Dir. Josh Trank
Being a teenager is complicated. It seems even more so, now, with so many social media and technological outlets available. Still, a lot of the problems faced 20 years ago are still happening now: people get picked on for being different, kids try to find where they belong, family life can be difficult. The movie Chronicle, though undeniably a fantasy/action film, is so timely because it puts bullying on the center stage, something that has been so prevalent in the media as of late.
The film begins with Andrew (Dane DeHaan) filming his life for his own social media project. He lives in an abusive household where his father, an alcoholic without a job, frequently beats Andrew psychologically and physically. Meanwhile, his mother, suffering from a terminal illness, struggles to connect with her son as her health slips away. At school, Andrew is an outcast. He has no friends and his classmates tease and taunt him at the sight of his camera. His one point of contact is his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) that takes him to school everyday and seems to relate to Andrew with a tinge of obligation and pity. After being convinced to go to a popular kid’s party, the two, accompanied by popular kid Steve (Michael B. Jordan) investigate a mysterious crater. The object ostensibly grants the three telekinetic powers as well as super-human strength and abilities. As their powers grow, however, Andrew begins to change as he begins to fight back at those who wronged him.
The entire movie is part of the rapidly expanding “found footage” genre started by The Blair Witch Project and most recently popularized with the Paranormal Activity films. Though gimmicky, and a bit stomach churning, it gives the film a very autobiographical tone. Andrew, alienated and invisible, feels like he can only exist if the cameras are on him. For once, all eyes are on him and the camera can never judge him. As the trio’s abilities grow, the start to become more reckless. What begin as high school pranks (pushing around shopping carts in stores, lifting up cheerleaders skirts) quickly become dangerous where people’s lives are at stake. I think what is most effective in the film is the very real and rational decent Andrew takes into the “villain” role. These kids are beat up, called horrible slurs, degraded and abused. Sadly, many of them take their lives. But what if they had the ability to fight back? They’d probably rip the teeth out of their abusers just like Andrew does.
Eventually, it all comes to a climax that combines the supernatural with the everyday. The final 20 minutes is a thrilling action set piece set in downtown Seattle – an uncommon choice for an action film that further cements one foot set in reality. If anything, the action gets a little repetitive and it seems like the filmmakers were making up for the 1st hour where Andrew and Matt experiment with their powers (read: kinda slow moving) rather than go all out with them.
I’m most impressed with Chronicle because there is so little fanfare around the movie. There are no huge, budge crumbling explosions (ok, maybe one), or computer generated marketing tie-ins, and it balances the fantastic with an important message about today’s youth. It’s a movie that never forgets its entertainment, but believes that it can be something more.
Grade: A-
