A great underrated super hero film that not a lot of people talk about is Chronicle. It was released on February 5th 2012 in the United States and actually did really well in the box office. It had a budget of $12 million and racked up over $126 million. Josh Trank directed this movie and ended up directing Fantastic Four (2015) which was not a successful movie. It is about three teens in high school played by Dane DeHaan (The Place Beyond The Pines), Alex Russell (Unbroken) and Michael B Jordan (Fruitvale Station) who find themselves going into a mysterious tunnel underground, waking up having superpowers! It is shot in the perspective of Dane’s character, Andrew, who films their entire experience and we see the whole movie through this POV.
This movie is brilliant because it feels very organic and realistic. The movie stays grounded the majority of the time and feels believable. It has a very authentic touch and it feels like you’re on this journey with these guys as they learn how to use their powers. Found footage movies often seem played out the majority of the time. When done correctly, such as this movie, it can be none stop entertainment thrill ride. This movie has some of the best character development moments as well. Dane DeHaan absolutely crushes it in this movie. The only thing that this movie suffers from is the special effects. There are scenes that just look awful but the story is so compelling you can look past it. The climax of this movie is honestly unforgettable. Although advertised as a sci-fi thriller, this movie has some horror elements to it. The movie makes you feel empathetic towards the antagonist of the film. You truly understand where these characters are coming from and understand the reasoning for their actions. There are so many deep layers to this movie as well. Topics such as loss, bullying, abuse and more are shown. This movie is also filled with some great action sequences and funny moments!
Final thoughts! This movie is a entertaining film that leaves you smiling. I adore this movie for what it is. This is honestly what good story telling can do! It’s like hanging out with a bunch of friends on a cool journey. There are some powerful moments and some great acting from Dane DeHaan. The use of POV of the handheld camera never got old, for they used cool camera tricks to make each scene different. This also has a very short run time and could be a quick watch. It also caters to many different type of movie fans. If you like thrillers, sci-if, horror or even coming of age movies, you will love this movie. Although it has some flaws with its visuals and some moments feel uncomfortable to watch, it grabs your attention regardless. Check this one out!