Kim Gentes

Intense, overwrought, bad-a.. Super-serious, superheros.

Summary: Imagine getting super-powers. Not just one of them, but the kind that let you basically do anything. Now imagine that you and your two best friends all got those powers. Woah. That is "Chronicle"! What starts off as a gangly teenager, geek-to-hero movie turns into a dark, serious look into the human soul. A ravaging view into the pithy phrase "absolute power corrupts absolutely".

Full Review: Every high school teenage boy thinks "wouldn't it be cool if I had super powers". But Andrew, Matt and Steve actually get their wish in the sleeper success movie "Chronicle". The three young men happen to ramble down to a newly opened cave where a presumed glowing alien artifact somehow imbues them with telekenetic powers. The story begins with their acquistion of this power and follows the three through the "found footage" filming technique used on such films as "Cloverfield".   As they learn to harness and exercise their powers, one of the three (Andrew) begins to become excessively violent, using his power to express his rage at his personal life and situation as well as his formerly "nerdish" reputation.

The movie turns darker by the moment as Andrew lets his rage overtake his personality and his powers spin into complete destructive overload. His friends try to confront him but tragedy awaits them.

This is a super-hero movie you likely will have missed this year, with some huge blockbusters coming out- Avengers, Dark Night Rises. But this hero story is by far the best, from this reviewers perspective. Partly because the super-powers are a showcase for the full expression of humanity, both for good or evil.  The direction is intentional and brings you to a conclusion that all such power corrupts with ultimate persuasiveness. Yet, there is some hope. If you don't see any superhero movies ever- see this one. If you do- see this one.  There are some very minor character errors in the script, but they are neutralized by the seriousness of the acting done here.

Of all the movies out so far in 2012, Chronicle is the best by far (at from this reviewers perspective). Creators Josh Trank (director, writer) and Max Landis (screenplay, writer) have envisioned a viceral, get-under-your-skin movie that starts off moping along like a gangly-teenager-to-superhero movie. But artfully and tragically, it morphs into a 21st century sci-fi of a raging "Carrie", guy-style.  As Cujo was to Lassie/dog movies, so Chronicle is to superhero movies.

For parents, this movie should be reserved for children that are actually over 13. The movie rating is apt and the intensity of this movie is perhaps slightly underplayed by its MPAA rating. 

Amazon DVD Link: http://amzn.to/U1WNyP

Review by Kim Gentes