Chronicle Review

Rated PG-13 (Intense Action and Violence, Thematic Material, some Language, Sexual Content and Teen Drinking)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 24 Minutes

Cast-

Dane DeHaan-Andrew Detmer

Alex Russell-Matt Garetty

Michael B. Jordan-Steve Montgomery

Ashley Hinshaw  -Casey Letter

Michael Kelly-Richard Detmer

Bo Petersen-Karen Detmer

Anna Wood-Monica

Directed by Josh Trank

With great power...

Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben famously said that with great power comes great responsibility but would Peter be the same man he is today if he grew up in an abusive environment? Despite the risk of oversaturation, superhero films continue to be popular among audiences even if the quality can sometimes be hit-or-miss, ranging from excellent (“The Dark Knight”) to outright awful (“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance”). Similarly, found-footage films have resurged since the release of 2009’s “Paranormal Activity” as they represent both a potentially bankable and low risk investment for Hollywood studios. The first week of 2012 saw the release of “The Devil Inside” which earned an incredible $34 million during opening weekend against a paltry $1 million production budget despite being universally reviled by both critics and audiences alike. Found-footage films have remained in the realm of horror for the most part but first-time director Josh Trank merges it with the superhero genre in “Chronicle.” I have to admit that my initial impressions from the previews were negative as it appeared to be just another in a long line of forgettable found-footage films looking to make a quick buck but I checked it out at the insistence of a good friend of mine. The found-footage approach proves to be a hindrance at times and the CG effects are uneven but “Chronicle” remains a damn good film that boasts some solid acting from its three leads and an engaging script that effectively blends classic superhero origin tropes with elements of a coming-of-age drama. 

Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) is a high school student living in Seattle who one day decides to start documenting his life on video camera. His abusive father Richard (Michael Kelly) is a former firefighter who was injured on the job but now spends his days collecting the insurance and getting drunk while his wife Karen (Bo Petersen) slowly succumbs to cancer. Friendless and often the target of bullies, Andrew spends his days alone but his cousin Matt Garetty (Alex Russell) invites him to a party held at an abandoned barn in an attempt to make him more sociable. This fails as Andrew ends up angering one of the partygoers with his filming and he leaves dejected. Popular student and school presidential candidate Steve Montgomery (Michael B. Jordan) approaches Andrew and tells him that Matt has found something in the woods and wants it to be filmed on camera. The two meet up with Matt at a clearing and find him standing by a peculiar hole cut into the earth. They listen to the sounds emanating from the hole, prompting Matt and Steve to impulsively leap in to discover its origin. Andrew hesitantly follows them and the three come upon a strange crystalline structure. The camera’s feed begins to distort and suddenly cuts to black when the crystal begins to glow an eerie red. After recovering from their encounter in the cave weeks later, the three find themselves endowed with telekinetic abilities and excitedly test them on each other. Exerting their powers causes nosebleeds but Matt theorizes that they will get stronger with use over time. They initially use their powers for harmless pranks but when Andrew inadvertently puts someone’s life in danger, Matt chastises him and decides that they must restrict the use of their abilities in public and around other people. Although happy that he has now found a place where he belongs, Andrew’s demeanor soon begins to change as his anger at all those who have hurt him reaches the breaking point. 

With its first-person perspective and unique take on the classic origin story, “Chronicle” explores the psychological consequences that results when one suddenly finds himself wielding the powers of a god and proves John Dalberg-Acton’s famous remark that ‘power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ One of the things that the film excels at is the interplay among the three main characters with Trank and writer Max Landis building up a sort of journey that they go through while their friendship strengthens thanks to their shared abilities. The focus however is always on Andrew as it initially depicts him as a meek loner who eventually transforms into a vengeful Magneto-like being that sets out to destroy a world that has wronged him. While the idea is certainly a familiar one to avid comic book readers, this ‘birth of a villain’ if you will is grounded in teenage melodrama that is often found in more traditional dramatic fare. There are also welcome nods to a number of comic book origin stories such as Spider-Man. At one point a brooding Andrew sees a spider crawling on the floor of his room and kills it by tearing apart its limbs with his mind. In fact Landis seems to have taken inspiration from Peter Parker but instead of a loving Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Andrew has an abusive father who takes out his frustrations on his son and a mother on her deathbed. Despite what he becomes at the end, he remains a tragic and even sympathetic character, which is quite a feat to accomplish given the film’s economical running time. 

Quite a few laughs can also be had in the first hour as the three friends gleefully pull pranks such as moving someone’s parked car to another location or trying to pull gum out of people’s mouths, with hilarious results. The use of found-footage may be a gimmick but it works right up until the final twenty or so minutes as Trank tries hard to work around its limitations. This approach offers a certain raw intimacy to the proceedings and having Andrew levitate the camera rather than holding it ends up being quite ingenious. However, the final battle is shown through the use of cell phone and security footage, which is edited in such a way that it almost ruins the immersion factor but by that time we are already invested in what is happening so it’s not a total deal-breaker. Landis’ script also falters when it shoehorns in a romance that goes nowhere between Matt and an online blogger named Casey (Ashley Hinshaw). The CG effects can also come off as amateurish such as during the levitation scenes where its painfully obvious that wirework was used but the climax is epic enough to make up for it thanks to its “Superman II”-like scope. Ultimately, these are minor issues and “Chronicle” succeeds because it keeps us emotionally invested in the characters and tells a familiar story in a way that is both fresh and exciting. 

The cast is comprised of mostly unknowns whose work has mainly been limited to television but it allows them to easily melt into their respective roles. Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan all give excellent performances and the natural camaraderie they share helps keep the film grounded in the real world. However it is DeHaan who shines as he slowly turns Andrew from victim to destructive sociopath. There are some truly disturbing scenes where he expresses his contempt on-camera towards people he deems weak and justifies his actions by coldly remarking that ‘you do not feel guilty when you squash a fly.’ The only actor that you may recognize is Michael Kelly, who has held a number of supporting roles spanning both films and television over the years. 

“Chronicle” was released on February 3, 2012 and received largely positive reviews with a surprisingly impressive 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed the film for its ‘smart script, fast-paced direction, and engaging performances from its young, talented cast.’ Shot on a production budget of $12 million, it has already turned a sizable profit with a worldwide box office gross of $81 million so far. While the film leaves the door open for a sequel, I hope that Trank leaves it as is since some things are just better left up to the imagination. “Chronicle” certainly took me by surprise with its strong characterization and script, proving once again that a director does not require massive budgets or excessive CG to create a great film so long as he or she has an original idea and the ambition/drive to see it through. Trank is currently a frontrunner for the “Fantastic Four” reboot and while giving such a huge project to a new director isn’t exactly wise, he has already proven himself capable of handling such a task. This is the kind of new talent that Hollywood should foster.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

“You do not feel guilty when you squash a fly...and I think that means something. I just think that really means something.”