Chronicle Reviews

the story dont going very good before criticizing
again do not abuse the clichés is good

so the characters develop their personality
but since the story was not going well

even though it was the end it would not be good
but even so the ending was the least shit that could be


and the protagonist was right to be a psychopath
he wanted to save his mother
and kill his father who neither cares about the if i see good the father want to kill his son

and the two friends are decent and for some reason if he did not feel so much personality


I still do not recommend it that much
and if you want something new from university if you want something new

this review is quick made

it's pretty surprising that Josh Trank went from this to Fant4stick. it's actually quite embarrassing to think.

now it's rare for someone to see a superhero movie like this: it's found-footage, it barely has any action (which is a good thing), each kid uses his powers for different reasons. it's one of those movies that deserves more credit.

something else that's surprising is that this movie has better special effects and was made on a lower budget than Fant4stick.

I wish people saw this instead of The Avengers and Skyfall.

"Il leone non si sente in colpa quando uccide la gazzella, giusto? Voi non vi sentite in colpa qundo schiacciate una mosca... credo che significhi qualcosa!"
www.ilariapasqua.net/apps/blog/show/42729233-chronicle-j-trank-usa-2012-

Considering the current hype involving super-heros and this other wave of found-footage features, it was just a matter of time before a smart ass would think of combining the two genres. Fortunately, it turned out to be a pretty good flick, even if it was not as original as the makers would like you to believe. First of all, I always had a weak spot for the found-footage genre, I have always been a fan of ‘The Blair Witch Project’, and this type of film-making works very well when used properly which was the case here. Indeed, instead of the glossy look of your average blockbuster, you get something more down-to-earth, more realistic, even documentary-like. I also enjoyed the performances by the three main actors. Since then, both Dane DeHaan and Michael B. Jordan have become quite popular and will soon move on with some blockbuster super-hero flick, respectively as the Green Goblin in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ and The Human Torch in ‘The Fantastic Four’. Still, even though I really enjoyed it, I thought there was still a lack of ambition. I mean, at some point, it seemed that they got stuck with the story and the ending was a rather underwhelming showdown mixing some influences from ‘Akira’ or Magneto or basically any super-hero feature which always seem to end with some massive mayhem. Still, even though it wasn’t quite a masterpiece, it remains an enjoyable feature and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you want to see a different take on super-heros.

Chronicle couldn't have come at a worse time, with Hollywood dumping a new "found footage" movie into multiplexes on a weekly basis(it certainly feels that way), this gimmick is so overused that I've grown tired of it. Fortunately though, with Chronicle there's some hope left in this genre. It's nice to see a found footage movie that doesn't feature demons or spirits haunting a family or a group of people. It puts a nice spin on the genre and that's only one of the many reasons to see this movie.

I really didn't have any problems with this movie at all, the only thing that bothered me was that this was made on a budget of twelve million. It looks like it was made on a budget of about ten dollars. The effects aren't horrendous, but it looks really fake, especially the flying. Other than that, this movie gets everything else right.

Could this film have worked without the first-person style? Maybe. However, for some reason it works well here and fits with the movie. There's not a lot of shaking so those of you prone to the usual symptoms, headaches, nausea, need not to worry. I will admit though, the characters film things but it's never fully explains it which makes this come off as a little awkward. By the end though, I was loving this movie so much that I didn't really care. The director does a nice job in getting us immersed in the action by literally putting us in the middle of it. Especially during the climax where there are ipods, iphones, ipads, and digital cameras floating all around, really bringing us into the chaos.

One thing that most found footage movies lack is a strong script, which Chronicle has. I guess that's because found footage is mostly used within the horror genre, which usually has stupid people doing stupid things that normal people would never do. Each character here gets sufficient screen time, there's Andrew(Dane Dehann) a shy, lonely kid, who's only friend happens to be his cousin Matt(Alex Russell) who hangs out with the popular crow and enjoys philosophy, and Matt's friend Steve(Michael B. Jordan) who everyone likes and is accomplished both in and out of school. These aren't fleshed out three dimensional characters but they're much more than cardboard cut outs or props.

