Chronicle revels in hype

Rockhampton’s Alex Russell, Michael B Jordan and Dane DeHaan in a scene from hit new movie Chronicle.

Alan Markfield

A COMBINATION of two overexposed genres - superhero and found-footage - brought to you by a first-time feature-film director, with a script by Max Landis (son of Blues Brothers legend John Landis) made on a handful of $15 million.

It's a formula that's generated a lot of hype, but is Chronicle worth the internet-buzz it's received in the past few months?

High-school outcast Andrew, played by Dane Dehaan, starts videotaping his life.

His mother is slowly dying of cancer and his father is an abusive alcoholic.

His only social companion at school is his cousin Matt, played by Rockhamptonite Alex Russell, who likes Andrew but finds his hobby a social repellent.

One night at a party, star quarterback Steve, played by Michael B. Jordan, persuades Andrew to record something strange he and Matt found in the woods nearby - a hole in the ground that emits strange noises.

The three of them enter the hole and discover something glowing which gives them the power to move things with their minds.

As their powers become stronger, they boys develop a close friendship and use their abilities to play pranks.

The entire film is seen through Andrew's camera, as well as security footage and cameras operated by other characters.

Even if you are not a fan of the found-footage genre, you will be surprised by the inventiveness of Josh Trank's visual direction.

Trank shoots the film like a superhero would record his daily life and adds a lot of originality.

There are these jaw-dropping shots where we're staring at Andrew through his camera which he's levitating above him across the bedroom.

That's what so beautiful about this movie - how authentic it feels.

It removes those superhero formulas such as saving the world, super villains and talking about responsibility and questions about how would a group of mischievous teenage boys with superpowers react in the real world.

As Andrew's inner-turmoil starts to boil with his problems at home and school, the story becomes tension-filled and leads to a mind-blowing climax in the city that challenges the limit of a meagre $15 million budget.

Alex Russell handles an American accent with ease, which is only going to open more doors in Tinseltown for the former Rocky lad.

The Chronicle

• Starring: Dane Dehaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan
• Rated: M
• Reviewer: Richard Houlihan
• Verdict: * * * *

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