This paper explores the impact of chemical reaction and thermal radiation on time-dependent hydromagnetic thin-film flow of a second-grade fluid across an inclined flat plate embedded in a porous medium. The thermal radiation based on the Rosseland approximation is incorporated in the energy equation. Uniform applied magnetic field and first-order homogenous chemical reaction are included in the momentum and concentration equations, respectively. The novel mathematical flow model is constructed by using a set of partial differential equations (PDEs). The PDEs are then transformed into an equivalent set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and solved by applying the Laplace transform method. However, the time domain solutions are obtained by using the INVLAP subroutine of MATLAB. Physical parameters influencing thin-film velocity, temperature, and concentration are illustrated graphically, while those affecting skin friction, heat, and mass transfer rates are presented in a tabular form. It is found that thin-film velocity and temperature boost with increasing values of thermal radiation, but thin-film velocity decreases with increasing values of chemical reaction and magnetic field. The current investigation is to enhance heat and mass transfer in the design of mechanical systems involving the thin film flow of second-grade fluids over an inclined flat plate after applying thermal radiation and chemical reaction.