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Chronicle

Chronicle

2012
Drama, Sci-fi
1h 24m
Three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery. Soon, though, they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides. (imdb)
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Chronicle

2012
Drama, Sci-fi
1h 24m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 50.14% from 3629 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(3629)
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Rated 09 Feb 2012
7
84th
Despite the somewhat poorly-motivated found footage aesthetic and one notably superfluous character, this is probably 2012's first movie that demands to be watched by fans of the medium. Its interpretation of what actual teenagers would do if granted sudden superpowers is one of the first twists on the superhero genre that truly feels like a twist, and the third act climax is a scorcher for the budget they were working with.
Rated 24 May 2012
30
10th
The characters are annoying, the "social realism" elements even worse. Most terrible of all, perhaps, is the ending. And I usually love the found footage sub-genre. This should have been great.
Rated 17 Feb 2012
3
28th
I have still yet to see one of these stupid, lame ass gimmick movies that actually works. And this one actually didn't look bad but it was just so predictable and boring. The ending was lame too. Too cheesy for my tastes and goddamn excessive shake cam is so bad.
Rated 11 Feb 2013
80
85th
I am an apex criticker. My critiques of movies prey on lesser reviews and steal witty quips from betwixt their lines like a socially-inept loner kid psycho-kinetically steals money from a convenience store cash register to help pay for his ailing mom's pain meds while fanning the flames of the public healthcare debate over which I roast jumbo marshmallows. I, too, have rules. My reviews shall never be shown to the public, and they will never be used to kill anyone. Harm, maybe. Kill, no. Maybe.
Rated 09 May 2013
70
76th
Despite the sickeningly sterile, over-used characters, such as the angsty teen dealing with abuse, this film surprised me from the start. One of the better "super" films out there, this one makes its mark by realistically portraying the experimentation and process of discovery that such radical abilities would entail. Admittedly, the temptation of power as a plot driver could have given way to a more intelligent moral dilemma, but this is the only real thing holding this one back from greatness.
Rated 13 Jul 2021
95
91st
It nails an attempt to be this generation's Carrie: a kid from a toxic home life gets super powers and makes his bullies pay. I'll stick up for the found footage approach as it understands that the era's young people don't consider events complete until they've been documented and shared online--like in the final monologue. The low budget aesthetic also helps immerse you in the world, via a cool super powers look that grows with each angsty teenage conflict. Somewhat overlooked and great fun.
Rated 07 Feb 2012
75
67th
Despite it's needless use of handicam filming (with a lame explanation), this movie works very well. I didn't have much faith in a super-hero origin movie starring teenagers, but it was well written, acted, and directed with nice effects. It was substantially darker than I anticipated and despite a pretty simple plot still has enough depth to not make it feel like a cheap experience. Despite the final act featuring unsatisfying endings for each character it's still a worthwhile watch.
Rated 09 Feb 2012
73
39th
Not a terrible movie, also not a complete ripoff of Akira, but enough of both to make it frustrating.
Rated 11 Feb 2012
76
57th
Chronicle is a gimmicky first person cam movie that portrays super powers in a less comic book fashion and sticks closer to real life reactions. It's pretty decent, even if the writer decided to cop out and make the tormented outsider the villain. The ending begs for a sequel that I can't help but imagine will surpass this movie in every way.
Rated 29 Feb 2012
25
15th
In the hands of a director with some vision, Chronicle could have been an intriguing twist on the "found footage" style of filmmaking. Instead, Josh Trank delivers a ridiculous superhero movie built around terrible CGI, lifeless acting and one of the worst third acts to ever grace the screen.
Rated 03 Mar 2012
6
35th
"I started filming things..." Well, that must be the lamest excuse for implementing this past its prime gimmick, which not only makes everything look phoned in and sterile, but continuously corners the viewer in accepting Andrew's new found, heedlessly explored rebellion. Drunk abusive father, sick mother, tormented high school loner; I can understand, given the limitations of the genre, its occasional stabs at pathos, but how lazy can you be ?
Rated 09 Apr 2012
75
56th
I do like the style and the quick pace. There are some cool lines, and I certainly can't poo-poo the interesting spin on the superhero movie that "Chronicle" puts forth. I don't quite think I was as "into" it as everybody else seems to be. I didn't find these teenagers to be quite as obnoxious as I was half-expecting to; in fact, there are characters here worth getting behind for sure. Nothing feels cheap or tacked-on, and for a relative low budget, it looks stylish. A solid, original effort.
