A funny, and enjoyable movie. I like the creativity that has gone into this film.

I usually don't like shaky cam movies and when I first saw the trailers for Chronicle, I wasn't exactly too keen on watching it. I finally sat down to watch it the other day and was amazed that I almost missed one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. All I can say is that if you're a comic book fan, go and watch this movie. Max Landis and Josh Trank really know their comics.

Finally! A superhero movie I don't laugh at. Chronicle shows, not akward or unfortunate nobodies who by some accident develop superpowers and decide "I wanna dress funny and save complete strangers". True, the three main characters do develop superpowers by literally stumbling into them, but they dont start playing superhero/supervillain until they absolutely have to; in fact, never once in the movie was the word "superhero" even used. When I first saw the trailer, I thought to myself "Well, that's the movie, right there. No need to go see it. Boy, was I wrong. I won't reveal much about the plot or characters, but suffice it to say the trailer actually barely reveals anything at all. The acting has its ups and downs, and admittedly the movie could be a little better paced, but for the most part everything balances out. It's worth a look, for sure.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. definitively a guy movie. I enjoyed this thoroughly while my girlfriend gave it a "meh" at best. Starts out all fun and games but gets intense fast as one of the character's home life issues destabilizes him. its sad that we never find out what the thing was that gave them their powers but definitively leaves room for a sequel.… Expand

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.… Expand

Really epic and has an excellent story with one of the best performances and epic action scenes. Could've been better without the shaky camera footage, but really good anyway.

*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 excellent 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

"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

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.

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!

Definetly worth watching! Wasn't crazy about the ending so much but loved the plot and unique script. Was interested through out the entire movie and audience deemed to be as well.

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.

Una película realmente interesante, que cumple su objetivo, muy recomendada, para los amantes de los efectos especiales. un inicio algo fuera de lo común con un final inesperado que los dejara con ganas de mas.

So far one of my favorite movies of 2012. The story helps gain a connection with the characters and the action gives you a solid blockbuster experience. No negative comments but it takes a while for the tension to build up, as with every movie

Let me just start off by saying 'Chronicle' was unexpectedly better than I had thought. The trailer was compelling enough to make me see it in theaters (twice). But what I had mapped out in my head wasn't all that close to what unfolded. The smart and relatively fast directing from Josh Trank also keeps the audience's attention from start to finish. The 3 main characters were also very likeable, and played their parts very convincingly. Chronicle also found very smooth ways to make this movie different from the several other found footage movies. The many different cameras were supposed to be controlled by amatuers, so of course the footage has to be shaky right? Not at all says writer Max Landis, I'll show you how it's done. Bottom line, Chronicle was smart and very entertaining.… Expand

Found footage style has been upgraded in to the a new level. Combined with antihero story, it fills 83 minute span with a fast pace and thrilling story.

Chronicle was an intense movie that you will never forget. The movie had a sore line with twists and turns around every corner, awesome scenes of action, and heroes of an unusual sort. Chronicle was also very thought provoking. From the moment you start watching, you will never want to stop watching until the credits. Can't wait for the sequel.

There's some interesting things going on in this movie - ----SPOILERS AHEAD----

There is an apex predator in the movie, but it's not Andrew. It's Matt. He pretends to be Andrew's friend but doesn't help him with any of his family problems. He uses Andrew's concern for justice and fairness and various problems to act as the noble guide. He loves another sham (the would-be helpful Casey) and at the end of the movie celebrates his conquest by eternally fixing the camera at a dead place while his two dead "friends" are buried in the ground.

