Film

Push

Name: Push
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Thriller
Released: 2009
Cast: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Cliff Curtis

A scrappy sci-fi action film about psychics on the run from a government agency in Hong Kong. It's playful and kinetic, all chases and superpowers and banter, with a teenage clairvoyant and a vengeful drifter trying to outthink their pursuers. Fun if you want spectacle without gravity, frustrating if you need plot to hold together.

TMDb rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy slick action thrillers where the powers are the gimmick and the fights are the pleasure, and you don't mind a plot that moves faster than it explains itself.

Skip it if you want the psychic premise treated with real seriousness, since this leans on glossy spectacle and the logic of its powers gets loose and busy.

What it asks of you: Close attention more than patience: at under two hours it moves quickly, cuts between factions and cities, and rewards you for keeping track of who wants what.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Jumper2008

Another post-*X-Men* superhero action film with a young lead, teleportation powers replacing telekinesis, and the same DNA of government chasing gifted kids through exotic locations with style over substance.

But Nearly identical in its slick-but-hollow construction—both feel like demo reels for visual effects rather than stories that needed telling.

The Fifth Element1997

Luc Besson invented this exact energy: maximalist sci-fi action, neon-soaked visuals, a ragtag team assembling around one extraordinary person, humor that never stops moving. The obvious DNA of Push's style.

But Made 12 years earlier and vastly more inventive, so returning to it after Push highlights what Push doesn't quite pull off.

Looper2012

Time-travel action where the real tension comes from outsmarting opponents rather than outfighting them. Smart, kinetic, trusts the audience to keep up with a complex premise without explaining everything.

But More serious in tone and willing to sit with consequences; if you want Push's lighter touch, Looper's weight might feel heavy.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Push

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Paprika2006

Both hinge on the militarization of the mind and the theft of an impossible resource; Paprika just goes somewhere wild with it.

Japanese anime where psychic powers literally let you invade dreams and steal them—a completely unhinged visual fever dream where the same core idea (mental superpowers, government conspiracy, theft) becomes surreal and transformative instead of actiony.

But Deliberately hallucinatory and abstract; if you want plot clarity, the shifting dream logic will frustrate you. Subtitled.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World2010

Hyperkinetic visuals, constant banter, video-game logic applied to real stakes, a cast of weird gifted people fighting an impossible system. Edgar Wright's sensory overload as pure fun, exactly what Push is reaching for.

But The whimsy and music-video editing will feel exhausting if you prefer restraint; some find it dated now.

Inception2010

A heist film where the job is to manipulate mental space itself. Post-*Matrix* sci-fi that actually earns its complexity, with a team of specialists with different talents, high stakes, and genuine visual invention.

But Demands your full attention and rewards it; if you want Push's breezy energy, Inception's architecture will feel like homework.

Elysium2013

Chris Evans as a desperate man with augmented abilities fighting a militarized government apparatus. Neil Blomkamp's flair for action and social texture, with the same low-budget-ingenuity-versus-power dynamic.

But Heavier and grittier than Push; the film's political anger might overwhelm if you just want fun.

The Bourne Identity2002

The template for modern chase cinema: a fugitive with hidden gifts, fragmented memory, government enemies, cities as playgrounds. Taut, clever, and actually suspenseful—what Push wishes it could be.

But Demands realism and discipline; if you want Push's comic-book logic, Bourne's grounded style might feel slow.

X-Men: First Class2011

Young gifted people learning to use powers while hunted by authority figures. Matthew Vaughn's control of action, humor, and character beats, with ensemble chemistry that actually clicks.

But Belongs to an enormous franchise; if you want something self-contained, this will lead you down a 14-film rabbit hole.

Minority Report2002

Psychic powers weaponized by government, a man on the run, futuristic tech as visual pleasure. Spielberg's precision with both action and emotion, a template for the whole genre Push inhabits.

But Polished and big-budget where Push feels scrappy; you might find it overqualified for what is essentially the same premise.

The Peripheral2022

Both are scrappy sci-fi about people outthinking power through misdirection and gifts; The Peripheral just has more runway to develop the idea.

A ragged team of outsiders with impossible resources fighting an unseen government enemy across space and time. Dense, fun sci-fi that loves its world-building and never insults the audience, with the same *let's do this* energy but smarter.

But Genuinely complex and rewards rewatching; if you want something easier, it demands your focus. Two seasons only, so no epic payoff.