Chronicle (05/15/2012)

Rated PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking.

Directed by Josh Trank

Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russel, and Michael B. Jordan

You are going to be tempted to take your kids to see this movie. Resist that temptation. This movie isn’t for them. It’s for you.

Chronicle follows a group of three teen boys who are thrown together when they mysteriously develop the power to move things with their minds. The young men go to the same high school, but are part of very different social circles. Matt (Alex Russel) is a young philosopher who distances himself from typical high school interaction because he feels he is above it. Steve (Michael B. Jordon), on the other hand, is campaigning to be class president and is well-liked by everyone—including me; Steve was easily my favorite character. And then there is Andrew (Dane DeHaan), who is the center of most of the plot. Andrew is an outcast in every sense of the word; at home he is abused by his drunk of a father and at school he is hassled by just about everyone else. Before the start of the movie, Andrew buys a camera in order to start documenting his life and it is through this camera that we see most of the events of the film unfold.

So Chronicle has that hand-held camera look that is so popular right now, but director Josh Trank handles the “found-footage” idea well. The camera is relatively steady, especially after Andrew starts using his powers to float the camera around the action. I don’t want to give too much away, but the camerawork is refreshing and often surprising.

Chronicle might sound very similar to many of the superhero movies that have been coming out lately, but it is a completely different beast. For example, in most superhero movies the hero has to learn to use his powers in order to stop some evil force. In Chronicle, the boys don’t have any noble use for their powers, so they spend the first third of the movie doing stupid things like floating objects around in a grocery store to freak people out. That might seem silly, but it feels very natural, like what you expect a group of 16 year old guys would actually do if they were given powers. The movie does a good job of creating a sense of fun and wonder as the guys experiment with their powers and test their limits.

So a good portion of the movie is pretty lighthearted, but it gets very serious very fast. Since the camerawork often looks like a home video, the abuse that Andrew goes through feels immensely personal. It was hard to watch for me, especially in the scenes where Andrew’s dad verbally and physically assaults him. It’s no better in school: At best, Andrew is ignored; at worst, people go out of their way to terrorize him. When Andrew realizes that he is finally capable of fighting back, the film takes a drastic turn, and that is when Chronicle really starts to stand out.

Remember in the first Spiderman movie when Peter Parker is being bullied, he uses his spider-sense to fight back and he punches the bully and everyone cheers and it’s a feel-good moment for everyone? Yeah, this is nothing like that. Unlike Peter Parker, Andrew doesn’t have a good role model to guide him and teach him what it means to be strong. So Andrew uses his powers the same way he sees everyone else use their strength: to hurt, to repress, to humiliate, and to force his opinion.

Andrew’s transformation is dark and disturbing, but it is anchored in very real emotions that many youngsters (and adults) experience. I think this is a great movie for older teens, but I would recommend having an adult who has seen the movie available to talk through some of the more mature themes.

So if you want some campy superhero fun, Chronicle may not be what you are looking for. But if you want a creative take on what it means to belong, the effect our negative words and actions have on others, and the importance of using our abilities in a positive way, then Chronicle is a great way to spend an evening.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Probably not. Chronicle really earns its PG-13 rating. Some language; lots of sh—s and a couple of GDs. The movie isn’t very graphic, but it covers some pretty dark subject matter and some of the scenes are intense.

I also have a problem with the way that Chronicle handles alcohol and sex. Again, nothing graphic, but it treats underage drinking and sexual activity in a very flippant manner, like it’s no big deal. Make sure your teens have a firm grasp of the seriousness of those topics.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
Chronicle is about strength and how we use it. If we aren’t careful, it can consume and control us.

Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do.

We all have the capacity to do something great. We are gifted with unique talents and abilities so we can be a part of God’s plan. But when those talents are abused, or focused in the wrong direction, we can easily become lost, bitter, or harmful.

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
What has God created you to do?

What can you do that no one else can?

Are you using your talents in any negative ways? (Using your wit to make fun of people, using your popularity to alienate people?)

How can you use what you can do to further the Glory of God?