Chernobyl Diaries

08/29/2015 21:14

Film: Chernobyl Diaries

Year: 2012

Director: Bradley Parker

Writer: Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke

Starring: Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski and Olivia Dudley

 

Review:

We have a couple; they are played by Jesse McCartney and Olivia Dudley. They are going on a trip across Europe with her friend, who is played by Devin Kelley. They go to Kiev to visit McCartney’s older brother, who is played by Jonathan Sadowski. He is reckless, since he just up and visited where he lives now and decided to stay.

The day before the group is supposed to leave; Sadowski talks them into coming on an extreme tour with him. He has found a guy who will take them to city where everyone who worked at Chernobyl lived. He tells them about how they had to abandon everything they own.

They agree to go finally and they meet the tour guide, played by Dimitri Diatchenko. Coming with them is another couple who just got married, played by Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Nathan Phillips.

On the way they come to the checkpoint and they get turned away. Sadowski is pissed, because they’ve already paid and Diatchenko tells them that they usually tell him in advanced if he can get in. He then tells them of a back way. They get through and the tour goes on as planned. Outside of a strange animal encounter, it goes good, except when they go to leave. Their van has been vandalized and won’t start.

They decide to stay the night until they hear oddly human sounds outside. Diatchenko goes to check and McCartney decides to go with him after letting his brother hear it. There is gunfire and screams. Sadowski goes out and finds his brother, but no sign of Diatchenko. They survive the night, but they can’t stay long. Radiation and whatever is out there will come at night. Can they escape or find help before its too late?

Here are my thoughts on this one. I don’t think Chernobyl is safe yet, but I’ll let it slide. I liked the concept that people could have been left behind and mutated. I think there could be crazed animals from hunger and radiation poisoning. You don’t get that good a look at the monsters, which I’m not against, because it can protect bad make-up and can make it scarier. What I didn’t care for is that it is a lot of people disappearing while off camera and then finding them later. This doesn’t ruin it, but good concept, yet it could have been better I feel.

This isn’t a horrible horror movie. It isn’t long and it is entertaining. There are a couple jumpy parts and some implausible things, but if you can get past this it is decent. Not long so you won’t get bored. The acting isn’t the greatest, but from what you see in the monsters, they are solid and as it goes on it gets creepier. I would recommend it if you like these types of horror films.

 

My Rating: 5 out of 10