Film Analysis - Week 27
Chronicle (2012) - Directed by Josh Trank
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan
Chronicle (2012) - Directed by Josh Trank
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan
This film is a Sci-Fi/Action about 3 boys who gain supernatural powers
and have to deal with the joy and consequences that they bring. The
overall story follows the protagonist Andrew (Dane DeHaan) who is shown
to the audience as unpopular and unwanted, his lack of importance to
others make him a more reliable protagonist and immediately gains the
attention and empathy of the audience. The film is shot using a handheld
format throughout, where each shot is explain as being the characters
filming their own world and experiences, this leads to more interesting
situation that would normally never be seen in a film, including the
supposed mundanity that is cut out in-between shots in most films, this
allows for a more personal insight and reasonable explanation into the
characters lives. This act of filming throughout is justified by
Andrew’s constant fear of his abusive father, which is immediately
stated at the start of the film, in order to give explanation and also
to set in the empathy for his character. This supernatural twist also
allows the filmmakers to take advantage of the audiences expectations of
character tropes, such as that of the protagonist stays and is
inherently good throughout. The film explores themes such as friendship,
power, the god complex, control, strength and secrets.
The film’s found footage cinematography is a difficult method to pull of as it requires a great deal of fore-thought and skill in order for the final product to look suitable. Films are often critiqued and enjoyed because of their escape from real life scenarios and possibilities, such as seeing a situation from a previously unseen angle, however this format allows for the opposite to be true, by using handheld footage the audience feels as if they are watching a home movie, or some form of personal content, this creates an involvement into the film and can be used conveniently for thematic and narrative purposes where a character notices the character but not the existence of the audience. For example, the film uses this to intrude of personal situations such as the argument between Andrew and his father, which is a normal film would perhaps be much more dramatic as they knew no=one would be watching. Characters reactions and actions are influenced by the presence of the camera and therefore drives the narrative elements for the audience to enjoy. The trio of friends spend the entire film documenting their powers in a way that would seem fake if captured from a outside the film perspective as it is in most other films. This use of cinematography is key in a film such as this as it can be used to create intentional drama driven by the format rather than through convenient clauses and narrative elements as in other films.
The friendship dynamic used in the film is also very key as it drives the protagonist Andrew into his spiral. The unlikely friendship group that spawns out of his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and a local jock character Steve (Michael B. Jordan) means that Andrew’s geeky personality and social anxiety from the start drive him over the edge when he develops the personality of an ‘Omega Predator’, that particular phrase is used in the film in order for Andrew to justify his actions when his powers become much stronger than the other two. The use of three main characters all in the same supernatural boat means that arguments can lead to a one sided battle where two can team up on the other. This element causes Andrew to grow stronger beyond his belief as he begins to doubt his friendship with the others and spiral out of control into madness.
The film’s found footage cinematography is a difficult method to pull of as it requires a great deal of fore-thought and skill in order for the final product to look suitable. Films are often critiqued and enjoyed because of their escape from real life scenarios and possibilities, such as seeing a situation from a previously unseen angle, however this format allows for the opposite to be true, by using handheld footage the audience feels as if they are watching a home movie, or some form of personal content, this creates an involvement into the film and can be used conveniently for thematic and narrative purposes where a character notices the character but not the existence of the audience. For example, the film uses this to intrude of personal situations such as the argument between Andrew and his father, which is a normal film would perhaps be much more dramatic as they knew no=one would be watching. Characters reactions and actions are influenced by the presence of the camera and therefore drives the narrative elements for the audience to enjoy. The trio of friends spend the entire film documenting their powers in a way that would seem fake if captured from a outside the film perspective as it is in most other films. This use of cinematography is key in a film such as this as it can be used to create intentional drama driven by the format rather than through convenient clauses and narrative elements as in other films.
The friendship dynamic used in the film is also very key as it drives the protagonist Andrew into his spiral. The unlikely friendship group that spawns out of his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and a local jock character Steve (Michael B. Jordan) means that Andrew’s geeky personality and social anxiety from the start drive him over the edge when he develops the personality of an ‘Omega Predator’, that particular phrase is used in the film in order for Andrew to justify his actions when his powers become much stronger than the other two. The use of three main characters all in the same supernatural boat means that arguments can lead to a one sided battle where two can team up on the other. This element causes Andrew to grow stronger beyond his belief as he begins to doubt his friendship with the others and spiral out of control into madness.
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