Nothing ruins a found footage movie more than casting familiar faces. It ruins the experience and makes it feel less real. That is not the case here. With the exception of Michael Kelly, I don't recognize anyone. The three main characters mostly have TV credits under their belts with this being their first mainstream motion picture. I'm surprised at how good the performances were from these three and they should have nice futures ahead of them. The rest of the cast did a nice job as well.

The story is pretty much your typical origin story, except it's with real people. There are enough fresh twists and ideas though, which sets above most origin superhero movies. I'd rather take more superhero movies like chronicle than the overproduced, over budgeted crap that we have to deal with on a yearly basis(most recent examples: Green Lantern and Ghost rider 2).

Overall, this is a great edition to the found footage genre. Whatever hope left for the genre was diminished thanks to The Devil Inside but, Chronicle restores some of my faith. This movie does arrive at an unfortunate time but, don't let that stop you from seeing this movie. It injects some freshness in this genre, which is just what it needs as it has been slowly dying(creatively) over the past couple of years. I hope there are more movies like Chronicle in the future. This isn't the best movie of 2012 so far, but it's certainly at the top.

3 teenagers somehow get themselves in contact with a mysterious substance which gives them super power and then the movie is about what they do and how they do things with it.

Ok so first off, this movie has a great pace in the first half in fact I was right into this movie within minutes it started. I loved how they introduced these characters and the great help I guess they had was that no character was out of this world so we as an audience could instantly grab ok yeah so this teen is like this and that one must be that and it doesn't annoy you at all. It has a charm into it and you somehow enjoy it. I won't be surprised if you sing price tag with Matt in the car because I did.

So then in series of events, our very troubled Andrew, his cousin Matt meet Steve who is very popular, intelligent and super smart kid and they venture into a cave which has this mysterious substance in it.
We then find out that these guys now have super powers. Now typically this is the point where the movie could go Awesome or another movie in a line of tons of not-so-good-not-so-bad movies list on similar super power topics and as much as I hate to say it the movie felt little short at certain things.

This is the time in the movie to know trio's dynamics because we have 3 very different individuals and since its modern time, the movie could go in the direction of them not copying movie mistakes and the teenagers telling each other what should not be done and Matt actually did that but it could have been better than that. We have a good length of movie time in which they are trying stuff with their powers but at one point as an audience I wanted them to do something grand with the powers and get out of individual level which it doesn't do, and we then end up a drama which you don't know why is happening esp why Andrew is believing in his father's words when he hates him with all his being. I don't know and this never gets answered.

Anyways this is a modern movie with a great pacing, great storytelling and has a great beginning a good middle but very cliched end which disappointed me so I gave it a 6. Sorry but I hate to know movie endings before they actually happen in the movie. :(

So should you watch it:
Yes, if you are looking for a movie to watch with your friends in hostel and enjoy because it's a good time pass movie.
No, if you like to watch movies which comes in ______ 100 best movies.

The movie that starts to be a cool one ends up in a mess.movie

"Yes, it was the black guy this time."

The 'found-footage' sub-genre was popularised when The Blair Witch Project was released way back in 1999. There have been so many found-footage films in the horror genre that they're actually starting to get boring. The thing that's attractive about this sub-genre to many studios is that they cost little to make, yet rake in a lot of profit. One of the latest found-footage films to move into a new genre is Josh Trank's Chronicle. This is sort of like a 'super hero/villain origin story', and it works really well. With a budget of $15 Million, it's really surprising how well the visual effects fall in place with the story telling. Trank, who was 27 when he made Chronicle, impresses so much with his directorial debut, and the film does things that no other found-footage movie has done before, particularly with the camera.



Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is a troubled but creative teen who lives with his sick mother (Bo Petersen) and abusive father (Michael Kelly). He is socially awkward and is often bullied at his high school. To record the hardships he goes through, he buys a handheld camera. When he goes to a party of one of the students at his school, he makes a discovery with his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and class-mate Steve (Michael B. Jordan), that leads them all to acquire powerful telekinetic abilities. Their new found powers bring them closer together as friends, as they get into all kinds of mischief and develop their abilities. However, their intentions, particularly those of Andrew, turn for a sinister angle.



