CHRONICLE

I approached Chronicle with trepidation. I was of two minds. As a fan of John Landis I was keen to see how his son faired as a writer (he wrote Chronicle, obviously), however the film is from a hand-held video camera's point of view and such films have a knack of pissing me off. So many "lost footage" movies have been made with only a select few being good... so now I've seen it and.... Chronicle is fantastic! Despite it's gimmicky home-movie perspective it's one of the most original film's I've seen in a long time. 3 friends are exposed to a foreign element and inherit telekinetic powers. As their powers become stronger, the danger and risk factors become increasingly disturbing. There are some incredible sights in this strange and hypnotising film and giving it credibility is a strong underlying thematic arc. Themes of teenage isolation, alienation & angst give the movie an emotional edge which provides a logical and coherent narrative. It also touches on bullying and domestic abuse which will no doubt connect with a lot of teens. I wonder where the inspiration for Chronicle came from? Some of Stephen King's earlier work like Carrie, Rage and Firestarter came to mind and provide the best comparisons. I was really impressed... Chronicle delivers.

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