Chris Evans pushing himself to the limit

MANILA, Philippines - Known worldwide as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four films, Chris Evans was named Male Superstar of Tomorrow at the 2005 Young Hollywood Awards. Emerging as one of the most in-demand actors, he’s apparently on the way to make it bigger than expected as he leads a stellar cast in this year’s most action-packed sci-fi thriller, Push. The movie also stars Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Djimo Hounsou. Like Evans, they all play the roles of ordinary people with extraordinary powers.

In the story, there is a bizarre world of psychic espionage where artificially-enhanced paranormal operatives have the ability to move objects with their minds, see the future, create new realities and kill without ever touching their victims. The Division, a shadowy government agency, is genetically transforming citizens into an army of psychic warriors — and brutally disposing those unwilling to participate. Nick Gant (Evans), a second-generation telekinetic or mover, has been in hiding since the Division murdered his father more than a decade earlier. To avoid the same fate, he keeps his gift a secret.

Later, Nick surfaces when Cassie Holmes (Fanning), a 13-year-old clairvoyant or watcher, seeks his help in finding Kira (Belle), an escaped “pusher” who may hold the key to ending the Division’s program. Their alliance soon attracts the attention of the agency’s human bloodhounds forcing them to flee for their lives. Wth the assistance of a team of rogue psychics, the duo traverses the seedy underbelly of the city, trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities as they search for Kira. In the finale, they find themselves face-to-face against Division agent Henry Carver (Hounsou), the deadliest of all “pushers.”

Asked about being Human Torch compared to Nick, the mover, Chris answers, “I definitely relate more with the Fantastic Four character because I’m a more open guy. I like cracking jokes and having a good time, and Nick is very internal and shut off to the world, and pretty cold and rude, for the most part. It’s a different character for me, so it was fun and an acting challenge.” On telekinesis, he says: “It’s out there to some degree or another. I can’t say it doesn’t exist.”

Directed by Paul McGuigan, Push is made possible by a breakthrough in CGI technology.