Unknown director, unknown writers, unknown actors. I try to not have an initial bias when seeing movies, however the lack of information about the creators of Chronicle, and its early release date had me worried. Trailers made the movie seem like a dumb movie about jerk teenagers with super powers.
It's good that I managed to see Chronicle, because it is good. Found footage films like this can be tricky, when the film has to explain why a character is carrying a camera all the time. Chronicle explains the camera toting well enough and the characters who carry the camera around are well developed and interesting. I enjoyed watching the three immature teenagers acquire power beyond their wildest imagination, how these teenagers would use their powers in the most immature ways. The development of the main character, Andrew from mild mannered damaged kid to megalomaniac psycho was also pretty cool to see develop on screen.
The special effects also deserve some praise here. The effects are simple, well-done and are not so overdone that the seem too fake.
The drawbacks with Chronicle for me are small, but I feel they are worth mentioning. I felt at times the main character got extremely annoying. In addition, some of the ways the filmmakers chose to get the found footage just didn't work; random characters who we barely know have cameras. At one point, a character uses telekinesis to rip some iPads and cellphones from onlookers to get the camera on him, it was hokey.
Chronicle is really good film to start the new year.
*** stars.