Andrew's view of himself as the apex predator protects both him and Matt from the truth - the movie is about the lengths Andrew goes to to express his love for others as well as Matt - a sociopath without the capacity to receive love.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Chronicle is an amazing, well-acted, emotionally affecting experience. Andrew is a great villain, mostly because you never really hate him; he's a scared kid who has to deal with an abusive father, deathly ill mother, and the unfeeling bullies of his school and neighborhood. When he uses his newfound powers to win the talent show, everyone loves him. The silent dork is now the most popular guy in town, everyone throws him a big celebration, and then it is all yanked away from him. That is like winning 500 grand in a lottery, only to have the money stolen before you can spend a cent. He starts to snap, dismembering an insect, ripping a bully's teeth out, crushing a car, and electrocuting his friend to death in a fit of rage. When he robs the gas station, it is a very conflicting scene, because he needs the money to save his mother, but there is a feeling of "this is wrong, this is so wrong" throughout the scene. The epic fight between Matt and Andrew is very well done, delivering cinematic shots via news feeds, security cameras, and cell phones as they are forced to pummel each other. The death at the end is a genuine tear-jerker, mostly because it looks so real. If this had been a "normal" movie, the death would have been in slow-motion and sweeping camera angles, but all of that is absent as Matt is forced to throw a statue's spear through Andrew's body, which hangs limp as the viewer sits stunned. It is truly an amazing film, and I hope to see a possible sequel.… Expand

Wow.Wow.Wow.Wow.Wow.Wow. What a piece of...I don't even know what to say, it's simply incredible. I expected it to be a PA-styled superhero movie, but no! It is even way more and even way better than what I expected it to be. Extraordinary!

The movies uses the found footage aspect to its advantage, doing things that cant be done in a regular movie. Putting you in the first person point of view.

The most surprising film of 2012 without a doubt. It had a good plot, nice acting, and it was so realistic. That's what I loved about it. It was also very intense and it had a good ending. Great film.

Not being a fan of the "found-footage" genre, I was hesitant to see this film. I'm glad I finally decided to watch it, though, because Chronicle, as it turns out, is so much more than just another shaky-cam flick with cheap thrills. At it's core, Chronicle is a look into the isolation and loneliness felt by an awkward social outcast, and what happens when that outcast finally gains the power to turn the tables on his aggressors. That power comes in the form of some very Akira-esque telekinetic abilities, which makes for some extremely kick-ass action later in the movie; action which looks even more impressive given the film's found-footage nature. So what you end up with is something along the lines of Carrie meets Akira meets Cloverfield... a combination which may not sound very original, but, I promise, you've never seen it done this well.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you know Akira... you have a good idea about the story of the movie. It has a very weak start but it becomes better after about 20 minutes. What would you do if you suddenly had superpowers? this movie shows not what Peter Parker would have done but hat me and you would have done. The good: a compelling story, the actors performances, nice special effects.
The bad: some plot holes, some bad cinematography due to the home home video archive style of the movie.… Expand

Not a big fan of the shaky camera like Paranormal Activity. I loved this movie because it has a very good story line, and his keeps you on the edge of your seat.

when i think about it, i can't think of a way to make the movie better than it already is. the camera gimmick becomes sort of annoying at the end of the film, but that's that. everything else is at it's best, even though it wasn't the kin of perfection that deserves a 10. the characters are well-rounded, the effects look good and there is a very clear message in the movie: if one were to obtain telekinetic power, his life would spin around.… Expand

I don't write many reviews (for how many movies I see), however I have to say I was surprisingly impressed with this movie. The acting and special effects were above average, and the story had many interesting themes. You have to dig a little bit deeper in order to get the most out of this movie; but if you're familiar with any philosophy (particularly Schopenhauer), you'll probably find a lot to like here.

8.5/10 (rounding up because some critics were overly harsh)… Expand

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.

Overall, this movie was original (although definitely very inspired by any number of different comic books), very creatively done, well-acted all around, and just plain fun.
_____
I'm a picky movie-watcher. In fact, I rarely watch movies at all, because of the simple fact that it's so hard to find the really good ones mixed in with all the multi-million dollar garbage-worthy flicks, but Chronicle was definitely one of those rare gems. I had no particular expectations going into this movie, hadn't even ever heard of it, I was just doing a random search for a sci-fi movie and Chronicle seemed like it could be decent, but it turned out to be much more than decent. I've never seen a super-power inspired film seem so realistic. The emergence of the "super-villians" teenager-angst dark-side was done at just the right pace, starting off showing subtle tidbits here and there of his darker psyche and gradually leading up to the point where his psychological issues just explode out from him. I also really appreciated the use of the hand-held camera style in this film, usually I'm not a fan of that, but I think it just add to the realistic feel in this film, which is exactly what the director was going for.… Expand

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.

