Chronicle

A superior found-footage thriller, Chronicle follows three high schoolers (Dane DeHaan’s Andrew, Alex Russell’s Matt, and Michael B. Jordan’s Steve) as they discover an unusual cave and are subsequently able to perform a wide variety of telekinetic tasks – with the film thereafter detailing the trio’s increasingly flamboyant adventures as they discover and exploit their powers. It’s rather remarkable just how involving Chronicle ultimately becomes, as the decision to emphasize Andrew’s abusive home and school lives results in a disappointingly generic feel – with this vibe persisting right up until the three friends’ discovery of the aforementioned cave. From there, although filmmaker Josh Trank, working from a script by Max Landis, curiously (and disappointingly) omits the characters’ initial discovery of their powers, Chronicle becomes a far more involving endeavor than one might have initially anticipated – as there’s just something inherently engrossing about the protagonists’ efforts at using their newfound abilities to mess with one another (and, eventually, random bystanders). It is, as such, disappointing to note that the film does stumble in its decidedly repetitive midsection, with the emphasis on heroes’ lighthearted exploits growing more and more tedious as time progresses. (On the positive side, however, there’s really never a point at which one is able to comfortably guess just where all of this is going.) By the time it rolls into its enthralling, appreciatively over-the-top third act, Chronicle has certainly managed to establish itself as a seriously entertaining piece of work that’s far, far better than the majority of its found-footage brethren.

*** out of ****