Emeka Nweze
In recent years, we’ve seen countless superhero movies, with all sorts of powers and abilities, most of them coming from other planets. Project Power is different, the powers do not come from mutation, or from exposure to Tesseract energy and the powers are not permanent, which makes it interesting. The abilities in Project Power come from pills that grant unpredictable superpowers for five minutes. The powers in the movie while not new or original, were delivered in interesting ways with amazing visual effects.
Below is a list of powers and abilities in Project Power and how they rank.
1. Pistol Shrimp
Art is one of Power’s original test subjects and is said to be a carrier of genetic material similar to the pistol shrimp. According to him, it “hit you so fast it vaporises the water around it, 800 degrees hotter than the surface of the sun.”Art’s already deadly power becomes more devastating when he takes pill, an action he delays until it is needed as the last resort. He sends waves of power that cut shipping containers to halves, blows away henchmen and causes an explosion. The immense power however takes a huge toll on Art and his body is unable to survive it. He is eventually resurrected by his daughter Tracy.
2. Thermoregulation
This was the first power we saw in the movie, Newt, played by Machine Gun Kelly turned into a human torch after taking the pill. Following an elongated chase with Art, he decided to take three pills at once which obviously thrilled his power. This was however too much for his body, he eventually overdosed and exploded. Thermoregulation is also shown later at a demonstration, but instead of fire, it is ice this time around. The subject would eventually freeze to death as the demonstration was botched.
3. Healing Powers
The first demonstration of this power was when a dealer named Cuello is shot by Art, but after a few minutes comes back to life and pushes the bullets out of his body. Art’s daughter, Tracy also exhibits similar powers, but hers is the ability to rejuvenate living organisms, including plants. She uses her powers to resurrect her dad after he was overwhelmed by his powers.
4. Bullet proof
Just before ignoring orders to stand down and entering the bank, Frank takes a pill. It is not made immediately known what power he has but after a hot chase with the robber, he eventually finds himself at the wrong end of a pistol, pointed at him by the robber. The robber pulls the trigger and that is when Frank’s bullet proof power is revealed. The bullet bounces off his head but leaves him with a bloodshot eye and an indent on his temple.
5. Knife Bones
Inspired by the wolverine frog, which according to Biggie “breaks its own bones to use as weapons.” This power belongs to a man perfectly named Knifebones who among others, uses it to cut through hard steel like its nothing. Unfortunately kinfebones would eventually die by his own bone knives.
6. Supersize/Strength
The ability to rapidly increase in size and strength was possessed Biggie, one of Power’s creators. Following a failed demonstration of the powers of the pill, Biggie takes a pill and immediately grows into some kind of half man, half human monster. He meets his end when he runs into a narrow hallway filled with explosive gas cylinders.
7. Super Strength
Super strength was mentioned earlier in the movie when a caller to a radio station talked about someone who “lifted a car over his freaking head!” We eventually get to see the power in action when Wallace, one of the top henchmen, uses it to pull down a door in the vessel. The power was however no match for a shotgun to the chest.
8. Camouflage
This power was used by an armed robber who later was chased down by good cop Frank, played by Joseph Gordon Levit. He becomes conspicuous when he unwittingly opens the bag of money he stole, causing the dye pack to explode all over his body. He is eventually taken down by Frank.
9. Flexibility
Frank encounters one of power’s henchmen with the ability to twist his body, they both engage in a fight, and of course you know who comes out tops. Interestingly, the role of elastic man was played by real life contortionist, Xavier Day.
10. Super speed
We never actually saw a speedster in action, but the power was mentioned twice, once on a radio station, and the other on a news paper.
