As a truly dedicated and moderately obsessive fan of comic books and the superhero genre, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I was thrilled over the premise of Chronicle. While at first glance the trailer for this newest found-footage entry seemed to showcase another angst-filled teenage horror film, that perception was shattered when the teens started demonstrating superhuman abilities. Looking like a bold mixture of X-men and Cloverfield, this newest sci-fi action thriller was sure to appeal to anyone who has ever fantasized about developing superpowers (don’t kid yourself; you know that you are one of them). 20th Century Fox engaged in a notably guerrilla and grassroots marketing campaign, deciding against releasing too much information beforehand and instead letting Chronicle build considerable buzz through Twitter and other social media outlets. Sure there was the risk that the film wouldn’t deliver, and being released in February (let alone on Super Bowl weekend) certainly didn’t build any faith, but c’mon, it was high school friends using telekinesis to play jokes…how was that not going to be awesome?
Exceeding my expectations in almost every way, Chronicle is humorous, clever, dark, and one the outright coolest films I have seen in a very long time. Though the found-footage format has heretofore been unproven outside the horror genre, it works surprisingly well when blended with superhero elements, showcasing impressive special effects and adding to the reality of the narrative. Yes, I do realize that I just used “reality” and “superhero” in the same sentence, but Chronicle plays on the novelty of developing abilities as a teenager and showcases them in very believable ways, whether the friends are playing practical jokes by moving people’s cars, tossing a football around as they fly through the sky, or becoming the life of a party as remarkably strong Beer Pong players. The narrative should also be praised for displaying remarkable character development and not shying away from some very dark themes, such as the inevitable corruption that follows unchecked power. Sure, Chronicle could have benefited from a little more explanation in its story and I doubt that the female demographic will be overtly thrilled, but the film still displays admirable imagination and is unlike anything you have ever experienced at the theater before.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
