Chronicle

Supernatural abilities and emotionally frustrated individuals don't exactly go together, which Chronicle shows in a very interesting way. It's got absolutely great gradation and for 12 million it managed to produce a lot of music. A non-mainstream variation on superhero (or super-villain) movies that works very well with the characters on a very frugal screen and creates a pleasantly fresh impression within the genre. [70%] (25/06/2022)

Perhaps no other film set in the “real world” enjoys the denial of the world’s physical laws more than this one. Chronicle is a likable, tasteful and quite cool joyride. But it doesn’t have the same WOW! factor as Cloverfield – the screenwriter let his imagination go too wild to be taken seriously and achieve any tension. The effects are very good, however, and the film has some kind of an idea. Teen audiences should be satisfied. (31/01/2012)

Even when I was enjoying the universally loathed reboot of Fantastic Four, I knew that this director would be worth closer examination, and Chronicle confirms that many times over. But it's not just Josh Trank's merit. The script by Max Landis combines idealism and at the same time an upstart inflexibility, which are never closer to a person's heart as when they are in their late teens. Moreover, when all the usual clichés of a hero's origin are turned upside down and Dane DeHaan confirms that his style is is truly irreplaceable on the current scene, all that's left to be added is just the spice of Trank's predatory direction. The last twenty minutes constantly made me marvel at how these scenes were accomplished so effortlessly, while at the same time I could hardly restrain the wildly accelerated pounding of my heart. (04/01/2017)

A novel approach to a superheroes movie. Trank’s experiment with found footage, this time not from one but from several cameras, worked out just great. The rotating shots are effective, especially thanks to Andy’s well-practiced telekinesis. The evolution of the three main protagonists is like out of a textbook (and a good job of acting). Basically, none of the characters behaves black and white and they have logical reasons for their actions. Setting the movie in Seattle gives a welcome touch of reality. For just a few bucks extra we are treated to more tasty visual morsels than any regular fan would expect. (06/02/2013)

Since Cloverfield, the only other standout found-footage film I’d seen was [REC], and honestly, nothing else really impressed me—until Chronicle. This movie is a gem. I’m usually not a fan of shaky cam, but when it’s done right, I can appreciate it, and Chronicle nails it. Everything you need to see is crystal clear. What blew me away was how they pulled off such massive destruction on a small budget. Half the city gets wrecked, and it looks not only realistic but absolutely fantastic. The final act is a full-throttle action ride with no missteps, and I loved every minute of it. Chronicle proves you can make a great movie with shaky cam as long as you give the audience something worth watching—and this one delivers plenty of that. (14/09/2012)