Considering the release of “The Avengers” in 2012 and the subsequent superhero movie boom that followed as a starting point, this film “Chronicle” seems to be in an exciting position. During the superhero movie boom, the fact that these films were popcorn movies with enormous production costs attracted a lot of attention. There was a lot of debate as to whether they could be called movies or not. It was exciting to see such a film full of originality, different from superhero movies based on so-called “American comic books,” released in 2012.
Superhero Movies Told in Mockumentary
The most important feature of the film “Chronicle” is that it is a mockumentary depicted in found footage format. This technique is often used in horror films and is characterized by its ability to be shot on a low budget. A famous example is “The Blair Witch Project. Spider-Man: Homecoming,” another coming-of-age superhero film, also uses the found footage format in some scenes, but this is only used as part of its direction. In contrast, “Chronicle” is made entirely in found footage format, which I felt was innovative for a superhero film.
This format is highly compatible with horror, but it is also very much in keeping with the overall dark atmosphere of the work. While superhero films are usually known for their upbeat, happy endings, this film makes viewers realize within the first few minutes that this will not be the case. It is a very effective direction. The film’s low budget means that some of the CG and technical aspects are noticeably cheap, but the format of the film allows for this to be the case. Above all, it is a triumph of an idea that has made a superhero movie, which is often considered to require a considerable budget, possible in this way.
Teenage superhero stories
This film is a coming-of-age story about three high school boys. Teenage superhero stories are viral, and few have been produced, but they are not easy to develop.
Superheroes, as typified by American comic books, always have superpowers. It is a big deal for an ordinary person to have superpowers. It is difficult for adult superheroes like the Avengers to accept this. And even more so for a teenager who is still growing up. And therefore, it can easily take a tragic turn. It is a tricky balance to maintain. Furthermore, being a superhero comes with a great deal of responsibility. We also must consider whether we should put that responsibility on a teenager who has not yet reached adulthood.
When it comes to superhero movies featuring teen characters, the most successful example is the Spider-Man series. With three successful live-action film series, the Marc Webb and MCU versions of Spider-Man function as coming-of-age films set in a high school setting. The character has a bright image but also incorporates a heavy burden and dark storyline that I think a teen needs help to carry, making it a very successful, difficult teen superhero film. Ying DeHaan, who played the main character Andrew in the movie “Chronicle,” also appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” after this movie, and even though the characters are from entirely different backgrounds, I felt that their images somehow overlapped.
Heroes are not always heroes.
The movie Chronicle was also impressive in portraying the iconic hero in America as a non-hero. The first significant point was that a hero who gains superpowers does not necessarily become a superhero, similar to The Boys in the DC Comics original.
I also found it interesting that people who are heroic in the real world never appear as heroic characters, such as Andrew’s father, a firefighter, who is portrayed as a villain, and the doctors and pharmacists who are supposed to save lives but are unable to save Andrew’s dying mother.
It was just as well that one of the influences on this film was Carrie. Not only does the development of the hero’s outburst of power and its consequences but also the plot, in which the good intentions of the supposedly good people do not always lead to a good turn of events, resemble Carrie.
The idea and production of a mockumentary that combines all of these elements can be a superhero story, a coming-of-age story, a horror story, or a thriller, is truly innovative. I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in a twist on conventional clichéd film direction and storytelling.
The film is fascinating because most of the footage is shot in the style of a home video camera and because the filmmaker has psychic powers that allow him to manipulate the home video camera freely, allowing him to change his perspective rather than the monotonous fixed video camera viewpoint.
Because of this filming method, this film is better suited for streaming than watching on a big screen in a theater, so I recommend this film to those who want to watch a movie that fits the streaming format.