Rated 17 Apr 2012
69
59th
If you present the story as a narrative, than I just accept that. If you present it as a documentary, than I will hold you to that. They lose the first camera and never get it back. So we saw that how? If you're going to abandon the constraints of found footage by having it never be found, than go ahead and just lose the whole gimmick.
Rated 26 Apr 2012
55
85th
I AM AN APEX PREDATOR
Rated 07 May 2012
80
86th
truly original take on the genre - even though im a bit fed up with the "found footage" approach I gotta give it to Trank, finding new ways of incorporating this style of photography.
Rated 22 Jun 2012
93
92nd
Amazing movie. This Chronicles (haha) the story of three teens who discover something strange in a cave and it grants them superpowers. This leads to some very funny scenes like them pulling pranks on people in the grocery store to scary scenes where innocent people are getting hurt. The three leads were all awesome in this and I thought the direction was wonderful. I really liked how cameras were used in this. It's hard to explain, you just need to see it. Stellar movie. I loved it!
Rated 06 Dec 2012
23
14th
Amazing how much praise this got. Hollywood nepotism (John Landis' son) transplanting a Japanese animated classic (Akira) to an American setting, using home video shaky cam methods (BWP, Cloverfield, etc.). All the characters are douchey/bland rather than threatening/compelling, I burst out laughing at the "apex predator" line and the final scene. If Max Landis actually gets a career off the back of this fuck you, universe.
Rated 27 Dec 2012
55
27th
Movie would've ruled if it was just the drunken dad beating the shit out of that idiot for 80 minutes , and the drunken dad was the one with the powers. "You . Are . Hearing . Me . Talk . " Assburgers Man
Rated 02 Oct 2013
91
91st
Made in the style of a low budget movie, it has a surprising quality that helps to legitimize it. The story is imaginative and interesting throughout. I rarely want to immediately re-watch a movie, but I found myself wanting to go back and catch some of the nuances that I probably missed the first time through. I kept thinking they should go to Vegas and play roulette. Fun movie worth watching, but they missed a lot of great opportunities to be more entertaining.
Rated 16 Jul 2014
90
94th
Smartly scripted, well acted, well made. A damned fine indie and a really good piece of sci fi
Rated 04 Nov 2017
35
20th
Superhero - the home video. The worst use of the found footage gimmick I can remember seeing, that only adds something to the mix for brief moments in the third act. I can't believe I was actually looking forward to watching this.
Rated 28 Apr 2020
68
45th
It's interesting that what is initially the most annoying part (the found footage gimmick) ends up becoming the most interesting part by the climax, where we witness a typical blockbuster city-spanning battle from the viewpoint of bystanders and first responders. It's a nice twist that comes too late to entirely save this from high school movie cliche hell. Not to say it isn't fun here and there, but the writing really lets it down. Of course the black guy dies first, lol.
Rated 04 Feb 2012
40
7th
super cheesy!!!~
Rated 04 Feb 2012
65
63rd
In the same league as Push and Jumper but better overall. Simple story and not many head scratchers.
Rated 06 Feb 2012
85
80th
Sucker for superhero films AND films shot with this style. Sure, the handheld camera thing always makes you go "why is there a camera here?" but outside of that sometimes wonkiness (that all movies in this genre suffer from on occasion), this is so engaging. It's got drama, cool action, wonderful acting, and a nice little mysterious origin story. It's deeper than you'd think, the characters aren't cardboard cutouts, and I was into it from the very beginning.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
21
60th
Well that just got more and more silly.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
30
5th
This film could have been really good but it did just about everything wrong. Really annoying to watch.
Rated 12 Feb 2012
78
70th
Bravo... A low-budget, high-production superpower film that is highly entertaining, as well as a paradigm for how big-budget mainstream superhero films can be vehicles for engaging characters and stories. There's no need to waste time on origin stories, defining good guys and bad guys, pandering to a fickle fanbase, or even having more than a single superpower on display! Show-off how cool having a superpower is, and the story writes itself.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
82
78th
Doesn't delve very deep, but surprisingly entertaining, taking its subject matter about as seriously as possible.
Rated 17 Feb 2012
90
93rd
There's no great philosophical insight, but it's an absolutely original film by a first time feature film director and newbie actors. I was enthralled and continuously off balance throughout, wondering what was going to happen next. It was clicheless while at the same time there was a kind of logic to what was happening, and then I started wondering how they were going to finish it off. All I can say is it wasn't a completely spectacular finish, but it was satisfying. Cool Movie 9/10
Rated 22 Feb 2012
36
15th
Rarely have I seen main characters (who, by the way, are downright unlikeable) making so many bad choices. The POW doesn't work either and it all becomes very tiresome. A mean self-satisfied movie wasting its potential.
