Chernobyl Diaries
2.5/4
Starring: Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Dudley, Nathan Philips, Ingrid Bolso Bodal, Dimitri Diatchenko
Rated R for Violence, Some Bloody Images and Pervasive Language
"Chernobyl Diaries" is being marketed as being from Oren Peli, who wrote and directed the absolutely terrifying smash hit, "Paranormal Activity." This is really only half true, however. Peli came up with the story and co-wrote the script (with Carey and Shane Van Dyke), but it was directed by Bradley Parker. Whoever you consider to be "behind" the film, the result is the same. "Chernobyl Diaries" is at times scary, but it's also unsatisfying.
Chris (McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Dudley) and Natalie's friend Amanda (Kelley), are in Kiev visiting Chris's older brother, Michael (Sadowski). After a night of partying, Michael comes to the hungover trio and suggest they do a bit of extreme tourism: tour Pripyat, the town that was abandoned after the Chernobyl meltdown. With a man named Uri (Diatchenko) as their guide and two Norwegians, Michael (Philips) and Zoe (Bodal) tagging along, they tour the abandoned city. But when they get ready to leave, they find the van's wires cut. Now, the seven of them are trapped in a radiated city that they were only supposed to spend two hours in. They will soon find out that radiation is the least of their worries.
While I was watching this movie, I admitted that it was scary, and yet I did not find myself satisfied. Part of the reason is the way that Parker, a first-time director whose background is, of course, in visual effects, handles some of the material. This is not a pseudo-documentary horror film like the aforementioned "Paranormal Activity" and its sequels. Parker does use a handheld camera, but it's not held by one of the characters. This is a fresh change from what we've been getting lately. But in an effort to use the power of suggestion, Parker cuts away from the surprises too quickly. There were times when I didn't know what was going on in a "shock" moment until after things had settled down. It is here that rarely, if ever, does the camera go into an epileptic seizure. Thank God.
The acting is effective. The biggest star, and I use that term loosely because he blends in nicely with the rest of the cast, and his "stardom" has long since expired, is pop-star/actor Jesse McCartney. He's effective as the worrywart younger brother, Chris. Also very good is Jonathan Sadowski. He is someone I really felt for. Kelley, Dudley and Bodal are also good, but Philips, who played one of the ill-fated hikers in "Wolf Creek," is good as the Norwegian Michael.
It's rare these days to find an effective horror movie. If you're looking to get freaked out for ninety-minutes then forget about it, this will fit the bill. But for those who are looking for a little more, it's lacking.
Starring: Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Dudley, Nathan Philips, Ingrid Bolso Bodal, Dimitri Diatchenko
Rated R for Violence, Some Bloody Images and Pervasive Language
"Chernobyl Diaries" is being marketed as being from Oren Peli, who wrote and directed the absolutely terrifying smash hit, "Paranormal Activity." This is really only half true, however. Peli came up with the story and co-wrote the script (with Carey and Shane Van Dyke), but it was directed by Bradley Parker. Whoever you consider to be "behind" the film, the result is the same. "Chernobyl Diaries" is at times scary, but it's also unsatisfying.
Chris (McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Dudley) and Natalie's friend Amanda (Kelley), are in Kiev visiting Chris's older brother, Michael (Sadowski). After a night of partying, Michael comes to the hungover trio and suggest they do a bit of extreme tourism: tour Pripyat, the town that was abandoned after the Chernobyl meltdown. With a man named Uri (Diatchenko) as their guide and two Norwegians, Michael (Philips) and Zoe (Bodal) tagging along, they tour the abandoned city. But when they get ready to leave, they find the van's wires cut. Now, the seven of them are trapped in a radiated city that they were only supposed to spend two hours in. They will soon find out that radiation is the least of their worries.
While I was watching this movie, I admitted that it was scary, and yet I did not find myself satisfied. Part of the reason is the way that Parker, a first-time director whose background is, of course, in visual effects, handles some of the material. This is not a pseudo-documentary horror film like the aforementioned "Paranormal Activity" and its sequels. Parker does use a handheld camera, but it's not held by one of the characters. This is a fresh change from what we've been getting lately. But in an effort to use the power of suggestion, Parker cuts away from the surprises too quickly. There were times when I didn't know what was going on in a "shock" moment until after things had settled down. It is here that rarely, if ever, does the camera go into an epileptic seizure. Thank God.
The acting is effective. The biggest star, and I use that term loosely because he blends in nicely with the rest of the cast, and his "stardom" has long since expired, is pop-star/actor Jesse McCartney. He's effective as the worrywart younger brother, Chris. Also very good is Jonathan Sadowski. He is someone I really felt for. Kelley, Dudley and Bodal are also good, but Philips, who played one of the ill-fated hikers in "Wolf Creek," is good as the Norwegian Michael.
It's rare these days to find an effective horror movie. If you're looking to get freaked out for ninety-minutes then forget about it, this will fit the bill. But for those who are looking for a little more, it's lacking.
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