Chronicle

***Chronicle*** is a 2012 American found footage superhero thriller film directed by Josh Trank. It was theatrically released in the United States on February 3, 2012.

## Plot

Seattle teenager Andrew Detmer is bullied at school and abused by his alcoholic father Richard, while also coping with his loving mother Karen's battle with cancer. His only friend is his cousin, Matt Garetty. Inspired by Matt's on-and-off girlfriend Casey, Andrew buys a camera to make a video diary about his life.

Matt invites Andrew to a party to help him mingle, but he leaves after his filming causes an altercation with another attendee. Popular student Steve Montgomery approaches Andrew and asks him to record a large hole he and Matt discovered in the woods. The three journey down the hole where they discover a glowing crystalline object. The object suddenly begins to react violently and the camera shorts out.

Weeks later, Andrew, Matt, and Steve have developed telekinetic abilities, though they suffer nosebleeds when they overexert themselves. Unable to revisit the hole after it is closed off by police, they start using their abilities to play pranks on people, but it goes too far when Andrew telekinetically pushes a rude motorist off the road into a nearby pond. After the trio manage to save the man from drowning, Matt insists they restrict use of their powers, particularly against living beings.

After Steve discovers they have flight abilities, the trio agree to fly around the world together following graduation, with Andrew in particular desiring to visit Tibet. Steve encourages Andrew to use his powers for a magic act in the school talent show, which amazes their peers. Andrew relishes his newfound popularity at a house party, but the night ends in disaster when he drunkenly vomits on a classmate he had intended to have sex with, and Steve accidentally offends him while trying to lighten the mood.

Richard confronts Andrew after viewing the footage from the party on his camera. Andrew uses his powers to violently repel him and flees the house, creating a storm in his agitated state. Steve flies out to console him, but as Andrew becomes increasingly frustrated, Steve is suddenly struck by lightning and killed. Andrew denies responsibility when questioned by Matt at the funeral, but later privately begs forgiveness at Steve's grave.

Andrew is once again ostracized at school following the incident at the party. After telekinetically ripping teeth from a bully's mouth, Andrew begins to identify as an apex predator and rationalizes that he should not feel guilty for using his powers to hurt those weaker than him. Desperate to pay for his mother's medication, Andrew disguises himself with his father's firefighter gear and uses his powers to rob a gas station, inadvertently causing an explosion that puts him in the hospital. At his bedside, a distraught Richard informs a seemingly unconscious Andrew that Karen has died after spending the day searching for him. Richard berates Andrew for allegedly causing his mother's death and prepares to strike him, but Andrew abruptly awakens and blows out the wall of the room.

Matt experiences a severe nosebleed and realizes Andrew is in trouble after seeing a news alert on TV about a mysterious explosion downtown. He and Casey head to the hospital to find Andrew unleashing his rage onto all of downtown, crashing through buildings and hurling vehicles. Matt attempts to reason with Andrew at the Space Needle, but soon realizes that Andrew is too far gone and reluctantly kills him with a spear from a nearby statue. Despite his injuries, Matt is able to fly away before the police can reach him.

Some time later, Matt lands in Tibet with Andrew's camera, tearfully apologizing to him while vowing to use his powers for good and discover the truth about what happened to them. He points the camera at a Tibetan monastery in the distance before flying away, leaving the camera behind.

## Cast

**Dane DeHaan** as Andrew Detmer

**Alex Russell** as Matt Garetty

**Michael B. Jordan** as Steve Montgomery

**Michael Kelly** as Richard Detmer

**Ashley Hinshaw** as Casey Letter