Chronicle - faux-supers documentary

[elgaz]

Finally caught this film myself. Really enjoyed it. Having seen Avengers a week ago (a massive big-budget popcorn fest superhero film), I thought this low budget superhero film would pale in comparison - but it doesn't. The 2 films are actually at opposite ends of the superhero film spectrum, but each does its job equally well.

Chronicle has an interesting storyline and the 3 leads play their parts well. I like how each of the leads were quite different in personalities, so whilst they all initially revel in their new powers, you slowly see them starting to fracture and head off in their different directions. The 'found footage' style suits it perfectly, as I don't think that they would have pulled off the effects and certain elements of the story if they had tried to go with a traditional camera style, considering the limited budget.

All in all, great film, and I'm looking forward to the sequel to see what stage Matt has got to after spending time with the Monks focusing his powers.

 

[redhawk23]

Finally caught this film myself. Really enjoyed it. Having seen Avengers a week ago (a massive big-budget popcorn fest superhero film), I thought this low budget superhero film would pale in comparison - but it doesn't. The 2 films are actually at opposite ends of the superhero film spectrum, but each does its job equally well.

Chronicle has an interesting storyline and the 3 leads play their parts well. I like how each of the leads were quite different in personalities, so whilst they all initially revel in their new powers, you slowly see them starting to fracture and head off in their different directions. The 'found footage' style suits it perfectly, as I don't think that they would have pulled off the effects and certain elements of the story if they had tried to go with a traditional camera style, considering the limited budget.

All in all, great film, and I'm looking forward to the sequel to see what stage Matt has got to after spending time with the Monks focusing his powers.

They pull off that city fight beautifully. Baseballs though are beyond their effects expertise. I will never understand why they chose to cg the baseball rather than better looking and probably cheaper routes of presenting a floating spinning baseball.

 

[3dman27]

thanks for the link morg i will check this movie out

 

[EML420]

I got around to seeing this I brushed it off has just another found footage movie while it was in theaters but man I was wrong this movie was great I feel like this movie can be in vein some what with Unbreakable also the movie reminded me a lot of Carrie.

 

[The Squirrel]

It comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray this Tuesday.

 

[3dman27]

i plan to get a DVD

 

[Still Wynning]

I'm definitely getting the DVD tomorrow. Loved this film!

 

[ShadowBoxer]

About to go pick up my Blu ray/ DVD combo pack in about an hour! It would have been cool if Wal Mart, Best Buy, or Target had some kind of store exclusives with this.

 

[3dman27]

what excluseves could they havehad?

 

[craigdbfan]

A space rock that gives you telekinesis.

 

[LostSon88]

About to go pick up my Blu ray/ DVD combo pack in about an hour! It would have been cool if Wal Mart, Best Buy, or Target had some kind of store exclusives with this.

This movie simply isn't big enough of a success to merit store exclusives.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

This movie simply isn't big enough of a success to merit store exclusives.

Yea that's true. I just got my blu ray/dvd copy and man the extras are disapointing. There isn't even a commentary track . I smell a double dip in the future or something. Anyway, will watch the extended cut tonight!

 

[gohei_]

Yea that's true. I just got my blu ray/dvd copy and man the extras are disapointing. There isn't even a commentary track . I smell a double dip in the future or something. Anyway, will watch the extended cut tonight!

Extended cut?!

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Well it's called the directors cut: lost footage edition. I don't know how much it adds to the movie but I am looking forward to watching it tonight. But in the extras there is only one deleted scene and doesn't add anything to the story. It's just the scene with Matt and the blogger chick topless ( the clip from the trailer).

 

[The Squirrel]

I just bought the DVD because of the disappointing blu-ray options. I'm not that interested in a extended cut even.

 

[SpitCurl]

Somewhere this movie lost me. Mostly loved the first 2/3 but by Act 3 I was more annoyed by the villain than sympathetic and literally cringed at the repetitive dialogue from the surviving leads (also: way to off the black character first, again, H'wood. Thought it was a fluke in X-Men: First Class, but just caught up with REDS and... guess who gets it?). I haven't wanted to reach through the screen and choke the main actors in a while (obviously they didn't write the dialogue) but Act 3 essentially goes like this in my memory:

Villain: Leave me alone, dude! Don't touch me! I can do what I want! <flies off in a temper-tantrum, knocks stuff over>.

Hero: Dude, stooooop! <screams villain's name over and over and over>. Dude, stop it! Come on, dude!

It became like a parody of whiny suburban teens, and I wanted to smack the s**t out of both of 'em - especially the villain, abusive dad or no. Maybe let someone else have a pass at the sequel script and I'll consider it a rental.

 

[redhawk23]

Somewhere this movie lost me. Mostly loved the first 2/3 but by Act 3 I was more annoyed by the villain than sympathetic and literally cringed at the repetitive dialogue from the surviving leads (also: way to off the black character first, again, H'wood. Thought it was a fluke in X-Men: First Class, but just caught up with REDS and... guess who gets it?). I haven't wanted to reach through the screen and choke the main actors in a while (obviously they didn't write the dialogue) but Act 3 essentially goes like this in my memory:

Villain: Leave me alone, dude! Don't touch me! I can do what I want! <flies off in a temper-tantrum, knocks stuff over>.

