Chronicle review

A film that simultaneously manages to re-invent two genres, 'Chronicle' is one of the sharpest, most inventive movies we've seen in a while. It's a brisk foray into superhero territory, but one that leaves a lasting impression.

The hype...
A superb trailer has been around for a while, and has set the scene for some teen superhero antics. The director is already being lined up for several high-profile projects off the back of early reaction to this, and the buzz is overwhelmingly positive. The only drawbacks are the unknown cast and the use of the 'found-footage' filming style, which has been done to death in recent years.

The story...
Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is going through a particularly rough time. He's seen as the archetypal nerd at school and his family life is even worse. As his mother is living out her final days in agony, Andrew decides to film everything and chronicle his daily life.

Persuaded to go to a party by his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), Andrew then follows fellow classmate Steve (Michael B. Jordan) into a mysterious chasm that has opened up near by. Inside, the trio find something unbelievable... then suddenly the camera stops working.

A few days later, the teenagers realise they now have amazing superpowers. At first they do small tricks in front of one another, then they progress to impressing crowds at school. The more they use their powers, the stronger they become, but this comes with its own dangers.

With their every move being recorded by cameras, we see the pressure build and something is bound to snap in the end.

The breakdown...
Fears that the trailer gives away too much are thankfully unfounded. We get through the majority of the familiar material within the first thirty minutes of the film, and the rest is a suspense-filled roller-coaster. It would be easy to get lost in the playground of limitless effects and wild imagination, but Max Landis - son of 'An American Werewolf in London' director John – displays incredible focus in his screenplay.

The unknown actors do a great job of portraying realistic teens in an extraordinary situation. As much as we can all imagine ourselves in a Spider-Man outfit, or a Batsuit, 'Chronicle' shows us what we would probably end up doing with any special abilities.

The put upon loser never becomes a caricature, his problems fluctuate in terms of seriousness, yet his actions stay focussed. Indeed one of the best things about the film is the way director Josh Trank develops the his own filming style to reflect this.

As the powers increase, so the use of the hand-held cameras and CCTV footage becomes more relevant. We would all want to capture our moments of glory, and so the three teenagers do just that with an elevating level of intensity. The one time this feels forced is when an additional character is added to record the action, it's an unnecessary layer of superfluous padding which should be dismissed as one concession too far in an otherwise singularly driven film of high quality.

The effects are well-handled. They are kept small to begin with, and arguably suffer from a little too much attention early on, but when Trank lets loose, it is to breathtaking effect. Characters do so much in the brief runtime, you'll find yourself thinking you have seen a film of twice the length.

The final act is staggeringly good filmmaking that showcases everything that a movie like this should be.

'Chronicle' is a well-timed movie in many respects. It strikes before the inevitable splurge of Summer superhero films so avoids the tedium of that period. It also overcomes a self-inflicted hurdle by making the found-footage format feel fresh and completely appropriate for a film like this.

The verdict...
We all might want to play the hero in a comic book universe, but the fact is that we all live in the 'Chronicle' reality. With invention, humour and a brilliant execution of ideas, Josh Trank has kick-started our interest in themes we had little time for before. Quality stuff.

Rating: 5/5

'Chronicle' is released nationwide on 1 February. Certificate: 12A.