I'll admit, it is hard to write a found-footage script (I've had a try of it). However Trank and writer Max Landis (the son of horror filmmaker John Landis) have come up with a story that transitions quite well into a screenplay. Personally, I found myself relating a lot to the character of Andrew. I'll be frank; I wasn't the most popular kid in high school and I did cop a fair bit of bullying, so I could relate to the pain he was going through. The characters here are terrific in that way - since they're teenagers, many young audiences (probably the target audience for the film) will definitely respond to them. The humour has that hip, teen style to it, and it surprised how funny the film was. It's largely thanks to the character of Steve, who may be seen as a cliché comic relief black guy, but he was likeable character. Also adding to the humour is the way the three friends decide to use their powers, mainly in the fun and games direction (we'll get to the darker side later). They play football while flying and play tricks on people with their telekinesis. The mischievous tone was something I responded well to, and the film's tagline, Boys will be Boys, is a perfect description of this.

Landis' script takes time to develop the characters over the course of the film. Andrew becomes more threatening as he learns to use his powers, Matt learns to be a good person, and Steve starts actually spending time with Andrew (he never did before as he was popular student). These characters are likeable, and Landis does a good job of making the audience care about these friends. But the dark side of things plays into the whole teen angle beautifully. With Andrew living such an unfortunate life, there's something understandable about his development to a darker personality. As teenagers, we are naive and don't think things through. Hell, if I got powers seen in this film, I'd do all kinds of things I'd regret without thinking it through. I liked this theme the movie worked itself around of, and it allows the audience to be more invested with these characters. When Andrew starts using his powers in a negative way, that's when the film takes a darker tone. There's hardly any humour in the final act, but tonal shift wasn't abrupt and had been set-up over time throughout the course of the film.



In most found-footage films, the acting is usually atrocious (first-time actors are often hired). However, in Chronicle, the acting is actually really fine. It's definitely surprising as most of these actors haven't been in a lot of roles. As Andrew, Dane DeHaan is excellent - he channels both the light and dark side of his character perfectly. His transformation from vulnerable teenager to badass super villain is fantastic. Meanwhile, Alex Russell brought a commendable performance as Matt, but Michael B. Jordan was terrific, having heaps of fun with his role which definitely translated into the audience. Michael Kelly (Dawn of the Dead, Changeling) is pretty much the only well-known actor cast in this, and as Andrew's alcoholic father, he's fantastic.

Chronicle has a truly unique style as opposed to most found-footage films. Instead of just one camera, the film cuts between different cameras, depending on the scene. For example, at the opening party scene, the film switches from Andrew's camera to another one owned by Matt's love interest, Casey (Ashley Hinshaw). Towards the climax though, this style has its ups and downs. There are moments where they'll use surveillance cameras and other authoritative formats. However, there comes to a point where it gets a bit unconvincing, as the cameras will still capture what the characters are saying (also, Andrew's camera is not in use during the conclusion). Speaking of the conclusion... it's pretty awesome. It's practically a big battle between two superhuman beings shot in a found-footage style - and it works! You can actually tell what's going on, and it's just riveting stuff. The cinematography throughout the film is quite creative, and allows Trank to move out of the typical found-footage look. As the lead characters improve on their powers, they begin to levitate the camera and move it in totally new directions. This allows action sequences to be shot really well, as the hero doesn't even need to be grasping the recorder. The visual effects may not be top-notch, but this isn't a big budget film. At the end of the day, the effects were fine - they didn't bother me, and they were well-integrated with the action sequences.



I really do hope that this evolves into a franchise, because there's so much potential here. It finally proves that the found-footage sub-genre isn't a total gimmick after all. As a huge fan of superhero movies, it was refreshing to see one that wasn't based on a comic book. Better yet, it was done in a style I never thought was possible for superheroes. While it's shot in a handheld style, the film has a graceful look, and it delivers on everything you'd want a superhero movie - a hero, a villain, action sequences, sci-fi elements. It's all here. Like I said, this is pretty much a superhero/supervillain origin story, and if we get more that are as good as this from studios like Marvel and DC, I'm gonna be a happy man.

