Genre: Sci-Fi | Drama | Thriller
Director: Josh Trank
Writer: Max Landis, Josh Trank
Cast: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking)
Run Time: 144 minutes
Synopsis:
Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny telekinetic powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control as their darker sides begin to take over. What starts out as fun and games quickly becomes dangerous and they must face the inevitable question of whether they can handle the responsibility that comes with their remarkable powers.
This super-powered found-footage film, penned by Max Landis and helmed by freshman feature director Josh Trank turns the generic found-footage genre on its ear, as the viewer is actually seeing everything unfold from the point of view of not just one video camera, but mobile phone and security cameras as well.
The owner of the actual video camera footage is the loner Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan), who buys the camera to film his totally messed up life, as he literally and psychologically “hides” behind the camera. Andrew’s cousin Matt (Alex Russell), who also appears to be his only friend, convinces a sketchy Andrew to go to a party with him. A popular kid at the party named Steve Montgomery (Michael B. Jordan) tells Andrew he needs his camera to film something cool he’s found.
That something cool is a cave-like hole in the ground, which contains a large crystalline orb, which is both glowing and making noise. Shortly after their discovery, they wake up, unsure of what has happened, Andrew gets a camera upgrade, and the trio gain some incredible powers. The film itself can be looked at as a type of superhero and super-villain origin story, and while it definitely has its share of dark moments, it also has some believable teenage stupidity and shenanigans, some very cool visual effects and a fairly cohesive story.
Now on to the list of everything that’s included in the Blu-ray Combo Pack of Chronicle, notes on quality and my overall star rating.
The Bonus Material:
- Deleted Scene
- Matt and Casey in the Kitchen
- Pre-Viz
- Camera Test
- Theatrical Trailer
- Chronicle Soundtrack Info
Video Quality:
Even though we are lead to believe that Andrew’s cameras are capturing all of the footage, the Blu-ray is presented in a 1080p. To lend to the ‘realism’ there is a noticiable difference in the video quality when Andrew upgrades to a new camera, which is present just after their encounter with the musterious orb, early in the film.
The video quality is insanely good, with vibrant colors, deep blacks and great clarity.
Audio Quality:
Again, despite being lead to believe that the movie was being filmed by consumer-grade cameras, the Blu-ray has a DTS-HD 5.1 surround track is well balanced with super-clear dialogue, and encompassing surround that doesn’t pull any punches.
Chronicle is a good movie, and this is a good Blu-ray combo pack. The only real disappointment to me, was the absence of any commentary, or a more in-depth ‘making of’ feature. Aside from that minor complaint, it is a great value and well worth the purchase.
I give the CHRONICLE Director’s Cut Blu-ray Combo Pack Four out of Five Stars
Pick up your copy of Chronicle on Blu-ray at Amazon, using the link below!
[AMAZONPRODUCT=B005LAIGPU]
