Contributor: Andy Spencer
Writer: Max Landis
Director: Josh Trank
Especially for a low-budget debut film and screenplay, “Chronicle” blew me away. This is a film that can stand proudly among other genre giants. Complex and perceptive, “Chronicle” is a superhero film that seems proud to bend the rules of its genre and filmmaking style to suit its needs.
Actually, more than anything, “Chronicle” is a psychological study, but more on that later. The characters (who aren’t that different from anyone reading this) come first, and thankfully, all of them are very well-played by the young stars. Andrew, the main character, is a senior in high school who has a pretty bad life at first. Beaten by his father, bullied at school, and antisocial in nature, his cousin Matt and a camera are his only companions. He uses the latter to film his daily routine, such as watching a pep rally, going to school, and letting Matt drag him along to a party.
It is at this point that the duo and their mutual friend Steve happen upon a hole in the ground, put there by a large, seemingly alive crystalline object that disrupts the camera feed and gives them telekinesis. For the next thirty minutes, we see some of the funniest pranks anyone with telekinesis could pull (scaring a little girl with a floating teddy bear, pushing a car into a different parking space, etc.). However, one of the three (guess which) begins to slowly use his powers for not-as-amicable reasons, including, in one incredibly disturbing scene, levitating a spider and severing all its legs at once.
However, the psychological aspect of the film is the one that is almost creepily realistic, thanks in large part to the writer, Max Landis. The dialog sounds almost exactly like what kids their age would actually say, ringing as true as their actions (brought to life with some great special effects). If you are in your late teens (or, for that matter, not too far beyond), it makes you wonder whether you would have used your power differently than the characters. It is a great example of how, if one is pushed far enough fast enough, and is given the ability to deal with his problems in unimaginable ways, something will snap. And it does.
The final forty minutes or so are dark, chilling, and bleak. Josh Trank uses the found footage concept to great effect, with the rare knowledge that there is usually more than one camera in an area at a time. Cell phone cameras, security footage, and Andrew’s camera are used to maximum effect, and the telekinesis gives the director a great excuse to use conventional film techniques with digital photography. Combined with the sparse but convincing effects, it never brings you out of the story or the experience, and never feels cheesy or overdone.
And interestingly, the tonal shift near the middle feels to me like a reflection of superhero movies themselves. Before the year 2000, they almost never took themselves seriously, and were all melodrama and light shows without much depth. But recently, films like “Watchmen”, “The Dark Knight”, and “Iron Man” have given us looks at the dark depths beyond the colorful exterior their protagonists hide behind.
Prior to its release, I wanted this to be good, but just did not have the confidence that two industry rookies could do justice to the great ideas the film seemed to possess. I was very glad to be proven wrong.
Final rating: 10/10
