Between Fantastic Four And Captain America, Chris Evans Starred In This Weird Superhero Flop

Superhero movies have evolved massively in the last 25 years, from the time "X-Men" changed how movies based on comic books looked and how people reacted to them, to modern superhero movies dominating the box office. We've come a long way from the time superhero movies seemed to be ashamed of being inspired by comics, with movies like the new "Superman" fully embracing the weirdness, silliness, and sincerity of the source material.

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed the landscape forever, the 2000s were a time filled with experimentation with superhero stories. There was a Disney high school-set superhero movie that featured Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kurt Russell, Lynda Carter, and Bruce Campbell. There was Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider. "The Incredibles" gave us the best Fantastic Four movie to date. And Will Smith and Charlize Theron played superheroes in a bizarre rom-com.

Though there were plenty of hits, there were just as many flops, and for the most part, those who starred in the flops didn't get to come back for the hits. Granted, there are exceptions, like Chris Evans. Before Evans delighted the world as Steve Rogers and became America's ass in the MCU, he played Johnny Storm twice in the "Fantastic Four" (and returned for a third time with his cameo appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine").

In between "Fantastic Four" and "Captain America," however, Chris Evans played yet another superpowered character in the 2009 movie "Push." Helmed by "Victor Frankenstein" director Paul McGuigan and based on a script by David Bourla, "Push" starred Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Djimon Hounsou, and Ming-Na Wen. The movie is set in a world where there are people of various psychic abilities who are being hunted by secret government agencies from across the globe that wants to use them for an army of super soldiers. 

Though the movie was a flop, barely making its budget back, it remains a very underrated superhero thriller.

What makes "Push" great is its take on superpowers and how they are presented. Here, we find purely psychic powers, which are categorized. There are "stitches," who heal people, "watchers" who see the future, "sniffers" who track people, "movers" who can, well, move things with their minds, "pushers" who can implant memories or thoughts in others' minds, "shadows" who can block abilities, "bleeders" who can emit sonic vibrations that cause a lot of damage, "shifters" who can create illusions, and "wipers" who can erase memories. The movie has a very clear ruleset for its own universe, how the different powers work and their flaws and strengths, and the portrayal of the powers is creative and visually interesting and distinct from other superhero movies.

As was the case with many 2000s superhero movies not involving known characters, "Push" has a small-scale story, about finding a case with a special superpower-enhancing drug so that Dakota Fanning's character can locate her mother, who has been held captive for years. There is no fighting back against the government agency that is hunting the people with powers, no saving the world story, and the characters don't even get a permanent respite from the agency. Instead, it's a quick story set in a much larger world, a proof-of-concept more than anything.

Even if the movie didn't manage to make a splash, "Push" remains an entertaining take on superheroes that's worth watching today, especially if you're a Chris Evans fan.