This is nothing short of every boyâ

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

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.

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!

Chronicle was a fantastic movie and definitely deserves more than a 69%. Its camera angle was experimental and new (similar to Cloverfield) and I enjoyed it, although some people won't. During the first half of the movie I didn't really enjoy the camera angle, but by the second half I did. The acting was fantastic and the characters were interesting. However, the main character Andrew did many things that I didn't feel he would do according to his personality. The ending was bittersweet and the movie had many twists and turns so it wasn't predictable. Overall I loved the movie and was really engrossed in the story.… Expand

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

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

This movie was a very enjoyable experience for me. What really made it great was the fact that they can really show the intensity of having super powers, which brings out a huge range of emotions. The actors were really phenomenal and the action and humor was great as well. The actors kept the movie going for sure it was a good $15 to spend for sure.

Chronicle's portrayal of superheroes is dark, gritty and true to life. The found-footage theme does add an amount of realism, and adds a certain emotional impact to the characters that other found footage movies haven't done before. The films morality theme plays out nicely with clever writing and characters you can relate to, however, the pacing can be slow and only seems to pick up around a third of the film. Another issue is the CGI that does seem outdated but isn't bad enough to pull you out of the experience. Overall, Chronicle is a movie you can't miss, with a great story and amazing new actors, Chronicle is a true modern great.… Expand

This is one of the best movies I've seen this year. It is an original and exciting take on what would happen if some kids came across super powers. I hope there is a sequel because I would definitely see it. Check it out.

This movie was incredible! I honestly didn't think I'd like it, but it was completely enthralling and unexpected from beginning to end! I would definitely see it again.

This is the score I wanted to give it.. I don't know why it didn't come up when I first wrote my review! And to show how good this movie is.. I bought it 2 days after watching it.

A fantastic film that starts with a fun and overall teenage theme before developing bit by bit into a suspenseful superhero epic that lasts in your memory. The combination of normal life with superhuman abilities was excellently pulled off, and the cast of young and mostly unheard of actors showcased their talents extremely well.

A really unique and compelling superhero flick. Really adds a lot to the found footage genre. Also one of the most realistic superhero movies ever made, as it feels like this would be what would happen if teenagers got super powers. My only problem with the film is that it seems like director Josh Trank has trouble maintaining the found footage filming through some scenes, but ultimately I think that he pulls it off.… Expand

Wow.... just wow. I had no idea what this movie was about going in. I thought it would be really cheesy but good worth at least a 4. Definitely a solid 9 and will leave you thinking about it way after the credits roll. Great and worth a watch!

Inarguably one of the finest "found footage" movies in cinematic history, "Chronicle" solidly impresses without deadening brain activity.

While initially the combination of a whining lead character and the shaky cam was a massive turn off, as the film got into full swing I started to really appreciate it, to the point where I didn't even notice it anymore. The film has a superb use of effects, from the subtle to the downright ridiculous, everything has a hyper-realistic shine to it that really adds to the effect and overall feel of the movie. Very well paced and I really loved how the movie took a proper (though admittedly predictable) dark turn. Beautifully subtle while at the same time tastefully in your face, one of the best action movies of 2012 without a doubt and one to watch again.… Expand

I really enjoyed this movie. At first, the hand held camera bugged me but I got used to it and decided that was the right way to do this movie. What was great about the movie was the exploration of the psychology of the 3 different teens (also the actors really seemed older than high schoolers). All in all, much better than I was expecting.

Chronicle is a great movie showcased in 85 minutes, It may not have the best effects and a lot of people will find similarites to the anime film akira but chronicle is still one of the best movies of 2012 and hope to see more out of this director.

Its brilliant , its different , it no one ever thought before . Chronicle gives its viewers something totally different . the way they put together the idea of making Superpowers look bad was super . I always wanted to see a movie with superpowers gone bad and Chronicle did it and they did amazing . Josh Trank's direction was super . He is a fine young director and I wish him luck . of the three players I like Alex Russell's character and him acting the best . the effects of the film was amazing . How the hell they did all those with so little budget ! Overall an awesome si-fi thriller movie Chronicle is . Waiting for the sequel .....… Expand

Thought this was really good..obv, I gave it an 8. What I loved was that despite it being quite a mainstream movie, they were not afraid to make it a tragedy, which it is, in the true sense of the Ancient Greeks. From innocence to experience, was beautiful.