Rated 18 Mar 2012
78
77th
It's Akira, but, instead of a satisfying ending, there is an obvious one.
Rated 18 Mar 2012
79
58th
Despite glaring flaws, I really do like this film. Visually it does a lot with very little, and the relatively simple plot is served well by the found footage format. I'm not sure if it accomplished what it set out to do, but I enjoy what it did anyway.
Rated 24 Mar 2012
90
64th
I may be overrating this a tad bit, but I thoroughly enjoyed it a lot when it came out. The three leads are all really good and "I" think Dane DeHaan is a really good actor when given the right role. It's found-footage and I usually just don't care for those at all, but this one is really well-done. It's fun, dark, short, and very interesting. I'm glad this movie exists and I hope they don't make any mediocre sequels.
Rated 12 Apr 2012
70
18th
The premise is unique and had potential. The execution was very flawed. I did not like the Youtube style editing. I found it distracting. I found most of the characters unlikable. I did not feel invested in the story or the characters.
Rated 13 Apr 2012
50
40th
I want to fly too.. but the ending is insufferable.
Rated 23 Apr 2012
35
27th
weak. just too weak in every sense of film making.
Rated 28 Apr 2012
60
52nd
Very decent... Everything seems a bit rushed though, especially the somewhat weak ending.
Rated 28 Apr 2012
65
53rd
at first, i thought "oh no, not again the found footage crap". but i got used to it to the point where i enjoyed the realism this added, even if the bad cgi was hard to ignore. you won't really relate to any of the characters. actually i thought they were way too stereotypical, especially andrew. but that's not the point. the tagline is "what are you capable of?" and it succeeded in making me contemplate what i'd do with those powers. and you're all better off with me not having them.
Rated 30 Apr 2012
67
43rd
Pretty good, although I don't like the shooting style and the script fell apart near the end.
Rated 03 May 2012
70
56th
A totally unoriginal mix of Unbreakable, Cloverfield, and _insert_ teen high school movie. It also doesn't help that the best character is killed off in the most Hollywood cliche manner for minorities. That leaves two goofy teen movie guys flying around in the sky like peter pan which looks cheesy no matter the context. Apparently being an "apex predator" means being an asshole with your powers instead of understanding what the term means too. This could have used far less suburban angst.
Rated 14 May 2012
54
56th
Andrewww! Kanedaaa!
Rated 24 May 2012
68
65th
People bitch about found footage but this movie would have fucking sucked shot straight up. Very entertaining film.
Rated 30 May 2012
45
48th
Great beginning and a nice concept, but the story and especially the main character get very annoying by the end. With a different ending it could have been a great movie.
Rated 09 Sep 2012
60
40th
Entertaining and annoying in equal measure. Some awesome set-pieces help provide a diversion from what is essentially a tired and uninspired morality tale.
Rated 20 Feb 2013
82
90th
Simultaneously one of the cleverest found-footage films and one of the best super-hero films ever made.
Rated 13 Mar 2013
4
74th
You can trace its inspirations to Akira and Carrie, and though I have no problem with the concept on principle, the found footage aesthetic is a little pointless here. But still, this gets points for originality among its contemporaries, its believably conceived teen characters, a brisk and exciting pace, and being just plain fun.
Rated 30 Mar 2013
20
15th
The idea of a found footage film with this theme had me really excited, had it been done well it could have been an incredible film. It was not done well.
Rated 29 Nov 2013
55
34th
The whole thing would've been so much better if it wasn't done in the found footage style. At no point does it feel realistic or not like it's clearly staged. Even the dialogue and acting suffers from it. The general story idea is cool and entertaining enough, but it's still let down by everything else. The characterisations and themes are all very basic. The visual effects aren't completely awful, but they were never believable. The film just felt amateurish to me & not in a good way. Mediocre.
Rated 20 Jan 2014
65
62nd
Forget about the time when horror was hot, now its superheroes mix it with Blair Witch Project and give birth to "Chronicle". After all it was fun, a "fresh" approach to a dying topic, the only thing is that the character where very cartoony.The special effects where great.
Rated 16 Apr 2015
80
80th
At first I was worried that all the good scenes were shown in the trailer but the film ended up having some nice surprises and unexpected turns. The script was well done and the three leads are did a very good job with the roles they played in this film. There were plenty of visually interesting and exciting scenes the entire way. I would definitely recommend this film.
Rated 13 May 2015
25
6th
Safe to say the creators definitely do not exhibit any superpowers in filmmaking.
