Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Chronicle (2012)


IMDb plot summary: Whilst attending a party, three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. Soon, though, they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides.
Directed by Josh Trank. Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan.

This little movie starts off unimpressive and slowly builds to something that's actually really, really entertaining. The reveal of the superpowers is not done well - clearly the filmmakers were just antsy to get to the "let's play with telekinesis" section of the film - and in the first half hour or so, the characters are truly obnoxious individuals. Additionally, the subplot with Andrew's father is not handled particularly well, as he always seems more like an actor than anyone actually menacing.

However, all that being said, it's hard not to get caught up in the story as the teenagers start realizing the implications of their powers, and the story progresses much more smoothly in the second half. The film's climax is more exciting and engaging than most big-budget superhero battles, with a very satisfying ending. This isn't a great movie, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying it by the end. 3.5 stars.

Flickchart: #752 out of 1996, below Dave and the Giant Pickle and above The Dresser.

Rent it on Amazon for $2.99.

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