Double Reviews: “PUSH” and “THE INTERNATIONAL”
Below are reviews of two movies I have recently seen - ”PUSH”, which stars Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou; and ”THE INTERNATIONAL”, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts:
Double Reviews: “PUSH” and “THE INTERNATIONAL”
”PUSH”
Directed by Paul McGuigan, this science-fiction thriller is about a group of psychic people who band together to stop a government agency from using a dangerous drug to enhance the abilities of other psychics. Hmmmm. I could go into detail about the movie’s plot, but that is all I am willing to disclose. Quite frankly, there were times I found the story rather convoluted and confusing, despite Dakota Fanning’s narration. I do know that Dakota’s character - a seer (or Watcher) named Cassie Holmes - seeks the help of Nick Gant, a telekinetic (or Mover), to get her hands on the drug that has already been used successfully on Nick’s old girlfriend, a telepath or Pusher (Camilla Belle), in order to use as a bargaining tool to get her mother - another Watcher - out of prison.
”PUSH” featured some first-class visual effects supervised by Mark Meddings. And it can also boast some solid performances - especially by Fanning as Cassie and Djimon Hounsou as Agent Henry Carver of “Division”, Nick and Cassie’s intelligent and relentless nemesis. But David Bourla’s convoluted script nearly made it impossible for me to truly enjoy this film.
”THE INTERNATIONAL”
Clive Owen and Naomi Watts star in this political thriller about an Interpol agent and a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney’s investigation into the illegal activities of a corrupt international bank. Directed by Tom Tykwer, ”THE INTERNATIONAL” was inspired by the 1991 Bank of Credit and Commerce International banking scandal. I would not exactly call this the best political thriller I have ever seen. One reviewer had claimed that this movie seemed more like the middle of a trilogy, instead of a stand-alone film. Quite frankly, I can see his point. The movie began with the investigation already in process and ended on a very vague note. The best thing about ”THE INTERNATIONAL” was the gunfight in Manhattan’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, bloody enough to rival the famous shoot-out in 1995’s ”HEAT”.
The movie boasts some first-class performances by a solid cast. I was especially impressed by Owen’s passionate portrayal of the relentless Interpol agent Louis Salinger. Although, I must admit that I was not impressed by his common intelligence. Especially by the end of the film. And I found Armin Mueller-Stahl’s performance as Wilhelm Wexler, an ex-Stasi agent turned troubleshooter for IBBC, rather intriguing. Although I found his desire to assist Salinger in the latter’s takedown of the IBBC a bit rushed. Despite a slight dissatisfaction with the movie’s ending, I found ”THE INTERNATIONAL” somewhat entertaining.