Chronicle

“Chronicle” is the hit brainchild of screenwriter Max Landis and director Josh Trank. It follows Andrew, a troubled and abused high school boy, his cousin, Matt, and star-student Steve. While at a party one night, they discover a large hole in the ground that contains a mysterious crystal, which give them all telekinesis. Though their newfound powers seem fun at first, danger unfolds as they realize what can really be done with their powers.

Even though that synopsis could produce a very shallow movie, especially when you consider the state of such found footage films nowadays, “Chronicle” is astoundingly good.

One of the best things about the film is the way it introduces its characters. Though the introductions don’t take long at all, we already know enough about them to actually care, which is a huge positive once you consider the 84 minute runtime. The depth is just enough, as it balances perfectly between ‘not enough’ and ‘over saturation.’ By the end, you still want to see (and even feel) more for these characters.

The found footage aspect of the movie sounds very cheap at first, but as the film goes on, it becomes apparent that this isn’t the case. Andrew actually has a reason to be holding a camera: because of his stressful and abusive life, all he wants is a barrier between him and the world, and this couldn’t be more perfectly presented as the movie goes on.

However, for as good as the found footage aspect is, there’s one small hole: there are just some times where Andrew would not be filming. I’ll defend “Chronicle” as one of the best found footage films to come out in recent memory, but some cracks in its system are obvious.

8/10- Featuring stellar characters and how it uses its found footage gimmick to its advantage, “Chronicle” is an experience not to be missed.