# CHRONICLE (DVD; 20th Century Fox)



## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

*Releasing Studio: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13 
Disc/Transfer Information: Widescreen 1.85:1; Region 1 (U.S.) Release
Tested Audio Track: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Director: Josh Trank
Starring Cast: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan 


WHAT ARE YOU CAPABLE OF?


PLOT ANALYSIS:*

I really wanted to like this. Even though I was aware of the pre-release rumors regarding the film being like _Superman_ meets _Dawson’s Creek and Twilight_, and that once again we’d have to put up with high schoolers that no one really gives a rat’s behind about, I still was intrigued based on press junket feedback from some folks I know as well as the promotional pieces and general public feedback. The notion seemed intriguing enough, and apparently born of the comic superhero adaptations Hollywood has cashed in on since the first _Spider-Man_: Some ordinary kids gain superhuman powers of some kind that allow them to manipulate objects in a telekinetic-type fashion, eventually leading to their evolved ability to fly. However, in this case, the kids don’t grow up to form the “Fantastic 4” or vow to fight some hostile counterparts with similar powers – they instead tap into some dark regions of their minds and what appeared to be exciting fight sequences ensued.

The end result was hardly as satisfying. I know I am in the massive minority here, by a long shot, as based on all the unbelievably and nearly overwhelming positive feedback _Chronicle_ has received since its launch. I just didn’t see what all the hoopla was about; the basic premise is there, filmed in that bordering-on-annoying-now handheld camera perspective a la _Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch_ and _The Devil Inside_, seen through the eyes of a Seattle high school kid that’s not only bullied in school, but is physically abused by his father. With his mother dying of cancer, the boy videotapes his life, eventually leading to the attendance of a rave party with his cousin in which he meets one of his cousin’s friends, an African-American kid that seems to be the nicest one of them all in terms of picking on the main character. The boys discover a strange hole in the ground behind the rave that appears to lead to chambers below the earth, and when they descend down to investigate – stupidly – they come across weird lights and machines, apparently of some kind of alien origin. As we watch through the blocky, interrupted video of the main character’s camera, it’s clear something has “attacked” the boys down there through the machines or lights, and then the action shifts to the following days – we’re lead to believe the kids made it out of the hole unharmed…but definitely not the same.

As _Chronicle_ proceeds, the main character’s video camera captures newly found abilities within each of the three high school kids – they apparently, since their “contact” with the strange things below the ground, can use their minds to throw objects around and move heavy things like cars. Over the next couple of days, or weeks, the boys use the powers to play harmless pranks on people around them – moving a woman’s car in a parking lot so she doesn’t know where it is when she returns, blowing up the miniskirts of fellow female students to see what color panties they’re wearing, etc. – until one fateful day when some pickup truck-driving idiot zooms up behind their car and tailgates them, and our main character uses his mental powers to throw the truck off the road and down a hill, nearly killing the driver. The boys make a pact that as their powers strengthen and develop – which they’ve been doing – they can no longer use them without considering the outcome.

Eventually, their powers evolve to the point they can actually fly – the video camera captures the three of them at the edge of the clouds in the sky, blasting around and attempting to learn how to control their movements. After a confrontation that leads to a dreadful accident, the three boys become two, just the main character and his cousin. But something is slowly going wrong inside our main character…all his rage towards his father, the bullies in school, the frustrations about his mother’s medical condition are manifesting through this newfound power he has received from the strange alien hole in the ground. After displaying his abilities at a talent contest for his school and suddenly gaining all the attention he ever wanted from the female student body at an after-party, the kid spirals downward, using his abilities to try and steal money so he could buy his mother’s needed cancer medication (a sequence that involves his kicking the asses of some bullies that lived on his own block just before he robs them of their cash). When an explosion accident leaves him in the hospital, horribly burned, the kid is visited by his rotten father who blames him for the mother’s death, which occurred sometime when he was recovering. The kid suddenly wakes out of his coma and seeks revenge on society around him – beginning with his own abusive father, who has the unfortunate destiny of being his first victim, whom he throws out his hospital window while simultaneously blowing up the top level of the hospital. 

His cousin, boasting the same powers, arrives to try and stop our main character that is now flying around Seattle in a hospital gown and burn unit bandages, wreaking havoc by using his powers to destroy buildings and kill cops and SWAT team members that have arrived to take down the strange, flying high school menace. Of course, a battle between the two ensues, as you could have guessed, but the overall effect and conclusion was beyond unsatisfying in my opinion. Also, we’re not quite sure exactly who is still holding the camera as this last sequence in the city unfolds – did the film suddenly go from camera perspective to simple first-person perspective (the audience)? Very haphazardly handled. 

I truly expected more from _Chronicle_ – there are additional elements to the concluding frames which I have not divulged here, and you can make your own assessment in terms of whether it tied things up or not; to me, the ending was idiotic and as gap-leaving as the nonsense that came before it. 

*VIDEO QUALITY ANALYSIS:*

In a 1.85:1 transfer that filled my screen without letterboxing, _Chronicle_ came from 20th Century Fox with a rather soft appearance; this isn’t to say there wasn’t detail when called upon, but I found, for the most part, that there was a DNR-like gauze to the main image. Close-ups of faces showed great detail, however, and black levels/shadow detail appeared solid. 

