Chronicle
With very few exceptions, I don’t watch horror movies. I don’t like the
sensation of being scared, and so I have little interest in spending time
and/or money watching something that is primarily interested in scaring me. One
of the consequences of this avoidance, however, is that I have no real
experience with the increasingly popular “found footage” genre, which (other
than Cloverfield and a few other
minor films that I have not seen) is mostly contained to the horror genre. As a
result, this approach—especially in the context of a superhero origin
story—seemed fresh and interesting.
Chronicle
is the story of how three relatively normal teenage boys gain superpowers.
Andrew, played by Dane DeHaan, is shy and introverted, frequently bullied both
at school and by his unemployed, alcoholic father. His cousin Matt (Alex
Russell) is a stoner with a fondness for pretentious philosophy, but is still
able to fit in much better than Andrew. Matt’s friend Stephen (Michael B.
Jordan, of The Wire and Friday Night Lights) is an extroverted
golden boy, good at seemingly anything he tries and an aspiring politician. One
night at a rave that Matt convinces Andrew to attend, the three find a
mysterious meteorite (or something….) that grants them the power of telekinesis.
As the boys use their powers, they grow stronger and stronger, eventually
allowing the boys to fly, lift cars, and more. But although the three become
fast friends, all is not well with Andrew, who remains lonely and isolated.