Over the years, the found-footage genre has consisted of horror films involving mostly monsters and demons with severe consequences, but Chronicle is something that takes you somewhere different to what we’ve seen before from the genre. It adds hilarious laughs and the troublesome behaviour of teenagers but also the vintage style of violence and horror as part of found-footage films. Understandably, the genre itself and the style of filming really aren’t to everyone’s taste it usually takes a lot for them to be successfully executed in order to feel the reality that they attempt to bring forth. Having said this, Chronicle really is a film that brings off a good start to 2012 and is both hilarious and terrifying to watch.


Unusually, many people misunderstand Chronicle for a superhero film because of the superpower references but as you watch it, it really is not one at all! For starters, none of the characters are super.. heroes, there’s no primary hero or villain as traditionally shown within the sub-genre and it’s more of a sci-fi drama than sci-fi action. Chronicle initially defines the fun and adventurous side of gaining superpowers and consists of regular laugh-out-loud gags and jokes. However, at the same time it shows the severe deadly and violent consequences caused due to superpowers. So, the use of terror and violence is the frequent style used within found-footage films and although, it is added with teenage humour, it’s still successfully prevails.


A lot like the teenage trio in Kick-Ass, we are introduced to a new group of young actors, who are swept from their ordinary teenage lives at school into a world where their unorthodox fantasies become true. Dane DeHaan takes the leading role as Andrew Detmer. Andrew’s life is at breaking point as his mother is slowly dying from a cancer but his father is an alcoholic and regularly beats him. So, due to these circumstances, the telekinetic powers and the use of the camera, DeHaan provides a powerful performance as he adds both a nerdy nature, similar to Jesse Eisenberg, and a psychologically warped teenager. Australian actor Alex Russell delivers another great performance in his role as Andrew’s cousin, Matt. He’s perhaps the most sensible and perhaps known as the “good-guy” of the group, who is similar to Peter Parker.


Last but not least is the third youngster, Michael B. Jordan who gives a breakthrough performance as Steve Montgomery. Steve isn’t only the wackiest character of the three but he’s undoubtedly the funniest. However, perhaps the most vital character in the film that has a huge impact upon the film as a whole that isn’t really considered much. That character is the video camera itself that is being used. Just like most found-footage films, it’s unfortunate that even the camera is being pulled into the story, and Chronicle occasionally caused anxiety and tension for the camera.


So, with this in mind, it raises these questions – “why does filming continue? And how does the camera survive throughout circumstantial events?” The purpose of found-footage films is to add the reality of horror and science fiction to the screen in a format that we usually use in everyday life. This can become a vital miss for films made in this style, but although Chronicle does still suffer from lack of reality; there’s something very different from it. Director and co-creator of Chronicle, Josh Trank makes his feature film debut after previously making some episodes from The Kill Point. Trank still adds the vintage horror of found-footage but for the first time, there’s an unorthodox charm to Chronicle that’s not only scary, intense and funny to watch, but is actually fun and exciting! Alongside Trank, screenwriter and other co-creator Max Landis pens the script and, like the direction, revolutionizes charm into found-footage genre for the first time with the highly intense scenes and the emotional chemistry between the characters.


Overall, Chronicle is a breakthrough in the found-footage genre that is highly recommended as a film for pure entertainment. There are many out there who aren’t entirely bound to the style of filming Chronicle has, but it ironically works very well. It provides aspects that prove found-footage films can become heaps of fun! If Chronicle is equivalent to anything, it’s riding an exhilarating rollercoaster ride.

"I am an Apex Predator. Does the lion feel bad killing the gazelle? Do people feel remorse when they kill a fly?"

Chronicle is yet another addition to the "found footage" subgenre, following on in the tradition of The Blair Witch Project and the Paranormal Activity series whereby movies claim to be authentic footage captured by real people. We've seen horror films and monster movies done in such a style, so Chronicle does something different: it presents a trademark found footage spin on the superhero genre. Produced for a scant $12 million, this is a creative, well-made little gem which doesn't overlook the importance of storytelling and character. See, more than just a brainless blockbuster about superheroes, Chronicle is a story about the fragile nature of teenage minds and the friendships we form during high school years. Freshman director Josh Trank and writer Max Landis demonstrate an astute understanding of these issues, giving the film a tremendous emotional boost not often seen in superhero movies.

