One of the best superhero movies of all time came out 12 years ago and had nothing to do with Marvel or DC

Summary

• Chronicle stands out as a one-of-a-kind superhero film, devoid of any Marvel or DC characters, that delivers an unpredictable and compelling story.
• The found footage style adds depth to the character development, making it easier for the audience to connect with the story.
• Taking inspiration from Akira, Chronicle’s narrative and visual style stands out and proves that original superhero stories can be successful.

Chronicle may have nothing to do with the popular Marvel and DC franchises, but that has kept it from becoming one of the biggest superhero movies in recent memory. Taking a unique found footage approach to filmmaking, the film follows three high school friends as they stumble upon a force that grants them superhuman abilities. However, where this story deviates from the typical formula is in the friends’ inability to master their powers as they lose control of themselves. Regardless of whether Chronicle 2 it’s still happening, the original story is one of a kind.

Since most of the most popular superhero movies released today are from Marvel or DC properties, it was refreshing to see a story that wasn’t already wildly popular play out on the big screen. It made the movie more unpredictable, and since it couldn’t rely on familiar faces or returning characters, it had to use the story to suck audiences into this unique world. Chronicle It also had an excellent castwith actors like Dane DeHaan and Alex Russell giving some of their best performances. It is also one of Michael B. Jordan’s best films, as his character was undoubtedly the one that stood out.

Chronicle is one of the best non-Marvel/DC superhero movies

The film doesn’t need recognizable heroes to be great.

In a world where Marvel and DC have essentially taken over the superhero genre, it’s extremely gratifying when a project comes along that proves that new, standalone stories can be just as exciting. Chronicle it has no nostalgia or sentimentality that keeps audiences coming back to Marvel and DC again and again, so it would have been difficult for the film to make a name for itself, but it does so purely on merit. The story is compelling, the characters are fun, and the fantasy/sci-fi elements are genuinely creative.

Marvel and DC benefit from having instantly recognizable characters: as soon as Thor’s hammer or Captain America’s shield appears on the screen, it’s clear which direction the story is taking. But Chronicle maintained an element of surprise by having characters who were just regular people, without their recognizable tools or outfits. Seeing established characters on screen is great, but having characters that the audience doesn’t immediately recognize can also be helpful.

Akira’s inspiration for Chronicle worked better than a live-action remake would have.

Anime could never be fairly represented in a live-action

While it is fair to say that Chronicle It is a mostly original story, but that doesn’t mean it is completely free of influences. In many ways, the film’s narrative (and visual style) is very similar to that Akirah manga and anime, which follows a motorcyclist named Kaneda who tries to save his friend after he falls into a top secret government project. There are differences in the character names and dynamics, but the overall atmosphere and trajectory of the stories are very similar. While it’s easy to assume that Chronicle simply copied Akirah, the film is much more than a simple adaptation.

Akirah
It was released in 1988 and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo

Animation is very difficult to bring to live-action formats with the same dynamic vividness: there is a level of wonder and mystique that is always lost when adapting manga and anime into live-action films. Here’s why Chronicle works best as a standalone superhero story. Live-action TV anime can work very well because the episodic format allows more time to develop the many characters and relationships, but Akirah It’s just too complicated to cover in two hours without the added freedom of animation.

The unique cinematic style gives Chronicle a fresh feel

Another aspect of Chronicle What sets it apart from the competition is its found footage approach. The film is shot as if from the point of view of these friends.following them closely as they discover their powers and then learn how to harness them effectively. This is a smart decision that really allows the audience to connect with the characters and understand their motivations, which is sometimes difficult in ensemble films like Chronicle. It also eliminates much of the distance between the audience and the characters.which can sometimes be a problem when dealing with unrealistic superheroes.

The film immediately captures the audience’s attention by offering them something new and then captures their attention with a powerful and gripping story, full of twists and turns at every turn.

The blend of found footage and superhero spectacle offers Chronicle a distinct tone that has never really been adopted before in this subgenre. The film immediately captures the audience’s attention by offering them something new, and then earns their attention with a powerful and engaging story that has twists at every turn. It’s surprising that more found footage superhero films haven’t been made since Chronicle‘S success, but perhaps it could not be replicated as effectively.