The filmmakers of Chronicle did an excellent job at simulating the experiences of teenagers learning to use superhuman powers and just as much learning to deal with the consequences. The characters are invitingly friendly which I believe pulls the viewer in. You understand and feel what every character is going through and deeply empathize with them.

It's been a while since I wrote reviews in metacritic, so I thought writing some would be good. Anyways, all could say of Josh Trank's "Chronicle" is that it's very original. He diminishes those first-person camera angle problems by switching viewpoints (from Andrew's camera to other cameras, iphones, and even from the news chopper) which is clever. The script is well written and although the movie's kinda short it has it's sense of intensity most 2 hour movies can't even show off.… Expand

Most Sci-fi films fail to impress because they over exaggerate, specifically in comic book movies where the hero is far too strong to have trouble fighting a bald guy in a white suit (Superman or Spiderman, take your pick). Chronicle despite its roots as a science fiction feature is remarkably blunt in its execution and hauntingly realistic both in its depiction of these teenagers exploration of their newfound powers or its depiction of domestic violence and grief, itâ… Expand

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

What a movie to open the year with (the first new release I've seen this year)! It opens slowly, but builds into a truly fantastic climax that had me very excited throughout. The acting at times is very good and the story is actually quite emotional and can become hard to watch. When the characters get their powers and start to mess around with them is fun to watch as well. Now for the bad points of the film: Some of the dialogue is too cheesy and feels out of place (the ending in particular) and it takes a while to get interesting. From my experience the film splits opinions, upon reflecting on the film, I said the ending was very good, but my friends disagreed. Definitely go into this movie with an open mind, it helped me a lot.… Expand

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.

Its rare to find movies that actually portray what average people would do if they had super powers. Chronicle was a very good movie. where the special effects lacked, the story and characters shined.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "Chronicle" (2012) tells the story of a adolescent, Andrew, who is
socially excluded at school, besides being an introvert personalty, and
serious problems at home with the aggressive alcoholic father and his
mother, who is dying of terminal cancer.

He still enjoys the company of his cousin, Alex, and at a party, he and
another friend, Michell, find in a nearby cave a meteorite that give
them powers of telekinesis, which are discovered little by little ...

Initially the jokes with the use of these powers were funny, but they
begin to take another course, and the situations of Andrew's life
ultimately influence his control (and uses) over these powers.

The film has a very good visual, with convincing effects, extremely
well made that does not transpire much use of CG. Also just taking a
different approach, because Andrew, early in the film uses a hand-held
camera to film the assaults of his father, and the camera ends up being
the main perspective by which the film is shown, until the final half
hour.

The performances are very good, particularly Dane DeHaan (Andrew) that
clearly shows the psychological chaos in his life and that culminates
with the final events shown in the end.

The audio of the movie is nice, with effects and music very good and
appropriate to the film.

There are some comparisons to Akira, and yes, it resembles it - but
what that involves psychic powers that does not refer to the Manga or
Carrie's, somehow?

Anyway, the movie ends up having a very good approach to what the
conditions of life a person could do with their mind, and what would
happen if by chance, this person had powers - of course, in a common
sense much in the film ends up being driven to a adolescent target
public, but even so, the focus is very good, and it is enjoyable for
older people.

