Chronicle

My guess is that you have heard of Chronicle. It has had a relentless ad campaign that has included everything from trailers before nearly every movie in the last month to remote-controlled planes dressed up as people flying around NYC. It has almost been too much exposure, especially with a movie that has as much potential to be bad as Chronicle. 


I mean the premise alone sounds like a terrible idea. Three teenagers randomly get superpowers and one of them is obsessed with videotaping so it all gets put on tape. Its essentially a found-footage superhero movie following in the footsteps of Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity 1-3, and The Blair Witch Project. And despite the fact that Chronicle ends up being really entertaining, it is probably the least effective of the pack when it comes to found footage technique (my personal favorite found-footage style movie is BY FAR Cloverfield...probably the most intense movie I have ever been to on the initial viewing).

My life sucks so Im going to crush this car with my mind

As I stated, Chronicle follows a group of teenagers, particularly the near-emo Andrew (played by Dane DeHaan) who mysteriously find superpowers and begin to learn to use them. Along with being a teenager and the typical stresses that that entails, they must learn to "workout" and control their powers which they eventually become pretty good at. Especially Andrew. Andrew has a rough life. His mom is dying, his dad is a drunk and beats him, and he has no friends and has never had a girlfriend. Despite all of this sympathy towards the character, I just really didnt like him. He complains all the time and doesnt do anything about his life...he doesnt try at all to improve his situation. Then he gets these powers and he becomes a little more likable, but not much. But thats the point. By the end of the movie you realize that you were never supposed to like him which is a big kudos to the guy who plays him for making such a believably angsty teenager. In addition to Andrew, his two friends that also get powers are believable, and their play off each other seems very realistic throughout the duration of their time together.

The camera becomes much steadier once Andrew starts controlling it with his mind

Earlier I said that Chronicle is not the best found footage film, and I believe that is because early on in the film, the camera just goes too crazy. Everything is super shaky, the camera gets dropped, kicked, etc. and it becomes annoying. Most found footage films do this to a certain degree to remind you that they are filming on a handheld, but Chronicle over does it. Thankfully this gets rectified when Andrew starts using his mind to control the camera, which means the motions are far more fluid. And speaking of powers...the special effects in the film leave something to be desired. At times they are amazing, and at other times they come across as really cheesy and clearly fake. This level of inconsistency annoys me. 

Maybe Tom Brady could have completed this pass in the Super Bowl?
Ooooo ouch...

But despite me whining like Andrew, the movie is fun, especially once you get past all the things we have seen countless times in the overrun previews. A flying scene and talent show competition come to mind. And once the fun is all done, the movie gets really dark really quick and reminds me of why I loved Cloverfield so much. Would I see it again? Maybe yes, maybe no. Would I recommend this movie? Yes. If you like found footage films and you like superhero films then I dont see why you wouldnt enjoy Chronicle. If you threw up in Cloverfield, stay far away.


A wise man once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." I guess you could say that Chronicle is the movie of what happens when power is given to someone who has none in the first place and doesnt know what to do with it.


PROS:

• I like the originality and the storyline. Both lighthearted and very dark at various points throughout the film. They took the path that most people were not expecting them to and it makes the movie that much better
• The actors really make their characters believable, and without that factor, the movie would have failed big time. The standout is the highly-unlikable, Andrew
• Cool use of powers results in some pretty cool action scenes and experimental scenes
• Realistic? The term doesnt really fit in a movie about superheroes, but the way the kids interact, their lives beforehand, and the slow process of learning their powers just seemed....realistic

CONS:

• This movie was overexposed. I was ridiculously bored for the first hour because I had pretty much seen everything before
• Tries and fails at being existential and philosophical with the question of "What would you do with your powers?" This may just be because I saw the surprisingly deep The Grey last week, but nonetheless, I didnt connect with all the whooey
• At the beginning, the handheld camera shaky tricks are obnoxious and way overplayed. If you are running for your life from a monster, I get it. If you are walking up the high school bleachers? Not so much
• Special effects are inconsistent and super cheesy at times. Its a shame because a movie like this relies heavily on its special effects

Rath's Review Score: 7/10

And speaking of superheroes! I have below me two BRAND NEW trailers for The Avengers and The Amazing Spider Man. Check them out!

The Avengers extended Super Bowl trailer:

And the spanking new (just come out today) Amazing Spider Man trailer:

Enjoy!