*AUDIO QUALITY ANALYSIS:*

The main element I noticed on the Dolby Digital 5.1 track was a wallop of LFE – from start to finish, _Chronicle_ provided a bass assault that got so heavy at certain points, I was tempted to go into my receiver’s setup menu and drop the sub’s calibration number. Overall, this was an aggressive, loud mix, with heavy use of the surround channels for wild panning (one great example was when the kids are flying around in the clouds, and the back-to-front panning and cue usage was simply startling) and, in general, a satisfying presence. 

*SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS:*

As I stated, this wasn’t what I expected. For an hour and a half of watching some kids fly around without much happening, eventually culminating with the main character zipping lazily through the Washington skies in a hospital gown…I don’t know; I feel like I could have done something better with my time. _Chronicle_ is worth a rental though, if for nothing else but sheer curiosity about this title.


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

I watched Chronicle last night and came away with the same feelings as you did. There was a lot of potential but it was predictable and lacked a satisfying ending. 

The handheld camera filming didn’t add anything to the movie and shouldn’t have even been used since it seemed as though they stopped using it at certain times and it didn’t have any sort of payoff in the end like in Cloverfield.
Some of this may have been due to a small budget but I think most of the films issues are due to a limited vision from the creators/writers.

On the audio side it did have plenty of LFE that dug pretty deep in certain scenes but wasn’t mixed very well, I kept the volume down due to the highs being mixed too loud (at least to my ears) especially when they are fumbling with the camera.

Overall I rate it a 2.5 out of 5, only a recommended rental to those that enjoy watching kids with telekinetic powers or if you’ve run out of movies to test your subs.


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## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

Infrasonic said:


> I watched Chronicle last night and came away with the same feelings as you did. There was a lot of potential but it was predictable and lacked a satisfying ending.
> 
> The handheld camera filming didn’t add anything to the movie and shouldn’t have even been used since it seemed as though they stopped using it at certain times and it didn’t have any sort of payoff in the end like in Cloverfield.
> Some of this may have been due to a small budget but I think most of the films issues are due to a limited vision from the creators/writers.
> ...


As always, my friend, thank you for your feedback and thoughts! Before we get into your analysis of the title, let me ask you this: You are still running a DVD-only setup, yes? So you watched the standard DVD version as I did?


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I'm still rockin' the DVD's like it's 1999.


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## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

Infrasonic said:


> Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I'm still rockin' the DVD's like it's 1999.


:rofl: :rofl:


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## ambesolman (Apr 25, 2011)

Infrasonic said:


> Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I'm still rockin' the DVD's like it's 1999.


I was just going to ask why anyone was bothering to review a DVD. No more need. You know there have been advancements in A/V source material in the last decade right?


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

ambesolman said:


> You know there have been advancements in A/V source material in the last decade right?


Really? I wasn't aware of that, thanks for the tip.


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## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

ambesolman said:


> I was just going to ask why anyone was bothering to review a DVD. No more need. You know there have been advancements in A/V source material in the last decade right?


Contrary to popular belief and inherent custom, there _is_ still a need for DVD reviews because there are still plenty of people who watch them -- even if they own a Blu-ray player and watch BD films as well. I have a tremendous standard DVD library which I still watch, and I do rent them, to this day, when I cannot get a copy of a title on Blu-ray. My Oppo BD player upconverts the 480 resolution to 1080p very nicely if the DVD transfer itself is mastered well -- close to high definition, in fact.

Your statement makes it seem like the DVD format is so prehistoric and unwarranted to view any longer, it's almost in the realm of VHS...which it conclusively isn't.


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## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

Infrasonic said:


> Really? I wasn't aware of that, thanks for the tip.


:rofl:


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## ambesolman (Apr 25, 2011)

Osage_Winter said:


> Contrary to popular belief and inherent custom, there is still a need for DVD reviews because there are still plenty of people who watch them -- even if they own a Blu-ray player and watch BD films as well. I have a tremendous standard DVD library which I still watch, and I do rent them, to this day, when I cannot get a copy of a title on Blu-ray. My Oppo BD player upconverts the 480 resolution to 1080p very nicely if the DVD transfer itself is mastered well -- close to high definition, in fact.
> 
> Your statement makes it seem like the DVD format is so prehistoric and unwarranted to view any longer, it's almost in the realm of VHS...which it conclusively isn't.


No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant it as a joke, but I guess it didn't come across that way. I just haven't seen a DVD reviewed in a really long time. I have 500+ DVDs, and while they look pretty good on my Samsung bluray player, I'm sure it doesn't compare to your oppo. Oppo's famous for its upscaling abilities and I'm envious. I promise I'm not ragging on you...unless you start reviewing VHS


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## Osage_Winter (Apr 8, 2010)

ambesolman said:


> No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant it as a joke, but I guess it didn't come across that way. I just haven't seen a DVD reviewed in a really long time. I have 500+ DVDs, and while they look pretty good on my Samsung bluray player, I'm sure it doesn't compare to your oppo. Oppo's famous for its upscaling abilities and I'm envious. I promise I'm not ragging on you...unless you start reviewing VHS


No worries; I just wanted to make it clear why DVD was still relevant to many. Infrasonic happens to be one of those folks that are holding out on high def for his own personal reasons -- but he knows a kick-butt audio and video presentation when he sees and hears one!

I wouldn't blame you for wanting to bash me in the head with a lens cleaner if I started reviewing VHS titles...:nono:addle::rofl::blink::coocoo:


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