Chronicle Review
Chronicle ReviewStarring: Alex Russell, Dane William Dehaan, Micheal B. Jordan
Director: Josh Trank
Year: 2012
Chronicle is the chronicle of three boys who after a mysterious accident suddenly have developed telekinetic like super powers. It’s in first-person film style, as is the popular thing to do nowadays. The three kids names are Andrew, Steve, and Matt. Matt and Steve are kind more typical teenagers, and Andrew is the more socially awkward kid you see hanging out in the back of the classroom with his hood over his head. And once these kids develop their super powers, what is their goal? Is it to save the lives of the innocent by swinging around New York City? No. Is it to become the dark vigilante that Gotham needs? No. They’re teenage kids who use it to pull pranks. And let’s be honest, that’s a lot more realistic. What I like about this movie is how real it feels. This high school scenario (by the way probably one of the better movies where all the main characters are high school students) is extremely realistic, and the kids actually look like high school students, and actually act like high school students. And this takes full advantage of the first person camera take, and actually improves it. I like hearing the ums and ahs of the characters, I like hearing them stutter like real people. I like whenever Andrew’s voice cracks, it feels real. And just the way people react, they all act like real people. Also the first person camera is improved because it uses every camera available, so you actually do get good shots, and it’s not like Paranormal Activity (or at least the first one) where your limited to a single shot most of the time. And Andrew uses the camera as a barrier to people, so it’s always with him, and you believe he actually just wants to film everything for pretty much no reason. He’s weird, and as a weird person myself I totally understand that. I’ve thought about that before, so there. Kind of sad I’m relating to the walking time bomb, but we’ll get to that. Also talking about first person, Andrew moves the camera around with his telekinesis, and this gets some really good shots. But let’s talk about one of the movies greatest attributes, the powers. Usually superpowers are just about always associated with superheroes. A movie like Hancock plays off that by turning a superhero into a person who’s not so heroic. But Chronicle one ups that, and gives the powers to just people, but realistically. Why are superpowers always associated with superheroes? This movie made me think about that, and I don’t know! If you have never daydreamed about flying before, and just being that guy who learned to fly, this is it, you get to see it. And if you have never daydreamed about flying, than you sir or madam have no heart. But it’s not just those awesome moments when they’re flying, everything they do with their powers are fun. In superhero movies they carry weight for their power, and it becomes epic, but in this you can just have fun with it, and I love that. Seeing people pull pranks and just reacting so happily with their powers is so much fun. And you may be asking if your one of those comic booky people, how exactly did they get their powers? Does not matter. It shows you kinda, but in the end it’s a middle finger kind of. And I love that fact too. That part doesn’t matter, dark creepy hole, bright lights, need nothing more. I don’t want some bull shit comic book deep story in every aspect, for once how about just a simple who cares? I like that it does that, maybe not everyone does. But the powers are also detailed, and I felt for once somebody was looking at their powers more statistically and detailed than the actual comic book people. They say in detail the powers are like a muscle, and need to use it to get stronger. Also they have nose bleeds whenever they go to far, and snap it. And I noticed each kid kind of had their own attribute. Steve was kind of the best, he got the cool powers first and lifted the most. Andrew was really precise, and could get little things like legos together. And Matt I don’t know yet, he seems average on powers. All in all, powers are bad ass all the way. And another reason I love the movies is the characters. Andrew is the kid who looks like he’s a bout to shoot up a school given super powers, and that’s scary shit. When he gets smacked around with his dad and gets clowned in school, your just thinking they’re going to die eventually for fucking with him, although I didn’t because I went into this movie blind. And the guy who plays Andrew, I’m sorry I don’t know your name dude, I can’t Google it at the time I’m writing this review cause I don’t have internet, but good fucking job man, that was insanely good. I’ll do a character review of Andrew, but for this just know he is really rounded, and one of the more unique super villains, or super heroes, whatever. Anti-hero? Anti-villain? Oh no, realistic person, my bad. And you got to love Steve, he’s right up there. He’s not a comedic relief, he’s the charisma in the movie, and holds that fun value. Matt wasn’t as cool, but he fit in as a person, and held the story together. He had a weird romance that kind of didn’t really serve a purpose, it had kind of fun kind of annoying dialogue, but it didn’t bother me a whole lot. But in the end I loved Chronicle, it was amazing. But Chronicle like a lot of first person movies like Paranormal Activity are really only amazing the first watch, but that though lingers even the second time. I know it’s amazing, and remember watching it the first time and loving it so much. And I knew I had to have it in my collection, and when I put it in again, the reactions to the flying and pranks aren’t as good. I would say wait a couple years before each watch, but those awesome scenes linger, and they’re hard to forget. So the first impact is so good, that it’s hard to top itself the second time I guess. But worth the five bucks I paid for it? Hell the fuck yes. I’ve heard something about a sequel for this movie, but it really doesn’t need one. I don’t really know how it could have a sequel really after its ending, but it did leave a little opening during its conclusion. I don’t really care, I’d see it, and hopefully it’ll be good. Either way, awesome movie, definitely one of the best of the year, and definitely one of the best (if not the best) of the first person style.
Chronicle gets a 5/5
Spoilers: Definitely skip these spoilers if you haven’t watched the movie, because I’m going in detail. First, sad face, Steve dies. Why? I loved Steve, and he was kind of casually killed. I mean it’s hard to argue with those "oh shit,” moments, but it was actually just hard, but still gripped me. And when he died, movie got serious. Once the fun guy dies, things from there aren’t all fun in games. And I also love the climax. They really went all out on that fight. That was a full scale superhero fight! Cars were flying, people were flying, it was crazy. But then it happened, Andrew was killed. The first time I didn’t know what Matt was doing, then he just kills him, straight up. Sorry, but it was so shocking the first time. This is a hard movie to finish, so I can see why the conclusion wasn’t great. It still was good. R.I.P. Steve, and Andrew, and all those people that died, and that spider, and that guys teeth, and those cars, and that guy that got lit on fire by his own gun, and the mom, and… need I go on?
Badges
Chronicle gets THE CHARACTER BADGE
Chronicle gets THE "CREATIVITY" BADGE
Chronicle gets THE HALL OF FAME BADGE
