Even the action’s dull in incoherent ‘Push’

Published 5:18 pm Thursday, February 5, 2009

“Push” isn’t based on a comic book; it just seems like it is: This noisy action flick invents a variety of psychic super-powers for its mutant humans, gives them cool outfits, and creates a vast conspiracy to tie it all together.

Jumping straight from David Bourla’s script to the screen without an intervening comic book seems almost like an unfair shortcut.

The backstory for the film’s world — its reasons for being, its rules and pecking order — is delivered in voiceover during the opening credits.

So if you’re one of those people who used to blank out when the teacher was giving homework assignments or you just can’t listen when a great deal of crucial information is given in a rush, you’ll be missing vital info.

Not that I am one of those people. Er, now where was I?

As best I can piece together, a generation of people with psychic powers is loose in the world, and the government (in the form of Djimon Hounsou) is looking for them, or letting them loose, or trying to improve their powers with possibly lethal injections of super-brain juice.

Our hero, Nick (Chris Evans), is a Mover, a guy who can move things with his mind. His slummy Hong Kong home is invaded one day by an adolescent Watcher, Cassie (Dakota Fanning), whose clairvoyant powers suggest that she and Nick are both in danger.

Nick’s ex, Kira (Camilla Belle, from “10,000 B.C.”), is a Pusher, and the only telekinetic who ever survived an injection of the super-brain juice. (They don’t really call it super-brain juice. I made that up.)

Some of the film’s incoherence might be acceptable if the action sequences were any good, but even at that level “Push” is a snooze. The Hong Kong location shooting adds a little novelty.

“Push” hints at a sequel — either that, or an expected big climax got written out at the last minute.