Review: 'Chronicle'

Film: Chronicle
Cast: Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan, Alex Russell
Director: Josh Trank
Rating: ***

 

Chronicle is one of the few ‘found footage’ films like the Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield that doesn’t entirely leave you wishing it wasn’t found at all.

 

The film throws light upon what a bunch of teenagers would do if bestowed with superpowers (No cringing necessary, this isn’t exactly Twilight or I Am Number Four).  While the outspoken, natural-born leader Steve (Jordan), and his friend Matt (Alex) make waves socially (though the latter is inclined to take refuge in the guise of the pseudo intellectual in the company of others), Matt’s cousin, the people-shunning, Andrew is the true perpetual loner on campus.

 

Trapped between a world of social isolation and home environment where he has a terminally ill mother and physically abusive father, Andrew, relentlessly documents everything on his camcorder, one of our eyes into his world, recording every (bemused and repulsed) onlooker and goings-on. His actions do nothing to boost his popularity.

 

When Steve, Matt and he stumble across what is presumably a UFO in a ditch, the trio receive powers which can, on a smaller scale piece together Lego bricks and, on a larger scale, shift vehicles and even fly themselves. To draw comparisons with familiar superheroes, they don’t exactly use their abilities to fight for truth, justice and the American way, and Uncle Ben’s dictum ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ ultimately rings true.

 

Unlike other films of its ilk, Chronicle is interesting, engaging and (at least till midway through) original. After the first half, however, the plot takes a turn for the predictable, with youthful shenanigans such as messing with unsuspecting shoppers at a mall and causing a leaf blower to work its magic on a cheerleaders skirt giving way to scenarios reminiscent of Brian De Palma’s Carrie and Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira.With a relatively modest 15 million dollar budget, the special effects are not particularly unconvincing (spoiler ahead) as seen in a Michael Bayesque orgy of destruction that the film culminates in.

 

DeHaan, with his uncanny resemblance to a young Leonardo DiCaprio, puts up a fine performance as the tortured Andrew who conceals awful angst while Jordan and Russell sprout typical jock inanities like, in a low point in the script, comparing the customary nosebleed that accompanies their psychic activity to a ‘face period’. Writingwise, plot holes and triteness can be overlooked thanks to the effective buildup in the narrative and the degree of character development.

 

Though Chronicle doesn’t see an interesting concept used to its best potential, it is miles ahead of your average Paranormal Activity-type film in terms of how it plays around with the restrictions of that form of filmmaking while genuinely attempting to build up a viewer’s interest with a story and not relying solely on the footage gimmick.