Chronicle

About this episode

The Mikes discuss the found footage superhero film 'Chronicle' and its unique approach to storytelling.

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes fly to Seattle to revisit "Chronicle", the found footage superhero film that shows what happens when ordinary teenagers suddenly gain extraordinary power, but also isn't Spider-Man. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field still enjoy the film, with Field noting that it remains one of the very few found footage movies he genuinely likes. The concept, performances, and grounded approach to the rise of a super villain help the movie stand apart from most entries in both the found footage and superhero genres. That said, the rewatch does reveal some issues with the format itself. Butler especially takes issue with how the film randomly pulls footage from security cameras, military footage, and personal recordings without really explaining how all of it has been assembled into one coherent narrative. Unlike most found footage films, where the source and structure of the footage are clearly established, "Chronicle" plays much looser with the concept. The film’s short runtime is also a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, the pacing is excellent and the movie never wastes time or drifts away from its core story. On the other hand, both Mikes feel an…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike Butler, Mike Field

Topics covered

• found footage
• superhero film
• character development
• film critique
• Seattle

Keywords

• Chronicle
• found footage
• superhero
• film critique
• character drama

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Chronicle, Spider-Man

Places: Seattle

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