers – Yep these people have that wonderful power to move things with their mind, just like Sylar from Heroes, in fact, it was so similar, that at one point in the film Nick even used the same two fingered hand movement like Sylar does when he moves things.

Watchers – they don’t just see the future, no they draw it when they see it. Oh yes, just like Isaac Mendez from Season 1, the exact same, seeing it then drawing it.

Pushers – push thoughts into peoples minds. As Heroes fans will recognize, that is just like Matt Parkman’s mind reading ability evolves into in Series 2. With it even focusing on the eyes, just like it does with Matt sometimes!

Sniffs – Can find people anywhere just by smelling something they have touched – now this is a slight variation on Molly, who could think about someone, and pinpoint their exact location.

Wipers – Can remove the memories of people, and the wiper in the film uses the same method – placing his hands on ones forehead as The Haitian from Heroes.

Stitchers – they can cure people just by touching them, and guess what? It is just like Linderman could do in Heroes.

Bleeders – Let out a high pitched noise which can shatter glass, and even kill people. Partly original, but very similar to the person Peter was trapped in at the beginning of Series 3, who could do something with sound.

Seeing the similarities yet? Just one more:

In Series 1 of Heroes, it follows Peter Petrelli, who struggles to control his powers but near the end sees him as super powerful, master of his abilities and guess what? Nick is at first unable to control his powers, but gradually gets to grips with them. Need I say more?

Conclusion

I was really surprised how similar it all was really, I expected a slight similarity from the adverts, but it was, in my eyes a complete rip off of Heroes, from the basic plot to the powers themselves, I am surprised Tim Kring hasn’t sued them for it. From massive Hollywood companies I would have thought that there must be some original plotlines lying around somewhere, or perhaps the scriptwriters could have injected some of their own ideas into the manifestations of the powers.

If you can get past the complete copying of Heroes, then maybe you will appreciate this film, I myself saw it as nothing but a copy, and a pretty poor one at that. While the main story line was interesting, and did leave you wandering what was coming next, some bits were a bit too predicable, and I left the cinema, wandering why I had decided to waste £7 on a ticket, albeit that the ending did make me smile.

If you really want to, go and see it, I suppose it isn’t the worst film so far this year, and it doesn’t drag on or make you too bored, but its perhaps one you should wait until it is out on DVD in a couple of years, selling for £2 in a HMV sale…

 

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