Rated 03 Sep 2015
79
81st
Chronicle finds smart solutions to at least some of the problems of the found-footage genre (minimum of shaky cam thanks to levitation, effective - albeit, contrived - additional POVs, etc.), even if it can’t sidestep others (who the heck is compiling and editing the footage and what’s the rationale for what’s being included or left out?). It’s an engrossing little thriller, thanks to believable characters, strong performances, and a logical, believable path of escalation.
Rated 03 Mar 2017
63
39th
Chronicle's biggest strength is its portrayal of teenage boys developing their friendship while they discover their powers. The small moments of humanity and short conversations between characters showcase Landis and Trank at their best. The effects are mildly noticeable which is forgivable due to the low budget. My two biggest peeves are the found footage format with choppy edits and incorporating multiple people holding cameras 24/7; And the ending with a hammy performance from DeHaan.
Rated 18 May 2018
85
66th
Chronicle is the found footage film truly realized as a potential blockbuster genre. The young actors are all terrific, lead amazingly by a star making turn from Dane Dehaan.
Rated 07 Mar 2019
55
19th
I love fetishizing over people with superpowers doing mundane things, or finding exploits in society - so I generally liked the first part(s) of this. It all becomes pretty silly rather quickly however.
Rated 12 Feb 2021
83
69th
Enjoyable spin on the "superhero origin story" never justifies its "found footage" format - had it been filmed more conventionally, the film could have been more viscerally involving, especially at the finale where the technique keeps the action at a remove. Still a fun idea and played exceptionally well by its young leads, engendering the right amount of frat-boy ugliness against the persona of characters you can still root for. A nice showcase for a truly loathsome Kelly in support as well.
Rated 27 Apr 2021
4
70th
Pretty fun found-footage superhero movie, with an enjoyable if predictable plot and cast.
Rated 03 Feb 2012
50
38th
I was impressed with many aspects of this. The special effects are really solid, and the first and second acts are pretty interesting. Unfortunately, when it grows out of its own pants in the third act, everything becomes pretty ludicrous and in the end unsatisfying. The character arcs end up feeling cheap, and - apart from a few shining moments - the action leading up to the end, despite all its elaborate and grandiose setpieces, lacks genuine intensity to a surprising degree.
Rated 04 Feb 2012
89
88th
loved it.
Rated 04 Feb 2012
35
10th
I was disappointed because it was a "camera is held by the characters" movie, but other than that it was simply phenomenal! The main character was easy to sympathize with and the supporting cast played their roles very well. The premise was well executed, and the camera still managed to be cinematic at certain points.
Rated 05 Feb 2012
80
84th
definetly worth watching
Rated 05 Feb 2012
90
73rd
This was awesome. There's no other way to put it.
Rated 07 Feb 2012
50
35th
Good effects, but not much of a film.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
100
51st
very cool and awesome 10 out of 10
Rated 09 Feb 2012
84
61st
Actually, surprisingly good. Takes a tired concept and some characters drawn with a thick archetype brush, and makes it work on an entertainment level that actually supports a few different layers of subtext. Plus, it's about as close to a live-action Akira as you could hope for.
Rated 10 Feb 2012
85
64th
A very engaging piece because of the camera angles and techniques used to capture the first person view point. The low key cast provides a realism that is often forgotten in modern films. As the film progresses the atmosphere within the film becomes darker as the emotions of the characters take a turn for the worse. A very enjoyable flick, thee is no doubt about that.
Rated 11 Feb 2012
85
77th
actually, it is pretty damn good.
Rated 11 Feb 2012
79
57th
Great and entertaining film, though I think I still prefer Cloverfield.
Rated 12 Feb 2012
74
31st
A great concept slightly brought down by a few moments of predictable melodrama, but it works for the most part. The performances are good and the setup is a blast to watch. Props for having a legitimate excuse to use a steadicam in a found footage movie!
Rated 13 Feb 2012
83
74th
83.000
Rated 13 Feb 2012
75
68th
Some similarities to Akira, but ultimately forgettable.
Rated 13 Feb 2012
85
50th
Pretty damn good, and very entertaining.
Rated 15 Feb 2012
55
0th
It's just like documentry movie...
Rated 16 Feb 2012
70
51st
The main carachter is too much of a pussy, but if you put that behind you its a very enjoyable flick!
Rated 18 Feb 2012
75
44th
entertaining, thats it...
Rated 19 Feb 2012
83
86th
Caught me completely off guard.. Absolutely loved it!
Rated 28 Feb 2012
70
72nd
A W S O M E. I wish I had those powers!
Rated 29 Feb 2012
75
52nd
A very solid found footage film about three high school kids gaining super powers. A pretty straightforward story that uses the characters' powers in novel ways to really enhance the found footage genre.