A great choice for a science fiction - drama movie, with a different
theme to what we are accustomed.… Expand

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

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

The plot line of this movie is quite interesting as it portrays what "normal" people might go through if they were to be gifted with super powers. The ending wasn't the best and the bounciness of the camera might make some people sea-sick other than that great movie!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. On the whole I was quite impressed. Usually I find it difficult to tolerate the dark brooding moody teenager archtype, but the development of this particular character was quite well done. The actual pacing of the film was good and kept interest while giving the detail it had to, though perhaps the main characters descent was a bit too quick. The special effects were impressive, though I suspect the style of camera work helps to sidestep most major problems. Overall I felt it was very artistic, the camera work, the type of scenes, the development and demonstration of their powers all meshed together in terms of style and complimented each other very well. Its a very difficult task to make a movie of this genre, with these types of characters and using the camera work they did, and the fact of the matter is that if any of those elements were lacking the entire film would have collapsed. But in Chronicle, it, frankly, all just worked, perhaps a bit heavy handed in the moody teen, but they certainly achieved the look they were going for. Further the final battle was just beautiful, its climax especially was just fantastic.… Expand

Some poor CGI and acting but a great story and awesome found footage techniques. A group of young teens that face personal problems getting dumped with superpowers is never a good combination. Who will appreciate the power and who will turn?

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I liked this movie, because it is about superheroes and it doesn't include any capes or tight latex pants and it also has a darker side than your average/normal "super" film. Add to these, a pretty authentic scenario and nice story-telling, and you've got a decent and enjoyable film.… Expand

Chronicle is straight and fast forward, kind a found footage scenario, but there is no dull moment in the whole process, everything is sharp , crisp and to the point. Acting is believable, looks strong, smartly directed.One scene, actually tow scenes took my breathe away 1. The whole Ariel ( three boys flying in the clouds)
2. The penultimate climax.

The whole, a entertaining experience.. A must watch.… Expand

Entertaining,Impressive and Engaging.It's better than what i expected.Very good use of camera and C.G.I effects Action-Fantasy and drama about a Teenager. This is one the best found footage movies ever. You can easily connect to the characters from the beginning because there are normal teenagers,it worked for me cuz i'm a teenager too.Performances from the younger cast and fast pacing direction overshadow many flaws. It's a new achievement in the piece of art and handheld cinema.I liked this movie so much. I hope,they'd make a sequel :)… Expand

Chronicle is quite an interesting movie to say the least. Sure there a lots of movies out there where people obtain superhero powers but the one thing Chronicle has going for it (apart from a well written script) is the use of the found footage style of filming. The movie is show through the camera lens of a Matt. When he's invited by his cousin Andrew to a party to help him meet people, Matt along with Andrew and friend Steve discover a cave where they find a large, glowing object. Perhaps due to the over exposition of radiation they begin to experience pain and nosebleeds, eventually collapsing on the floor. The next day they discover that they have telekinetic powers.

What I like about the movie is through the found footage we get to witness a more personal development of the teenagers' characters. It feels as if we are actually witnessing them learning to use, develop and control their powers first hand. It doesn't feel like a movie, it feels like an experience that we are all a part of. It is made clear from the beginning that they experience nosebleeds when ever they put too many stress on themselves. Thus when we see them performing remarkable feats such as moving a car from one parking spot to another without getting nosebleed, we know they're getting stronger. We even get to witness them fly. What's also made clear is that Andrew is he weakest of he group in terms of controlling his powers as he constantly gets nosebleeds and took a while to learn to fly.

Why is that important? Without trying to give away too much, this is a superhero movie right? It's about Good vs Evil. Matt doesn't seem to comprehend the message that with great power comes great responsibility and he becomes, for lack of a better word, a complete douchebag. It's up to Andrew to stop him but by this time we begin to wonder , can Andrew even stop him? Matt was the fastest learner. He was the first to fully develop his powers. He was the strongest, he was the first to fly. Andrew was the slow learner. It's that early character development and development of powers through the lens of the found footage that make the movie that much more thrilling by the time it comes down to the end. One thing I praise this movie for is that it focused more on the villain than the hero, which is something so rare. Usually we see the hero just getting stronger and stronger but how often have we seen the villain? How often have we seen a movie where from the get go you know that the protagonist is nowhere near capable of defeating the antagonist?

While I do make out the use of found footage in this film as the best thing since sliced bread it has its faults. In order to capture Andrew's side of the story, a minor character had to be introduced as she, like Matt, for some odd reason wants to video tape every and every thing. Nonetheless, Chronicle is a gem of a film. It's a unique blend. The found footage really brings this movie to life as you get to witness first hand the development of the groups powers and Matt into the villain as well as Andrew into the hero that is just no match for the villain. This is by far my movie of the year.… Expand

This film makes you wish you had the superpowers. Much appreciation for the found-footage format, visual effects and in addition the lessons you get to learn about self-control and the desire to be superior.

