I am not exactly sure how I missed this movie when it was out in the theatres, but apparently I wasn’t the only one.

Push brought in $31,730,682 at the box office. Coraline, which opened the same weekend earned $75,169,351 - over double. (Ironically child, now tween star Dakota Fanning had roles in both films).

Of course I will admit to being completely distracted by the countdown to Watchmen, which opened 2 weeks later. This blockbuster earned over $100K at the theatres. So it is no wonder that Push got swept out the door quickly. It is too bad that it did, though.

The creators of Push obviously grew up when I did, having seen “Firestarter” and “Scanners” and taking inspiration from them. Every review I’ve read keeps comparing it to “X-Men” and “Heroes” – but in my opinion it really bears much more resemblance to the earlier films.

Basically the story goes like this: back in WWII the Nazis began experimentation on people in order to try and create psychic soldiers that could go into battle. Soon other countries joined in on this. However, once the war finished, the experiments did not stop. The major powers each developed research facilities called “Divisions” in order to continue research into the psychic phenomenon. Soon the purpose of Division was to locate children with these innate abilities, take them from their families and bring them back to Division to be studied and trained in the use of their power.

Fast forward to present day Hong Kong and we meet Nick (Chris Evans) a “mover” or person with telekinesis, the power to move things with his mind. The only problem is that he is not very good with his power. It is weak and he cannot control it well, so he basically uses it only to cheat in local betting matches. His mediocre life is turned upside down when he is first visited by agents from Division looking for a girl that has escaped their grasp; a “pusher” of extraordinary talent. Pushers can force you to believe or do anything they want. They badly want to find this young woman.

The agents are swiftly followed by a young teenager that walks into Nick’s apartment like she owns it. She identifies herself as Cassie (Dakota Fanning) a “watcher” or someone who can glimpse the future – or at least the future as it is set now. Any change in decision can change the direction the future is headed. Cassie needs Nick to help her locate the pusher & a case she is carrying. She says because there is money involved – but we find out later there is a much more personal reason behind it. Of course she does have some bad news to impart, “Right now, our future is not that great…I haven’t even gotten to the bad part yet. We die.”

There are some plot holes and it feels a bit jumbled at times, but what this film lacks in sophistication and polish it makes up for in its characters, action, and suspense. I wish it might have slowed down a little. There was a lot crammed into 110 minutes!

Yet all of that makes for an extremely intense movie. The plot will keep you guessing, especially towards the end when Nick and Cassie are trying to get the case and stay alive. Even the characters themselves don’t know what they are going to do, because the only way to stay one step ahead of Division is by not making any decisions or plans.

This movie has great special effects, but it does not rely on them the way many movies have come to. It is like they are kind of thrown in as an afterthought. The telekinetic gunfight is loads of fun, though! And anytime the Chinese “bleeders” step in (men who scream at such a high pitch that the concussive force breaks everything around them) the effects are impressive.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the ending – they left it open as so many movies do these days. Since it didn’t do well in the theatres it is very unlikely there will be a sequel, and I am not sure that would be a good idea anyway. I could easily see this becoming a television series on the SciFi channel à la “StarGate”, however. (Here’s crossing my fingers!)

Push is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, brief strong language, smoking and a scene of teen drinking. This is one that I didn’t mind my kids watching at all (well not the 6 year old, but my 12 and 17 year olds - no problem.)