Chronicle

I am a bit partial to a superhero film, there is something quite satisfying about good overcoming evil. I wasn't really inspired by the trailer but went on the recommendation of Dr Mark Kermode and others...

Chronicle follows a high school teen named Andrew (Dane BeHaan) as he chronicles his life on a second hand video recorder. Not only does he record his home life (his abusive father and dying mother), he also records his days spent at school, from the lonely lunches watching the cheerleaders practice to the bullies that roam the hallways, much to his cousin Matt's (Alex Russell) chagrin. Matt wants Andrew to put the camera down and just try to be normal. 

It's Matt who drags Andrew out to a party, and it's at this party the two meet up with Steve (Michael B. Jordan) who is the most popular person in school. He's discovered a unexplained hole in the ground in a secluded area and they want the camera to record what they find. As they delve down into it, they discover something strange, made of crystals and light that disturbs the video quality and gives them telekinetic powers. 

As you would expect from three teenage boys, at first they use the powers they have obtained to amusing effect including freaking out customers in a store and moving cars to confuse a shopper. As the stress of family life gets to Andrew, he finds it harder to control his powers which leads to him self-destructing. 

This is a really well-made and well-thought out film. The story, as far-fetched as it is, actually seems very plausible when you think about how three teenage boys would react to suddenly having super-powers. The three lead actors are impressive and the script is very tight with few lulls.

I know that some critics have been negative towards the 'found footage' aspect of the film, but if I'm completely honest, that didn't bother me as I assumed that it was a 'home footage' scenario rather than 'found footage'.

The last fifteen minutes were a little over the top, but all in all, a really good film that was far better than I thought it would be.

Verdict: Apart from the 'incredible sulk' aspect to the ending, I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining film with brilliant performances from the leads, a realistic script and an interesting story. A very pleasant surprise...