Hero: Dude, stooooop! <screams villain's name over and over and over>. Dude, stop it! Come on, dude!

It became like a parody of whiny suburban teens, and I wanted to smack the s**t out of both of 'em - especially the villain, abusive dad or no. Maybe let someone else have a pass at the sequel script and I'll consider it a rental.

It was just American Akira.


TETSUOOOOOOOOOOO!
KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

[The Guard]

Finally saw this. I liked it, but I think it's a bit overrated here. The overall concept is very good, and a lot of the specifics of it work, and even the story is decent, but the execution at points leaves something to be desired. The dialogue and character work have their moments, but overall weren't that great. The performances were solid, and a lot of the effects looked good, but some of them were a bit iffy. There are some great moments in this film: the flying, the discovery of powers, some of the discussion about their lives and the impact of their powers, and much of the final battle, but I felt like too much of the emotion of the film was abruptly handled. I think there needed to be more gray area to this concept in general, as it presented the issue in pretty black and white terms.

 

[Hotwire]

Watched it last night. Overall, just not that impressive.

 

[Matt]

Somewhere this movie lost me. Mostly loved the first 2/3 but by Act 3 I was more annoyed by the villain than sympathetic and literally cringed at the repetitive dialogue from the surviving leads (also: way to off the black character first, again, H'wood. Thought it was a fluke in X-Men: First Class, but just caught up with REDS and... guess who gets it?). I haven't wanted to reach through the screen and choke the main actors in a while (obviously they didn't write the dialogue) but Act 3 essentially goes like this in my memory:

Villain: Leave me alone, dude! Don't touch me! I can do what I want! <flies off in a temper-tantrum, knocks stuff over>.

Hero: Dude, stooooop! <screams villain's name over and over and over>. Dude, stop it! Come on, dude!

It became like a parody of whiny suburban teens, and I wanted to smack the s**t out of both of 'em - especially the villain, abusive dad or no. Maybe let someone else have a pass at the sequel script and I'll consider it a rental.

Agreed. Once they kill off the most likable and relatable character in the cast it all kind of falls apart.

 

[Lord]

Just watched, and yeah, once they killed Steve the movie began to fall apart. Andrew became a complete idiot by the 3rd act, abusive father or not, his powers went to much into his head, what did he expect to do? Take over the world?

 

[3rdstone]

Somewhere this movie lost me. Mostly loved the first 2/3 but by Act 3 I was more annoyed by the villain than sympathetic and literally cringed at the repetitive dialogue from the surviving leads (also: way to off the black character first, again, H'wood. Thought it was a fluke in X-Men: First Class, but just caught up with REDS and... guess who gets it?). I haven't wanted to reach through the screen and choke the main actors in a while (obviously they didn't write the dialogue) but Act 3 essentially goes like this in my memory:

Villain: Leave me alone, dude! Don't touch me! I can do what I want! <flies off in a temper-tantrum, knocks stuff over>.

Hero: Dude, stooooop! <screams villain's name over and over and over>. Dude, stop it! Come on, dude!

It became like a parody of whiny suburban teens, and I wanted to smack the s**t out of both of 'em - especially the villain, abusive dad or no. Maybe let someone else have a pass at the sequel script and I'll consider it a rental.

Yep, that sums up quite exactly my feelings too about this flick. I really loved scenes like when they were flying above the clouds etc, but the third act just lost me.

It was just American Akira.


TETSUOOOOOOOOOOO!
KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Yes, and that was really annoying in that movie too.

 

[Still Wynning]

Well, after his best friend&#8217;s death, his father&#8217;s constant abuse, and his failed attempt to get more money for his mom&#8217;s medication, only to have her, the only one truly that loved him (aside from his cousin), die and his father selfish accuse him of being a selfish a**hole, he probably would lose all sense of reason and morality.


I&#8217;m not condoning his actions, but it&#8217;s not like he just decide instantly, &#8220;Hey, it sure is a great night to go on a rampage!&#8221; He was introverted, meaning he didn&#8217;t know how to socialize and express himself, so he didn&#8217;t know how to vent all that seething anger and frustration. It had all been building up to that point and he finally just snapped. People not in their right minds don&#8217;t have the capacity to make wrong or right judgments. He was pretty much just a shell of his former self, like an automatic weapon without a person pulling the trigger.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Exactly, add in that he was probably having his head effected by the accident he just had and its a dangerous and understandable cocktail. People lose it in the real world all the time for different reasons, is it so implausible that if one of these people gained superiority over everyone they hated they wouldnt lose it a bit?

Its easily plausible, and thats what makes the movie so good for me.

 

[Donnie Darko]

this might just be me, but I think where they went wrong with the villain kid is that they forced pretty much every... I don't want to say "cliche", but every possible thing that could go wrong in his life on him and us. Like, he couldn't just be a social outcast who is picked on at school, but he is also poor, and has an alcoholic/abusive father, and a terminally ill mother. It was like he started off already so far in the hole and leaning toward the "dark side" that his eventually big turn to villainy didn't have the emotional pull it should have.