User Score
7.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 351 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 32 out of 351

Review this movie

  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Apr 28, 2012
    3
    I can understand the "found footage" idea, but even though there's seemingly a camera recording every second of modern life, why the film felt like it needed to have the contrived character of the intellectual, video blog-poster in the story doesn't cut it. Yes, you can argue that she helped further develop one of the main characters that represented balance, but doing so while trying to stay within the rules of "found footage" and having her filming every moment including when she's answering the door at home to when she's being lifted in her VW Bug on top of the Space Needle is a terrible choice and appears absolutely forced. Expand
  2. Oct 6, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Chronicle is a pretty good film that is quite different from other found footage films, I didn't actually have much problems with it, though I had a certain problem(s) in particular. I disliked a certain character quite a bit, Alex Russell's character in particular. His character was annoying as hell and I hate that he ended being the big hero in the end because he was not likeable at all, I really wanted his character to be offed, but that didn't happen. So overall Chronicle was a good film ruined by an annoying main character. Expand
  3. Mar 2, 2012
    8
    CHRONICLE is basically the same idea as the movie H A N C O C K, but here it is way better executed. The characters act like normal people when things happen. The movie stays true to the title.
  4. Feb 17, 2013
    7
    Josh Trank wins his debut direction, this film is intriguing and innovative. One of the best films of 2012 so far and a new great style of superhero movie.
  5. Jun 1, 2012
    9
    This movie for once actually had an interesting story, easily followed up by a sequel, really interesting how they did the camera work, how it was done in the story as well as the technical aspect, and when the water moved away from his feet, WHOA that took some serious work to pull off.
  6. May 2, 2012
    7
    Super hero genre mixed with found footage? After almost a decade topping the box office, the super hero genre was in danger of being stale. While this year we have two huge movies of the genre, Chronicle came from out of nowhere, receiving a lot of critical acclaim. While it is 'fresh' in its approach, it is far from 'original' as Critics would like you to believe. It follows the typical 'origin' story, how superheroes were made and how they are usually 'best friends' with the super villains, etc. So watch this with lower expectations and you'll enjoy this more. Expand
  7. Jan 31, 2013
    10
    *SIGH* Another 'found footage' film.
    Not even close.
    Chronicle tells a very different story to all its other counterparts, much like Troll Hunter, it creates a very extraordinary but very realistic experience that could not only blow your mind, but have you appreciate how simple an idea can be, with no need for big-budget special effects, but in its place a very grounded story with an ex
    cellent cast and wonderfully budgeted set-pieces.
    It also isn't told entirely from that 'one' viewpoint, a mixture of techniques have been used to capitalise on the realism and flow of the film and begs the simple question of what would happen if we had superpowers?
    Expand
  8. Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Very fun movie. Does some interesting things with the "found footage" genre. So far the best of its class in incorporating multiple camera angles. Also, a great example of the "rise and fall" story trope. Great movie, go see it.
  9. May 29, 2012
    10
    "From movies like Jumper, Push, Next, Clockstoppers, and some other movies about people getting superpowers and using it for their own good, Josh Trank and Max Landis have pulled of the impossible. So what is it about this movie that i liked so damn much, well for one thing i loved the pacing and the timing in this movie, for a running time of 83 minutes, the movie doesn't waste your time and gets to the point very quickly and perfectly. Another thing is how realistic this movie is, with the camera work, it definitely worked out for this movie, and the characters were aware of it, which was a major plus in my book. I could say so much more, but what i will say is my regards to the director and writer for delivering one of the best movies of the year, and were only getting started"

    /agree. This movie is better than Jump, it has subtleties to, and it's honestly very underrated. It reminds me of greek stories and their demigods. It's obvious they were influential. I found the characters convincing, especially Michael Jordan.
    Expand
  10. Mar 12, 2012
    10
    This movie breathes life into the found footage genre. The three teens who get super powers brings a dark twist to superhero genre. (Although it technically shouldn't be called superhero film.) This film has me guessing the whole way. I thought this film was entirely original and I am excited that they are making a sequel. If you haven't seen this yet, I extremely recommend it.