Rated 01 Mar 2012
83
59th
This movie was pretty entertaining, despite the "found footage" gimmick. Give it a shot.
Rated 02 Mar 2012
3
32nd
An incompetently written and cheesy film.
Rated 03 Mar 2012
20
41st
"Offers up little more than a tired morality play about the dangers of power, rehashing stale insights about the narcissism of the documentary impulse." - Andrew Schenker
Rated 10 Mar 2012
84
90th
This is not just a brilliant found footage feature -- the amateurish camera has never been so keenly used in this genre --, which is something rare to find these days, but actually a quite original and authentic part superhero flick, part coming of age tale.
Rated 13 Mar 2012
65
87th
Chronicle succeeds as a superhero movie, a teenage drama, a found footage film and is respectably entertaining to boot.
Rated 22 Mar 2012
86
68th
This movie is just excellent all around. The writing and acting for the three main characters is superb... very natural. I found the middle of the movie very difficult to watch for exactly that reason--as the kids' actions started to become more irresponsible, I was actually pained to see it happen. They did a lot of research when it came to the setting, Seattle. I live there, and I didn't find anything inaccurate about their portrayal at all. A bus seen for all of 5 seconds was even accurate!
Rated 29 Mar 2012
70
41st
As a style, the shaky-cam thing remains, as with 'Cloverfield', a little gimmicky. Thankfully it's a lot more artfully done and does provide some intimacy and payoff at the climax. 'Chronicle' is a good take on superhero films; you watch it and think "Yeah, that IS what I'd do if I had superpowers," which gives it another layer of feasibility and realism. My main complaint is the linearity and predictability of the story. Entertaining, but not a classic.
Rated 01 Apr 2012
65
31st
Contrived, but not unenjoyable ...I'd give it another watch if given the chance I think, even if only to take a more critical look. Worth the $1.50 for a midnight show at the local second-run theater at least.
Rated 01 Apr 2012
70
76th
Who didn't dream as a kid of having these kind of superpowers? The use of handicam filming gives it a certain kind of authenticity. The way the story developed, pulled me in more and more, wondering how it was going to end. And it wasn't some cheap ass finale either. Given the constraints of the chosen film technique and the story subject, this is quite a feat, kudos for this director.
Rated 05 Apr 2012
98
67th
Takes the found-footage angle and plunders it for all the good its actually worth.
Rated 09 Apr 2012
5
0th
kind of Akira-like
Rated 13 Apr 2012
81
82nd
It could be epic! Just so close but not enough. First half was really epic. It was how it should be, how we would act like at the age of 17 but second half? Oh come on. There is no feeling in it.
Rated 22 Apr 2012
69
77th
ger; [Chronicle - Wozu bist du fähig?]; drei jungs finden einen mysteriösen gegenstand der telekinetische fähigkeiten verleiht.; (interessante kameraführung);
Rated 22 Apr 2012
80
27th
the end could be better, but the movie is great
Rated 26 Apr 2012
6
58th
Cinema's greatest heel turn since Anakin Skywalker.
Rated 27 Apr 2012
23
86th
I hate documentary style films: CLOVERFIELD is crap, THE RIVER is crap, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is crap, QUARANTINE is even worse than the last three. That being said, I watched CHRONICLE and really enjoyed it. Their treatment of documentary stile was still crap. But the story story and actors were strong enough to carry me through. I would recommend this film.
Rated 27 Apr 2012
74
74th
Andrew in this movie is not like "Precious" . on that movie although Precious parents have a bad behavior with her but the guys around her and herself have a little hope but in this movie Andrew is alone and gets more alone . I believe he is not a bad person but under bad circumstances he turned to a monster . that was exactly the movie I expected from it's theatrical trailer .
Rated 27 Apr 2012
50
36th
I can admire the film's attempt to be realistic, but it was only an attempt and the result was an average film with a remotely interesting idea somewhere in the background.
Rated 27 Apr 2012
69
63rd
The new approach for the super hero theme was touching. I love Danish way to handhold camera work, but the American way to make it "real" with amateur camera shooting just didn't work. Not in Blair Witch Project, not here. Effects did not work either that good and there was holes in the story, but the idea was worth to study. More rewriting with the script would have improved the movie.
Rated 27 Apr 2012
78
60th
solid and entertaining interpretation of acquiring a super power...it would be much better if it wasnt in the stupid "look what I filmed on my camera" style
Rated 28 Apr 2012
79
88th
Probably the best-ever use of the hand-held amateurish camera in a feature film. On top of this Chronicle offers a compelling story, great acting, excellent sound and visual effects. The whole thing just seems to have exceptionally high production value. One of the best films of 2012.

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