Andrew (DeHaan) is a viciously bullied, lonely and depressed high school senior with an abusive home life. Fed up with his unfair treatment, Andrew purchases a camera to record every step of his life, and grows to adore the confessional opportunities provided by his new camcorder. After a humiliating episode at a party one night, Andrew's cousin Matt (Russell) and classmate Steve (Jordan) take Andrew as they venture into a mysterious underground tunnel. Inside, the trio find an alien contraption which knocks them all unconscious. The next day, the boys find that they have telekinetic powers, and can use their minds to manipulate whatever objects they wish. But the euphoric honeymoon does not last very long, as Andrew's problems continue to take their toll on his delicate mental state and friendships begin to splinter.

Since certain limitations are inherent in the found footage gimmick and we can only see things through the eyes of the characters, the source of the boys' superhuman powers is never explored in any great depth. And that's fine - Chronicle is not a pretentious piece of sci-fi; it's a film about what would happen if confused teenagers inherited amazing abilities. Landis and Trank embraced the chance to explore the possibilities of young teens with telekinetic powers, tracking the boys as they create a new realm of wish-fulfilment, prank and play previously deemed impossible. Indeed, unlike Peter Parker, the philosophy of "with great power comes great responsibility" is not exactly on the boys' minds as they enjoy their newfound abilities. Acquiring super-powers doesn't exactly mean that you get a sound moral compass as well, so Chronicle spends time provocatively examining the psychological problems of becoming God. Additionally, Landis' script takes a close look at the cracks which form in Andrew's psychological state, watching as he grows from depressed loner to powerful God-like being fuelled by his potent domestic troubles.

The question of "Why do they keep filming?" often causes found footage movies to crumble, but Chronicle introduces a few creative solutions to this nagging question. On a few occasions, for instance, Andrew uses telekinesis to fly the camera around him. And once the film shifts gears into full-on mayhem, we see events unfold though phones, security cameras and other home camcorders, with Trank embracing the fact that cameras are literally everywhere in this day and age (though Andrew's camera is set up in an odd spot in a hospital, stretching credulity). Most found footage flicks eschew lavish spectacle under the guise of "realism", but Trank ensures that we don't walk away hungry. Indeed, after dealing with teenage neuroses for a good 60 minutes, Trank ventures into more violent territory for a stunning climax that may cause Hollywood's best action directors to weep with envy. The finale is simply magnificent; a combination of a Greek tragedy and an insane roller-coaster ride which nails the balance between pathos and fantasy. The budget was low, yet the special effects are highly effective. Chronicle is at times harrowing as well - Trank truly tested the limits of the PG-13 rating while exploring Andrew's destructive capabilities.

Naturalistic performances are the most critical constituent of any found footage movie, as any trace of artifice destroys the illusion. Fortunately, Chronicle nails this requirement, boasting a cast of unknown actors who inhabited their roles to terrific effect. Dane DeHaan is simply a revelation here as Andrew - he's utterly convincing as both the depressed social outsider and the vengeful superhuman. A less talented performer would have leaned on shrill melodrama, but DeHaan is too good for such lazy shortcuts. Meanwhile, Alex Russell is believable and charming as Andrew's cousin Matt, and Michael B. Jordan is charm personified as the popular Steve. The three leads share an effortless camaraderie which feels completely authentic.

Chronicle more or less represents a merger of The Breakfast Club and a typical "birth of a hero/villain" tale. The result is an exciting motion picture which will also resonate with anyone who found high school to be a place of social misery. Admittedly, a few of Chronicle's narrative elements are a bit too standard-order (including a character death to up the stakes which doesn't sit right) and one gets the sense that Trank and Landis could have done more (the film runs a scant 75 minutes). Nevertheless, the film is a superb effort by everyone involved, heralding the arrival of a new filmmaking talent in the shape of Josh Trank, who'll soon be offered every single superhero movie currently in development.

7.8/10