Rating: 4/10

A movie like PUSH, which is about people possessing various powers such as the ability to see the future, moving objects with your mind, or making people believe a lie that you just created, should just have a good time with its interesting but shallow premise. Too bad PUSH gets very little mileage out of a plot that is ripe for some impressive sci-fi action, as it becomes too concerned with trying to create a compelling and moving story that it forgets to be entertaining.

PUSH wants to tell a complex and involving story, but once you get past all the film’s various back stories and forced character drama you realize PUSH is really just a race between good and bad guys to find a mysterious case that contains a powerful item. The main good guys are the reluctant hero Nick (known as a mover because he can move objects with his mind) and the sassy 13 year-old Cassie whose ability to see the future originally brings her in contact with Nick. Of course, Nick at first is reluctant to buy what Cassie has to tell him, but it’s not long till some bad guys show up, and boom, Nick and Cassie’s totally bland adventure is underway.

There is not a lot to say about PUSH because nothing much really happens. Nick and Cassie just go from ally to another using that friend’s power to help find the case, often pausing their quest to have an emotionally forced moment that does nothing other than make the film feel every bit of its 111 of minute run time.

When PUSH does feature an action sequence it is well-done and exciting, unfortunately it has a very noticeable lack of action themed moments. Nick a has battle with a fellow mover in a empty restaurant that serves as one of the few instances that the makers of PUSH actually make interesting use out of its characters powers as the two fire floating guns and often send their opponent flying into the ceiling or walls. The other main action sequence happens during the film’s climax and also features some impressive telekinetic fueled excitement. The film’s action sequences just show the unrealized potential PUSH had to be a solid popcorn flick if it didn’t spend so much time trying to make us care about a story we shouldn’t.