  11. Feb 17, 2012
    9
    This is nothing short of every boyâ
  12. Jun 2, 2012
    6
    The movie is really limited by its use of "found footage," which I hate as a genre. It could have been much better if it had just been filmed like a normal movie. That being said, this was a very well characterized film, especially the main character, Andrew. I thought Dane DeHaan did a really good job of capturing the anger and depression of Andrew and making it feel very real. The rest of the cast wasn't as good, and were often pretty stereotypical of high school kids. My other complaint is that the flying looked really fake and could have been done better. Overall though, DeHaan's performance makes this movie worth watching. Expand
  13. May 8, 2012
    8
    A decent movie with good pacing and character development (despite what other critics say), the only real issue is the unnatural use of camera footage. It's unlikely that a woman free falling in mid-air is going to hold a camera at the same time to record all of the action. It's also unlikely that this same woman is going to answer her door with a camera in hand, or use it at every given opportunity. I feel that it could have worked even without the Cloverfield-style camera. With that being said, the acting, story and build up was all perfect. Expand
  14. Feb 22, 2013
    7
    Using just a video camera, High School outcast, Andrew, documents the events surrounding a recent discovery. In the woods, he and his friends discovered something unexplainable, something that gives them supernatural powers. What I loved about this film, is unlike, many many others, these kids didn't take these powers and become superheroes, instead they did what any real life teenager would do and use them for pranks, popularity, and various other things. Also unlike similar "camcorder" films, it wasn't jumpy or choppy and it was quite easy to follow. The first hour of this film was amazing, unfortunately it did go downhill at the end. The whole film was done in a realistic fashion, making science fiction seem possible, until the end, when all hell breaks loose and it honestly just destroyed the whole thing for me. It was such a strong start, but such an awful ending. Most of the cast were newcomers and were very good, the story was also very solid, but this film needs a much better ending if it wants to be considered a classic. Expand
  15. Feb 10, 2012
    7
    Absolutely worth the price of admission. The filming really makes for a fresh take on the super hero genre and I actually laughed a good amount in it. The special effects aren't anything special but they weren't absolutely awful either. It's fairly unpredictable which is good and I really like how they got their powers, you don't know what the hell went on but it was a really cool scene. The only bad thing I have to say was that it was a little short. If only Andrew had known with great power comes great responsibility. Expand
  16. Feb 26, 2012
    10
    Can someone say Columbine! The director/writers understand how to capture real life teen psychology. You witness the transformation of an abused teen who takes it out on the world. Don't abuse your power!
  17. May 13, 2012
    8
    Chronicle: The best movie I've seen so far this year. Well directed, well cast, with a great plot and extremely entertaining.

    While not a masterpiece, it's leagues above similar films.
  18. Jan 3, 2013
    7
    A few issues with the special effects (it was painfully obvious that the whole "flying" attempt was done on wires) and the acting isn't that good but it was still a very enjoyable movie that is definently worth watching.
  19. Feb 18, 2012
    9
    Chronicle is such an awesome movie, here's why. Chronicle is a found footage sci-fi film about three teenagers who get super powers, but one of the boys, Andrew (Dane DeHann) starts to abuse his powers and use them for bad. I enjoyed the living crap out of this film! It had great acting (that was believable), perfect dialogue & even pacing. My only problem is that the CGI doesn't look real, but it's found footage, so i'm no gonna **** about it. Go do yourself a favour and watch this movie. Worth your money. Expand
  20. Apr 19, 2012
    8
    Chronicle is a fresh and original movie; in other words, we need more movies like it. Although it isn't too lengthy (around 80 minutes), Chronicle is an enjoyable and unforgettable film.
  21. Jun 20, 2012
    7
    An entertaining film with good action and a bit of drama. Chronicle provides a twist on typical superpower films, where the powers are used to stop a villain. The cast and their performances are the icing on the cake to an original plot.
  22. Jun 6, 2012
    8
    Although the film style seems unnecessary, Chronicle's plot unravels quite well, giving its audience a perspective that normal people can relate to, as well as developing its protagonists and antagonists without coming off as predictable.
  23. Feb 14, 2012
    8
    The great thing about this movie is that it's kind of unique. The plot is maybe too predictable but in the end it was still worth the watch. I love how after you watch the movie, you'd want to go off having their incredible abilities. Reality strikes.
  24. Feb 15, 2012
    9
    The plot, humour and character development were great. I am a sucker for sci-fi etc but even my hater friends enjoyed. The ending was the only let down, quite hollow in my opinion.
  25. Feb 19, 2012
    9
    Super cool, fun movie. I found the writing and acting to be particularly impressive considering the genre. Most notably, one character's relationship with an abusive parent is portrayed with tenderness and realism. The comedic moments are legitimately funny and the action sequences are quite thrilling. Strong recommend!
