Push
2009; directed by Paul McGuigan

Even with an interesting premise and with some stunning locations in Hong Kong, Push ends up falling apart because it becomes too cutesy and convoluted for its' own good, leaving the viewer confused and annoyed in the process. And if you can sit through Dakota Fanning's performance here without reaching for a shotgun so that you can shoot out the speakers on your TV to save yourself further pain, you're a bigger person than me.

The story is about a secret government organization called the Division, who uses techniques pioneered by the Nazis to create psychic soldiers. Some of the Division's test subjects try to leave the project; one of these is Nick (Chris Evans), whose escape takes him to Hong Kong, where he ekes out a living hustling street gamblers with his ability to move objects with the power of his mind. After a mysterious girl named Cassie who can see the future (Dakota Fanning) visits Nick, he finds himself thrust into the middle of a battle for the possesion of a super-serum that produces almost an unstoppable boost in psychic power.

Push's story is certainly interesing enough to produce a decent sci-fi/action film, and it does succeed in some aspects. When the movie focuses on the psychic battles, it's pretty fun stuff. But the exposition scenes are simply painful to sit through. If you can get past Dakota Fanning's bratty screeching, you'll still have to deal with Chris Evans' deadwood channeling of Keanu Reeves. Even if the acting was passable, there are so many ridiculous plot twists thrown in near the end -- dealing with the ability of certain psychics to implant false memories into other people -- that most people will end up not really giving a rip about what happens to any of the characters.

Though it is nice seeing a large international production using Hong Kong (and some of its' local cast and crew) for something other than a martial arts movie, ultimately any sort of enjoyment the viewer might experience from the "eye candy" via the special effects is shunted aside from a conclusion that tires too hard for its' own good. Like director Paul McGuigan's previous film, Lucky Number Slevin, there's too many flavors thrown into the cinematic stew, and the viewer is left with a bad taste in their mouth at the end as a result.

RATING: 4