Chronicle

Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw
Directed by: Josh Trank
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
2012

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Three high school students (Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan) find a strange artifact in the woods, which gives them amazing powers.

Review:

Tim: Chronicle is a pretty interesting film. On the one hand, it's amazing what was accomplished on a very small budget. It's an exciting, original movie. On the other hand, the pieces were in place for this to be an instant classic, but the execution was lacking a bit. I was simultaneously impressed and disappointed with this film. Let's dive into it a bit more.

The movie reportedly had a $12 million budget. When I hear that, I honestly cannot believe it's true. Director Josh Trank squeezes every ounce out of every penny on this film. The movie's special effects are pretty amazing, and on more than one occasion, jaw-dropping. The movie looks incredible for the budget it has. I love that this movie was able to show us so much with so little. That's one of its greatest strengths.

The film has a pretty interesting story. Three high schoolers stumble upon something strange- we never actually find out what it was- and it gives them amazing powers of telekinesis. As they stretch their abilities, they become more and more powerful. The story isn't original, but I love the way they packaged it. First off, I really liked the dynamic between the three main characters. Two are cousins, but they aren't exactly close- one is a loner and a bit of an outcast. The third is one of the most popular people in school. These three don't immediately have much in common, but their shared abilities bring them together. I found their story and the differences between them interesting.

It is genuinely exciting to see these kids playing around with their abilities. They act exactly as you'd expect immature kids to act- using it to play pranks on people, for their own benefit, and for their amusement. It felt realistic- like if this really happened, this is what you would expect high school kids to do. That's probably what I would have done. However, as their powers become stronger, so do the implications of what they can do with that power. The process of watching this unfold is pretty incredible.

Dane DeHaan did a really good job in the film. He's the movie's most complex, dark, and interesting character. I found him far more rounded and multi-dimensional than I would have expected. I also liked Michael B. Jordan, but wish he had a bit more to do. I thought Alex Russell did a good job, although I felt like his character wasn't as fleshed out. I never really identified with him or understood the motivations of his character. He was good on screen, but he didn't have as much to work with as DeHaan did.

I do want to comment on the "found footage" aspect of the film. I understand that this approach was probably necessary, based on the limitations of the budget. However, this is feeling more and more gimicky, and it doesn't work quite as well here as it did in a film like Cloverfield. The switch from one camcorder to another oftentimes felt pretty forced, and the introduction of police and surveillance cameras felt a bit disruptive. I'm pretty sure that towards the end of the movie there's a few scenes that didn't look like they came from any video source- it was almost as if the producers just gave up. The found footage aspect is interesting, but it also limited the potential of this film. By removing that aspect, the movie could have been opened up immensely. I believe this could have been a truly great movie. However, I do understand the budget limitations. Still, this story could have been truly epic on a bigger scale.

I also feel like the film missed out on an opportunity to really set up a sequel perfectly. I know films shouldn't always be looking at creating a franchise, but towards the end of the movie, I already felt excited about the possibilities for future films. However, the movie wraps up a little too neatly. I suppose I should be happy that the storylines reach their eventual conclusion, but I thought it limited the potential of this brand. Of course, they'll still probably make a sequel, but they lost out on some really fascinating possibilities based on how this one ended.

There were parts of Chronicle that I absolutely loved. It's certainly an entertaining, interesting take on an old story. However, I felt like the found footage aspect really limited the film's potential and the conclusion felt a bit weak. I really liked this movie, but there was too much potential left on the table. I think Josh Trank showed great promise in his directorial debut, but he needs more experience.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Cloverfield, The Blair Witch Project, The Descent