A realistic, powerful and well-acted film that captures the quintessence of ordinary people becoming extraordinary, whilst exposing the journey of sacrifice, loss and the descent to evil.

Dark, disturbing, taut, and more emotional than you would expect, "Chronicle" is an intense, well-written film that features non-stop action and leaves you thinking well after the credits have rolled.

"Chronicle" is a genuine surprise - a film with a truly believable story that is 'chronicled' through the most convincing and least distracting hand-held camera style I've yet seen. The strength of the movie comes from the characters - these aren't the teens you see in many other movies. These kids act the way real kids do, and play with their powers the way real kids would. You don't question what they do, because it works completely with their characters, and through both the light and dark turns of the film, they consistently remain realistic teenagers. The story of how they acquire their powers is ingeniously left an open question, and how the final character's life will play out is also left open. You wonder how things go from here, and if indeed he'll ever find out what it was that gave them their telekinetic abilities. What sets this style of camera work above its peers is how it doesn't limit itself to one camera - it moves between all sorts of cameras, capturing the action from many angles, and especially in the last act this lends the film a unique and exciting pace and adrenaline. As far as what I call the "underground superhero" movies (films about superpowered people other than Marvel or DC characters), this is the best I've seen, and certainly worth checking out.… Expand

A great little superhero inspired film, one of the strengths of the film is how it surprisingly manages to do something interesting with the found footage motif. The film does a great job at making a complex, sympathetic villain, a sort of modern re-imagining of the Lex Luthor story.

As boys grow, they dream of having superpowers. And during the first part of the film you are taken on a ride on what it feels like to gain such powers and the possibilities it brings. However, the second part is also a reminder that with great power comes great responsibility and even though the build up is great, the ending felt a bit short. Regardless, this is the stuff great entertainment is made of.… Expand

You have to put up with the eye rolling teenage behavior that only Hollywood perceives teenagers to be, and of course the horrible moving camera, but it turns out to be an entertaining film. The movie progressively gets better and better as it goes on so be patient. I thought the special effects, for the most part, were great. They could have made the teenagers a little more likable so that you cared more about the characters and their predicament, but for the most part they are annoying. Still, I enjoyed it.… Expand

Chronicle is a good movie but not quite a great one. The handheld 'Cloverfield' style camera style works well for the most part, but it's sometimes replaced by standard camera shots... Which is confusing and doesn't make sense. The acting is solid and the effects are surprisingly well done. The climax is bound to impress. My one great complaint is that the hero of the movie has too little screen-time and seems like a one dimensional wooden plank, especially when compared to the villain. When all is said and done, Chronicle is definitely worth seeing if you're a superhero fan.… Expand

Just once I'd like to see what teenage girls do with a superpower. Why is it always boys? Especially, since we know they will only use it to impress girls... and ultimately kill each other.

Chronicle has what many lesser found footage films lack. The genre has a history of sacrificing character for style, of using hand-held filming to hide a lack of budget. This film has very strong performances from the three leads Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan (especially DeHaan) who all play interesting, well-developed characters that you enjoy spending time with, and the film's entertaining premise of the three highschool friends gaining superpowers after the discovery of a mysterious object provides some good laughs and fun spectacle, particularly in the scenes where the boys are learning to control their new gifts. The film also creatively gets round the chief weakness of the found footage genre - who's holding the camera? (the way they do this is a highlight which I won't spoil here). Like Cloverfield, Chronicle doesn't try to provide a concrete explanation for the odd goings on that we witness, but this mostly works for the film, and you should be able to fill in the gaps yourself (at least until an inevitable sequel surfaces which will doubtless expand on the film's universe). Disappointingly, the final act of Chronicle is pretty poor. The action becomes all-consuming and repetitive, the characters are reduced to conduits for the filmmakers to spend their remaining budget rather than anyone you can care about anymore, and the presence of one of the secondary characters is seemingly only to have someone else holding a camcorder. In other words, the film becomes just like all the films it has, up to the final act, been surpassing. Though the finale is an overblown, flaccid bore, the rest of Chronicle is a riot, and feels pleasingly original for a film that is part of a filmmaking craze that has long outstayed its welcome. Here's hoping the sequel builds on the considerable successes we find here, though without Josh Trank's sturdy direction (he's reportedly been headhunted to helm bigger superhero fare), it remains to be seen whether a second instalment will become too big and dumb.… Expand

