Chronicle -- Super-boys Video Their Transformation After Alien Infection
Alien encounters have so much imaginative potential. It doesn’t have to be ‘Independence Day’ to be interesting. Here, writers Max Landis and Josh Trank flesh out the simple idea of ‘what if’. What if three high school boys accidentally find an alien object? What if they develop superhuman powers? What if their powers become too hard to control? See....simple. The video-documenting of their exploits is goofy, but serves an OK purpose. Keeping it short (83 minutes) and finding some great young actors certainly helps. My rating: $6.50 (1.-10.).
Andrew Detmer (23 year-old Dane DeHaan - ‘Amigo’/‘True Blood’) lives at home with his alcoholic father (who’s on disability after a work accident) and mom (in the terminal stages of cancer). Dad is a pinhead abuser. The movie opens as Andrew begins to record his life -- originally to stop his dad’s abuse, then because he becomes obsessed.....cuz he’s the geek who gets abused about everywhere.
Cousin Matt (Alex Russell - ‘Almost Kings’) is Andrew’s only real friend. Matt is hot but still too immature to know how to use it. Matt hangs with the extremely popular Steve Montgomery (Michael B. Jordan - ‘The Wire’/‘Friday Night Lights’/‘Parenthood’) but always tries to include Andrew. Unfortunately, everywhere he goes, Andrew gets harassed. With a camera perpetually on his shoulder, he’s an even bigger target.
Shortly into the movie, there’s a rave in the countryside that they all attend. Steve drags Andrew out into the woods where he and Matt have found a huge hole they want documented on film. Of course they jump into the big, deep hole.....they have “drunk” as an excuse. What they find looks like a smaller version of Superman’s spaceship -- it draws sweat towards itself and something live seems to be inside. The camera is disrupted by the energy from the thing and Andrew is behind the others, yet, Steve’s encounter with the object is seen from the far side in undisturbed detail. You’ll have to overlook some of these inconsistencies.
Almost immediately, they begin to exhibit strange new powers that grow and grow over the rest of the movie. Matt is the voice of reason. Andrew is the most talented with the telekinetics --- and the most emotionally disturbed. Steve learns to fly first. That leads to great aerial scenes, fast, exciting, very well done. Andrew’s ability to manipulate the camera while doing other things at the same time explains how much of their activity gets filmed without anyone having to hold the camera anymore.
Intermittently, we are reminded of Andrew’s terrible home life. It’s sad when he tries to pick up medicine for his mother who is in horrible pain. He’s told that he must pay up front before the pharmacy will order the medicine --- $780.00. Dad is on disability and drinking most of it away. He takes all his anger and frustration out on Andrew. But, when Andrew decides to use his powers to get the money, does he rob a bank? No, he goes after the punks who picked on him and beats them up to get it.....like what???? $50.00????
The boys’ outcomes you will have to watch the movie to see. The special effects are very enjoyable and worth seeing. I’m not sure if they planned it, but the end leaves an opening for a sequel.
I have to say, probably the dumbed line in all the movie is when Andrew is in the hospital and the policeman says they have to leave his camera on for continuity of the investigation. Really!?! How about security cameras? Would have been more logical.....but that’s just me.
In a genius move, they add a hot, female video-blogger who hooks up with Matt. This twist allows a legitimate, alternative camera angle occasionally.
Max Landis gets credit for turning his and Trank’s story into a screenplay. It’s Trank who ultimately directed. Nice partnership, I have to say.
‘Chronicle’ is rated ‘PG-13’. The language, later violence, and some of the talk about sex is not for small kids.



