Push is a home invasion thriller, and a brutal, pregnancy horror full of suspense. Is the new Shudder movie worth watching? Here’s our spoiler-free review!
Directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell (The Boy Behind the Door, The Djinn), Push is a new home invasion thriller from Shudder, starring Alicia Sanz and Raúl Castillo. The movie follows 8-month pregnant Natalie Flores (Sanz), who moves to America for a fresh start following the death of her fiancé. Using her skills as a real estate agent, she takes on a difficult listing — trying to sell a home with a history steeped in mystery and death.
At her largely unsuccessful open house, Natalie is greeted by one person: an enigmatic man, played by Castillo. As night draws near and Natalie attempts to make her way home, she finds herself stranded. Skulking around in the dark and gloomy house, like a labyrinth in the dead of night, she finds herself stalked and hunted by a sadistic killer; the same psychopath who met her at the open house. The film escalates into a brutal fight for survival. What’s more, she goes into labor — adding another layer of suspense to proceedings.
I had a lot of fun with Push. Its gloomy and foreboding atmosphere works excellently. There’s a claustrophobic element to it, too. In addition, the performances by Sanz and Castillo are outstanding; chilling and frightening. The movie relies on the grim atmosphere and creepy score; there’s no cheap jump-scares, which I liked.
Push leans heavily on genre cliches, resulting in plenty of predictability throughout. It still feels like a film I’ve seen so many times. It lacks a killer uniqueness, which I found in Shudder’s The Rule of Jenny Pen earlier this year, for instance.
Verdict
Despite having a few reservations about the plot, the execution of the film cannot be faulted. The score, laden with dread and suspense, is particularly excellent. The film also reaffirms that both Charbonier and Powell are masters of their craft. The creepy shots and ever-present looming tension is incredibly well-crafted.
While I don’t think this movie hits the heights of their previous The Boy Behind the Door, it’s well worth checking out for genre fans.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
PUSH premieres July 11 on Shudder.