Chrinicle is a fun movie that feels novel and authentic. The films gimmick at first feels out of place but it does eventually feel like a good choice to dive into the life of these teenagers. However chronicle had it's faults. Alot of the dialogue near the end of the film was very cheesy and poorly acted. I also found the film's story to be cliched. I found some of the cuts to be terribly executed and distracting in the film. Because of this many scenes felt oddly broken when they should have been one long take with no cut. Overall I found chronicle to be a fun but cliched novel and authentic idea, if that makes sense.

(I found the background of the very last scene of the film to look extremely fake and very poorly executed. This was a disapointement because the previous scenes they worked so hard to make them look real.)… Expand

Chronicle to me was a bit confusing, the plot seemed to act like a yo-yo one minute everything is slow and then suddenly everyone is high and the cameraman is having a spazm.
The effect were well done and the actors were not to bad though the main guy was a little on the crazy side and getting to the point where he didn't seem for real.
The film is ok and it is not the greatest film of the year or the greatest superhero film.
IMO it was not worth the ticket but could be a good film to rent and watch with friends… Expand

What a clever film......It's equal party funny and gritty and even a little unexpected.....
I was pleasantly surprised that the 'cam corder' type cinematography, something I hate usually, didn't detract from the experience but added to it.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

Es una nueva forma de ver a un superheroe. La pelicula fue bastante buena, a pesar de su bajo presupuesto. Lo mejor que se puede señalar de la pelicula fue la manera como fue explicada la vida del personaje principal y cual fue la causa y motivo de sus acciones y caracter. El director si logro mejorar el escesivo movimiento de la camara y es mucho mas facil de ver que otros filmes de su genero.… Expand

For his first feature, film Josh Trank impressed the hell out of me. The storyline from this site adequately covers the plot without spoiling too much and if you watch the trailer/preview, you will want to see; I can tell you now that trailer is not misleading. The fact that the cast does not include well known names did not stop the movie from making a mark, and the numbers back that up. If you can get passed the hand held camera work that was compulsory but thankfully not throughout, given one main character is chronicling, video journal style, a period in his life, you will discover a good movie. It has a take on characters with super powers that youâ… Expand

It's very innovative in scope, and the shaky camera deal works in its favor. An interesting look into social issues for the high-school aged. Worth a watch, and could use a sequel.

Chronicle is a much better movie than I was expecting. Hollywood has been coming with a ton of low budget "found footage" movies lately and, to be honest, most of them have been truly awful. This film is different though. It benefits from a steady hand from talented director Josh Trank and boasts a strong story with a surprising amount of depth from it's young writer Max Landis. This is definitely a small film that has it's budget constraints. It's a large scale concept that is occasionally held back by suspect special effects but for the most part they will definitely suitable. I thought this was a terrific, low budget sci-fi film that uses it's "found footage" style to it's advantage unlike most "found footage" films of recent.… Expand

Chronicle has to be, by far, the best found footage film I have ever seen. What is most amazing about it is how thoroughly Josh Trank is able to envelop us into this world even though it is his first feature. To mention another successful debut, Dane DeHaan delivers the best performance of the three young leads, who all do stellar work regardless, as the troubled Andrew. The actors all bring out their characters, each resembling the man we would like to be (Steve), the man we don't want to become (Andrew), and who we actually more closely resemble (Matt), a motif that plays out well in other films such as No Country For Old Men and Mystic River for example. And on the technical side, Chronicle also succeeds, with good visuals and very smart use of the found-footage style on a reported budget of only about $15 million. A sleeper hit well worth checking out.… Expand