For his debut film, director Josh Trank employs two of the most tired and overused themes in mainstream movies today – superheroes and found footage. For many potential viewers, one or both of these ideas will prove an instant turn-off, but those willing to give Chronicle a shot will find a fresh, intelligent and entertaining adventure that will find a large audience wherever it plays.

Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) all attend the same suburban Seattle high school, and though they come from wildly different social circles, soon find themselves drawn together after encountering a freakish otherworldly presence. Andrew is bullied both by classmates and his father, and has retreated behind a video camera, to document this abuse and place a barrier between himself and the real world. Once he and his friends realise that their close encounter with what they presume to be a meteorite has given them telekinetic powers, the focus of Andrew’s video shifts to the three boys as they explore, hone and employ their newfound skills.

Chronicle follows the traditional template of a superhero origin story, from the introduction of an average protagonist, to the inciting incident that changes them, through their development to becoming a fully-fledged hero. What soon becomes apparent is that as Andrew becomes more willing to use his powers for personal, vengeful reasons against those who have hurt him in the past, and that we are not witnessing the birth of a superhero, but that of a super villain.

For the first half of the film, the found footage aspect proves a smart storytelling tool, allowing us to follow the trio’s progress and experimentation. However, as Andrew becomes more distant, there is a need to see how Matt and Steve are coping, and so perpetual video blogger Casey (Ashley Hinshaw) is introduced as a love interest for Matt and to give the audience a secondary perspective. By the third act, however, the film has outgrown the format and the excuses for the variety of cameras employed becomes increasingly ridiculous.

Elsewhere, however, the film is mostly impressive. The three principles, and DeHaan in particular, do a great job of presenting realistic teenagers struggling to comprehend what is happening to them and react responsibly rather than recklessly. Comic book fans should delight in how Trank and co-writer Max Landis explore the mantra “with much power comes much responsibility” that lies at the heart of all superhero fiction. There are some wonderful moments of genuine imagination, specifically the trio’s first attempts to fly and Andrew’s talent show performance, that tap into the wish-fulfilment fantasies of every teenager looking for acceptance, or failing that, escape. The filmmakers prove that they clearly understand their characters and their subject matter and do both a great service here. While Chronicle ultimately breaks loose of its aesthetic shackles in a problematic manner, it remains one of the smartest, most imaginative superhero films in years.