Chronicle – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Chronicle

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2012

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Found-footage superhero film where telekinetic teens spiral from pranks to tragedy—darker and grimmer than you'd expect.

7/10

85%

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Chronicle

movie

PG-13, 2012

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Found-footage superhero film where telekinetic teens spiral from pranks to tragedy—darker and grimmer than you'd expect.

85%

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Screenwise Verdict

Chronicle earned its 85% on Rotten Tomatoes by doing something different with the superhero formula. It's a character study disguised as a found-footage thriller, and it commits hard to the idea that superpowers + teenage trauma = disaster.

The first half is legitimately fun—three friends discovering they can move stuff with their minds, pulling pranks, learning to fly. Then it pivots into something much darker as Andrew's abusive home life and social isolation turn his powers into weapons. The climax is a full-on tragedy, not a triumph.

It's well-made and thought-provoking, but it's also genuinely upsetting in places. The found-footage style makes the violence feel more real and less escapist than typical superhero fare. If your teen can handle Breaking Bad-style moral descent and isn't looking for a Marvel-style good-guys-win story, this delivers. But it's absolutely not for younger kids or anyone expecting a pick-me-up.

Age Fit

This is for older teens (15+) who can handle moral complexity and tragic outcomes. Younger kids expecting a fun superhero flick will be disturbed by the violence and bleakness. Adults who like character-driven sci-fi will appreciate it too.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Three teens gain telekinetic powers and one spirals into violence, culminating in destructive rampage through Seattle. The film deliberately explores darker impulses—bullying, revenge, patricide—without redemption arcs. It's not modeling healthy behavior; it's a cautionary tale that gets quite bleak.

Imaginative

Found-footage superhero origin story was genuinely fresh in 2012. The telekinesis scenes are creative—levitating Legos, flying through clouds, moving cars with their minds. The 'what would real teens actually do with powers' angle (pranks, showing off, eventually darker stuff) felt novel and grounded compared to typical superhero fare.

Safe

Common Sense Media pegs it at 15+ for good reason. Contains intense violence including a character killing his abusive father with telekinesis, destruction of city property, people thrown from buildings, nosebleeds from power use, and a climactic battle with significant collateral damage. Language includes profanity. The found-footage style makes violence feel more immediate and disturbing. Not appropriate for younger viewers expecting a typical superhero romp.

Enriching

Raises genuine questions about power, abuse cycles, and moral responsibility. Andrew's descent is tied to his home life (alcoholic abusive father, dying mother), making it a character study about trauma and isolation. The friendship dynamics and ethical debates ('apex predator' philosophy) give teens something to chew on. But it's more thought-provoking than actively skill-building or uplifting.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely creative take on superhero origins—the found-footage format was fresh in 2012 and the 'what would real teens do with powers' angle still holds up
Strong performances, especially Dane DeHaan as the troubled Andrew, making his descent into violence feel earned rather than cartoonish
Raises real questions about trauma, power, and responsibility without spoon-feeding answers—Andrew's abuse at home drives his choices in ways that spark discussion
Telekinesis effects are fun and inventive (flying through clouds, building Lego towers mid-air) before things get dark

⚠

What to Watch For

This is NOT a feel-good superhero movie—one protagonist becomes the villain and kills his father on-screen (off-camera but audio is clear), plus a destructive city-wide rampage
Found-footage shaky-cam can be disorienting and makes violence feel more immediate and disturbing
Profanity throughout, nosebleeds from power use, bullying scenes, and a genuinely tragic ending with no happy resolution
Common Sense Media says 15+ and that feels right—younger teens expecting Spider-Man will be blindsided by how bleak this gets

Conversation Starters

"Andrew talks about being an 'apex predator' to justify hurting people. What do you think about that logic? Does having power make you superior?"
"How much of Andrew's choices were because of his awful home life versus his own decisions? Where's the line?"
"If you suddenly had telekinesis, what's the first thing you'd do? And what's something you'd be tempted to do but shouldn't?"
"The friends try to set rules for their powers early on. Do you think rules like that would actually work in real life?"

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