Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Dane DeHaan, Ashley Hinshaw, Anna Wood, Alex Russell, Joe Vaz, Luke Tyler, Matthew Dylan Roberts
Director: Josh Trank
Rating: 1.5/5
Baseless Freak-show!
By Priyanka Ketkar
You leave a story untold only for two reasons- One, if you intend to make a sequel to it and two, well, if you yourself don't know what you are talking about. And that is exactly how you will think after watching Chronicle. What starts-off as just some fun sci-fi movie, goes way off the track and vague in a while and after that it all seems like a beyond damage-control kind-of a situation for Josh Trank.
"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" but young kids and power is not always a great combination. Three kids- Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) come across a magical something (even they haven't explained what that "something" is) which makes them immensely powerful. They can now fly, play air-football, crush or move things without touching them and can do some more such freaky things. But power in the wrong hands is dangerous and the three soon find that out. Is it Paranormal Activity-like? Sure, in parts… For one it is about some creepy, unexplained phenomenon which the writer-director don't bother explaining and two, even this is the "found-footage" kind of a movie as one of the kids is shown to be video shooting the entire time.
Dane DeHaan has done a brilliant job of the shy in the beginning but the deranged, out-of-control guy towards the end. Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan bring in the much needed cheer and must be credited for the few light moments in the film. In fact, had it not been for the decent acting, the movie could've been unbearable to watch.
Yet, the movie is actually interesting in the beginning. Yes, what the kids do is absolutely baseless, even more, senseless; but their interactions and the fun they initially have with the new-found powers is great to watch. Even though the movie defies logic (and most of the times gravity), it is still grounded for a long while. That is how the first half is, but the second half becomes much worse and turns ugly. There is a lot of violence and merciless bloodshed.
The premise may have been shaky but it is after-all fiction and it did manage some laughs and some scares in bits and pieces but alas, it is a Chronicle of a poor attempt of scaring us.