Although I was expecting a predictable, emotion-centered chick flick to fill my evening hours, I was looking forward to the emotion capturing relationship-writing of Jason Katims. When I found out that the movie I had come to see, The Vow, was sold out, someone else in line recommended Chronicle.
I came in with no expectations and left with mixed feelings. Chronicle tells the story of three high school students who discover a mysterious blue pulse emanating from a large stone within an underground cavern. Their encounter with the mysterious object grants them telekinetic powers. Chronicle features many sci-fi elements, but the film itself does not tell a story of science fiction, but rather the story of a troubled boy, his new found friends and their adventures in telekinesis.
Andrew, a loner with a terminally ill mother and an alcoholic father, records the events of his life with his video camera with his cousin and only friend, Matt. Most of the film is made to look like it was recorded with Andrew's camera, which unfortunately leaves Chronicle view with the obnoxious headache that is coupled with the jitter cam effect. Steve begins as a walking big man on campus stereotype complete with Letterman jacket and student president candidacy, but soon develops friendships with Andrew and Matt. Together, the trio explore a cavern and discover a mysterious stone and are granted the power of telekinesis.
What does this group do with their powers? They're teenagers: they goof off!
Really, Chronicle's noble effort was its attempts to cover a range of topics that were so broad that there was no way that all of them could possibly be given adequate attention in the film. Many promising topics were touched on that could have been fleshed out to tell an incredible, focused story. Intriguing plots could have stemmed from Andrew's terminally ill mother, his alcoholic father's backstory or redeeming characteristics, a campfire scene that displayed different sides to Steve or Matt's developing personalities, the ramifications of the the action-packed ending, and the possibility of a sequel. There are many loose ends that will leave fans theorizing indefinitely, but those searching for answers will forever be left in the dark.
Another one of Chronicle's greatest weaknesses is that it devotes an inordinate amount of time to a set of subplots involving a stereotyped wild high school party that feels like it was pulled straight out of a teen sex comedy whose primary function is to force Andrew further into depression after public embarrassment. These subplots feel as though they were added forcibly after some executive meddling so Chronicle could be marketed from different angles.
Chronicle's greatest strength is its moment of discovery. Matt and Andrew meet Steve at an abandoned industrial complex outside of Seattle. Steve is on top of a building and floats in the air. Matt and Andrew want to join Steve in his blissful aeronautic frontier in what is one of Chronicle's strongest scenes. As an odd afterthought, Chronicle's discovery of flight scene resembles the bubble tunnel scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
In his review, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times strays from his stereotypical unbridled hatred for some movies. Ebert found Chronicle to be uncommonly entertaining. Ebert particularly enjoyed the way writer Max Landis and director Josh Trank were able to create convincing, realistic teenagers.Ebert remarks that if the characters can pull pranks by lifting a leaf blower with their telekinesis, they should also lift the camera for proper steadicam shots.
In contrast to Ebert's criticisms, I found Chronicle's lack of a central goal left viewers generally without a driving force pulling them to the edge of their seats. It was unpredictable, but not instead of attracting viewers to the plot, viewers were able to find solace in the swift characters amongst the stagnant plot lines that were supposed to drive the first two acts. The trio of Andrew, Matt and, Steve really grow as characters throughout the film and gradually feel like more than just characters, but genuine people.
Ben Kendrick of Screen Rant also feels that Chronicle is a breath of fresh air for found-footage films and finds the use of found-footage outside of a horror movie to be a particularly attractive feature. Unlike other found-footage films, . Kendrick praises Chronicle's excellent character dynamics and development. Unlike some similar recent films such as Green Lantern and The Devil Inside, Chronicle is a more noble attempt to showcase a genre mash-up.
Chronicle and the 1988 Japanese film Akira share many similarities. Both films share similar plots and demonstrate the thematic elements surrounding the characters' struggle for power and the great responsibility that accompanies such profound gifts.
A major concern of my fellow moviegoers is how obnoxious the jittery camera is. Despite this, I have read about the cast and crew to discover that Josh Trank is the youngest director to direct a chart topping movie.
One aspect of Chronicle that is particularly unique is its marketing campaign. Chronicle teamed up with viral marketing agency Thinkmodo and made headlines with their flying robots that cruised around New York City's airspace to promote Chronicle's theatrical release.
Chronicle is important because it documents a period in film-making when found-footage was all the rage. In addition to being known as just another found-footage film, Chronicle will be remembered as a story about the struggles surrounding super-human, telekinetic powers and the madness can overcome those who try to command them.
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