(2012) 3.5 Jeremy Wheeler Villains rarely get the lead-character treatment in Hollywood, and that alone makes Chronicle worthy viewing if one is craving a unique found-footage film. Imagine an X-Men movie in which the narrative follows the loner kid who gets superpowers, becomes popular, then spirals into madness once his crummy domestic life becomes too much. It's a fascinating -- and bold -- premise that screenwriter Max Landis and director Josh Trank have concocted for what is otherwise a straightforward Hollywood release. Though Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) at first seems insufferably emo (his initial bummed-out line readings are pretty terrible), this is one character arc that's a welcome change of pace compared to the cinematic superhero tropes audiences have come to expect. The picture opens as Detmer starts videotaping his life, which is filled with verbal and physical abuse from both his father and bullies at school, along with a tragic home life that revolves around his terminally ill mother. Things turn around one night when he and two fellow students are given telekinetic powers after discovering a mysterious crater outside a rave. Soon, the three develop their gifts and go through the highs and lows of this newfound responsibility, with Andrew becoming a darker force each day as his inhuman powers grow stronger. On the technical end, the movie finds a number of satisfying ways to capture the action on camera -- which is quite the revelation when dealing with the found-footage artistic style. And while the picture may push the boundaries of this shooting aesthetic a bit too far in the end, forgiving viewers will be happy with the fantastic eye candy that's being delivered. Ironically enough, though the picture excels at breathing new life into the world of handheld fiction on the big screen, its stringent use of personal cameras could be considered a hindrance. While there are legitimate reasons why the main character would turn psychotic, there's never a clear reason as to why he is always filming himself -- even though the dialogue is filled with endless references to cameras, which in and of itself becomes bothersome. Still, Chronicle is quite an achievement, and it's a film that genre enthusiasts should not miss.

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Chronicle (2012)

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Chronicle

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Violence
Profanity
Sexual Situations
Youth Substance Use

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category

Feature

directed by

Josh Trank

countries

USA

release date

February 3, 2012 (USA)

run time

83 min.

produced by

Davis Entertainment Company, Dune Entertainment

released by

20th Century Fox

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Chronicle

Chronicle

Chronicle

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Chronicle (2012/ I)

Chronicle (2012/ I)

Chronicle (2012/ I)

Chronicle (2012/ I)

by Jeremy Wheeler synopsis

A loner (Dane DeHaan) escapes his abusive home life and discovers a mysterious crater that gives him and two fellow high school students psychokinetic powers in this found-footage-style superhero film from director Josh Trank and screenwriter Max Landis. DeHaan plays Andrew, a angsty teen whose mother is dying and whose father takes out his violent frustrations out on the boy. As a result, Andrew starts filming everything around him, including the dreadful night that he, his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and the soon-to-be senior class president, Steve (Michael B. Jordan), wake up with superpowers after exploring a condemned piece of land housing an unexplained power source. The three bond over their newfound abilities, with Andrew clearly leading the pack in terms of control and strength. Despite their noble intentions, a darker streak appears in one of them as the other two try to take control over a situation that soon spirals into homicidal madness -- all of which is captured on camera.

characteristics

- Psychic Abilities

- Control

- Miraculous Events

- Discovery

- Crisis Of Conscience

- Teen

related movies

CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE