Chronicle

When I first caught wind of the set up for Chronicle, my retinas completely detached so as to facilitate some seriously Herculean eye rolling. I am beyond spent of any interest or enthusiasm for the found footage genre. Sure, I've seen some films where the conceit worked for me such as Cloverfield, Quarantine or Cannibal Holocaust, but even these instances turned out to be one time viewings. There's something about the visceral immediacy and feigned realism of the format that doesn't lend itself to repeated viewings. The endings of these films tend to be abrupt, unsatisfying affairs necessitated by the last cameraman standing trope, and that usually culminates with that man falling over. The Paranormal Activity series and its progenitor The Blair Witch Project are, to my eyes and sensibilities, veritable crimes against the art of cinema. Throw non franchise teenager superheros into the mix, and you have a volatile cocktail teeming with my most hated ingredients.

The strange thing is, I ended up loving this film. That's not surprising in and of itself considering how much I enjoy the theatrical experience, but this movie was much more than a fun time at the picture show. It is an overwhelming emotional experience. It feels vastly more epic than its slim 80 minute run time would suggest. I felt exhausted at the end, wrung out and spent. This film takes you to many places, emotionally and intellectually, and with very few exceptions, justifies the trip. This isn't simply a hackneyed set up to utilize the found footage aesthetic to legitimize its low budget effects, this is a dark, involved story with fleshed out, sympathetic characters. Characters who all have complete arcs and whose interactions bear the weight of the films thematic implications.

This story is about what happens when kids grow up without caregivers they can trust and who show them love. It is about how emotional neglect renders people wary of the fidelity of any affection. It is a tragedy that builds and builds from fun loving exploration to a deafening crescendo of explosive violence. The last 10 minute action set piece of Chronicle was to me, infinitely more powerful than any of the Marvel superhero films. I had tears brimming in my eyes, I wanted to talk characters down, save them from harm and stop them from inflicting it. It's potent stuff, and if the characters and story hadn't been built so masterfully, It would have been a jarring departure from the light-hearted moments that preceded it.

The cast is uniformly excellent, especially Dane DeHaan as the tortured Andrew. His evolution from meek whipping boy to caustic Apex Predator is tremendous to behold. He makes you care for him, even as he turns his back on everyone and lets the darkness swallow him whole. He's a stunning character, one that is remarkably resonant for the times we live in. A cautionary reminder to treat people better and learn to listen when they cry for help. Michael Kelly gives some shading to the role of Alexander's drunken lout of a father with a complicated performance. I've liked this dude since The Dawn of the Dead remake and he's been great in everything I've seen him in. The other supporting leads gel excellently, creating a believable group, all the more upsetting when they are fractured.

The effects are passable for this fare. The emphasis is more on discovery and mastery, which perfectly represents these characters growing as individuals and growing apart, becoming who they were always going to be, albeit on a grander, more destructive or more heroic scale. The found footage angle starts off as creepy, develops brilliantly in the middle section with Andrew's powers, then devolves somewhat in the final act, at times even being ignored altogether. That middle segment does contain some beautifully realized, evocative usages of the concept though. It definitely expands the trendy mediums cinematic language a great deal and points the way out of the insulting security camera bullshit quagmire of the Paranormal Activity series. Overall, it's more than a gimmick and less than a total success.

The film isn't without its flaws and occasional wonky mechanics. The camera explanations get a bit tedious toward the end, almost making me wish they hadn't bothered with the conceit at all. There's a couple of "off" scenes that struck me as incongruous and icky (you'll know what I mean when you see it) and momentarily took me out of it, but it would quickly right itself and confidently reestablish its groove. The tacked on coda seemed extremely unnecessary to me and the rare instance where I wish a film like this hewed to the established smash cut ending. In any case, something from a 26 year old, first time film maker has no business being this good and assuredly realized. Josh Trank has a bright future, as does Max Landis (yes, his dad is John Landis), whose airtight screenplay is surely responsible for a large percentage of the films success. It's rare that I'm rewarded this handsomely for stepping out of my comfort zone, perhaps I should make a habit of it.