Chronicle (2012)

Very dull slow take off for this comicbook type film as we see a bunch of teens just messing around and talking crap whilst not much else is going on. The first half of the film is shown through 'Andrews' camera as he goes around filming everything and its damn annoying, of course its building characters but to be frank it doesn't seem that way as its really uninteresting.

The way in which the three young males find the unknown object in a deep dark hole after simply climbing down into it is a bit silly methinks, as if you would do that.  The object looks a bit like the spiky crystal like pod in which Superman travels to earth in from the 78 film, anyway they all get infected or transformed or sick from the object and thusly gain telekinetic super powers...for some reason.

The film is really quite boring until 'Andrew' starts to get a little warped with his ways and begins using his powers for 'evil' or bad as it were. From that point on it perks up allot with much more tension and some reasonably good special effects consisting of average CGI and average bluescreen work but some nice telekinetic movement work on people in places.

There is a slight feeling of 'X-Men' as the sparks fly along with cars and chunks of building, almost a more realistic take with proper teen angst issues tossed in. The stress caused by family issues, school life and their increasing powers is well played out by the actor trio. The point where 'Andrew' finally decides he is now pretty much a more evolved human being and capable of anything he wants, a newly evolved 'apex predator', does add some great moments of edge of your seat thrills as you simply don't know what he will do next, he no longer cares for anyone including his super powered friends.

Filmed almost entirely with handheld cams, or CCTV in some sequences, does add realism to the action but it also annoying too, like other films in this style it can be hard to follow action as the camera jerks all over the show.

So the first half of the film is dull and slightly rushed maybe but it gets much better once 'Andrew' loses it, its almost like a male version of 'Carrie' really, Dane DeHaan does portray the breakdown and instability of his character very well. Overall some nice sequences like the boys trying their new powers as they develop them, strong moments of family feuding and a good finale.

6/10