  26. Feb 25, 2012
    8
    Highly original, engrossing film that always has your full attention. Intense and ultimately tragic, the film smartly grapples with some important themes and succeeds largely on a foundation of realism, fine performances and a smart script. What is initially exciting soon becomes destructive as one of the three teenagers the audience is introduced to uses his new-found abilities as a means to vent his frustration at the world, refining them with practice as to assert his authority over those who have taunted him throughout his life. Fine performances from the young, not-so-eminent cast. A flourish in the careers of all involved are imminent. 7.8. Expand
  27. Feb 24, 2012
    9
    A rare movie. It explored the developments of the characters from before they possessed their powers to the very end. It creates a great deal of conflict in the viewer in terms of who they should feel sympathy for and which characters they should hate. Thoroughly enjoyed the way the film was written, how it was put together, the characters, and the overall storyline. It didn't really follow any particular formula but everything in it flowed Expand
  28. Mar 2, 2012
    10
    A really interesting film, I love chronicle, is like a sci-fi glee, but without the songs and all this things, Chronicle is really sorpresive, interesting, and awesome, like a next Jumper and I am number four.
  29. Jul 23, 2012
    9
    Normal I hate the found footage camera angle but Chronicle uses it very well. The 3 guys touch an alien thing in the ground and get telekinesis which they later figure out how to use to fly, and they go round doing all they awesome stuff everyone has fantasized about doing if they had powers. Its good how the powers affect the characters in different ways but saying any more would spoil the story. Some of the effects are really bad but this movie is not meant to be taken seriously enough for it to matter, its just fun. Expand
  30. Feb 26, 2012
    8
    Chronicle is an almost immaculate film that I, at first, had been wary of. I walked in the theater expecting another cheap "found footage" film. Instead, I found Chronicle had taken the "found footage" style and revamped it to suit the movie. It had a strong reason for the camera to be filming the whole movie (the personality of the protagonist) and it wasn't always an annoying first person view. Since the characters have special powers, the protagonist actually uses these powers to move the camera to show a third person view. Even in scenes where the camera is not present, the director used other cameras such as security tapes to show what was going on. The "found footage" style in this movie has been done very well with an original twist. The characters in the movie are also very well rounded. It is easy to say who they are without describing their physical appearance or role in the movie. The film also makes it clear that it is telling a story and it is not a generic good vs. evil film. It is about the consequences of a few teenagers developing special powers and there is no straight out villain. I found I was constantly switching which characters I was rooting for because of the twists and turns that the movie has. The special effects were fantastic, the story was an original spin on the whole "with great power comes great responsibility" theme, and the acting was great. There were only about one or two scenes that had wooden acting, but other than that, each actor was amazing at portraying his or her character. The film also has many side stories and each one of these side plots is interesting and compelling. The second half of the film is very dark and emotional and the main side plot intermingles with the overall main plot, creating an extremely engrossing story. The cinematography in the movie is astonishing, as well. The camerawork shows scenes in a very dramatic or entertaining way, depending on the mood of the scene. The one thing I have to say I didn't like about the film is the climax which I feel was unnecessary. Normally a good vs. evil movie will have a final battle- and this was not a good guy vs. bad guy film. It sort of took away from the feel of the rest of the movie, as it was not needed. It dragged on and was slightly boring until the final part of the climax. There were also one or two parts in the climax that seemed corny, and I think that it should have been taken out entirely and the end results could have come about in a different way. The one thing I like about the climax (besides the end of it) was how it started and I'm not going to say how it started so as to avoid revealing any spoilers. Overall, the film was original and amazing. It was a breath of fresh air from all of the remakes, prequels, and sequels going on right now and I'm definitely going to buy it on Blu-Ray. I'd recommend this film to ages fourteen and up, as it is very graphic and just as dark as The Dark Knight (No pun intended). I'd even recommend this movie to people who don't like the "found footage" style, which is I style that I absolutely despise. However, Chronicle pulled the "found footage" style off so well that I don't think any other movie can beat it in the years to come. The reason I give Chronicle an "8" is because I think the climax took too much away from this fantastic film. Expand
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 31
  2. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Reviewed by: Peter Debruge
    Feb 10, 2012
    70
    Unlike other mock documentaries, which unconvincingly pass themselves off as real, Chronicle cleverly embraces the format as shorthand for a new kind of naturalism, inviting audiences to suspend disbelief and join in the fantasy of being able to do anything with their minds.
  2. Reviewed by: Aaron Hillis
    Feb 10, 2012
    70
    Chronicle, with its found-footage storytelling and superpowered teens, at least playfully transcends its "Cloverfield meets Heroes" pitch.
  3. Reviewed by: Mark Jenkins
    Feb 10, 2012
    50
    A few more bucks (or a little more thought) for the script would have been a better investment than faking Seattle. The characters are introduced so quickly, and their personalities are so thin, that what happens to them has little weight.