Story by: Oren Peli
Written by: Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke
Based on The Diary of Lawson Oxford, by Oren Peli
Cast
Zoe Ingrid Bolsø Berdal
Uri Dimitri Diatchenko
Natalie Olivia Dudley
Amanda Devin Kelley
Chris Jesse McCartney
Michael Nathan Phillips
Paul Jonathan Sadowski
Q: What is the movie about?
A: A group of young tourists in Europe go on an “extreme tour” to an area near the site of the Chernobyl
Q: What was that again?
A: In 1986 a nuclear reactor in the Ukraine USSR Chernobyl Pripyat Europe . The
residents of the town were evacuated. The reactor has been sealed in concrete
and the area abandoned.
Q: So can anyone really go there?
A: The government opened the town to tourists in
2011. Some people have gone on what are
called “extreme tours.”  |
| Off on an adventure |
Q: Ok. But
why would anyone want to go there?
A: I haven’t the slightest idea. It seems a monumentally stupid thing to
do. Even today, radiation exists at the
site. The area will not be completely
safe for thousands of years.
Q: But if people didn’t do stupid things, we
wouldn’t have horror movies, would we?
A: That’s a good point. I also have to say, why on earth would you
want to visit an abandoned town at all?
What is there to see? Empty buildings
that have been looted and are filled with trash and are dangerous to enter? You can see that almost anywhere in Chicago.
Q: Is the movie any good? That really is what we’re after here.
A: It’s merely ok.
The first hour or so does build tension.
There are a few scenes that made me jump, even though I was prepared for
something to happen. The tourists are
harmless and not the usual obnoxious group of idiots we see in horror
movies. The plot does not develop them
enough for me to care deeply about them, but I wasn’t rooting for anyone to die
either.
Q: How about the last half hour of the movie?
A: It disappointed me. You could say that the plot has a
meltdown. The tension that was built
earlier stops cold because it becomes pretty obvious what it is that is killing
off the tourists. There is a very slight
twist at the end which was not satisfying in the least.  |
| "What are our options?" |
Q: Did the plot make any sense at all?
A: No.
There are enough holes in it to drive a Russian tank through.
A: Yes, about the usual amount for this kind of movie. There are also plenty of people running around in the dark being scared, and yelling: “What are we gonna do!!????” and “I’m not leaving here without him/her!!!!”
Q: Do you recommend that someone see the movie?
A: That depends.
Die hard horror fans will go because, well…because. Just don’t be expecting a masterpiece. And it isn’t something most people would want
to watch twice.
Q: Do you have any thoughts on how technology
has changed at least one of the “rules” of horror?
A: Yes, I do.
It is always necessary for the protagonists to be put in a situation
where they are unable to call for or expect any assistance. They have to be put in peril and not have any
obvious way out. In the old days it was
easy. Middle of nowhere – no
phones. Today everyone has a cell phone,
so some reason has to be invented about why they still can’t call for
help. In this movie they simply say “no
reception.” That doesn't stop the phone from having another use, though. The two kids left in the van record some video while the others are out looking around. When the others return to the van, the video shows us what happened to the two left behind. How can something feel clever and yet tired and overused at the same time? Another mystery of "Chernobyl Diaries."
Q: What about the cast? What did you think of the characters?
A: Well, another of the so-called “rules” of
horror films is: The brightest, nicest,
most dependable, and possibly least good-looking female makes it to the end. That sort of happens here, but it sort of doesn’t. The “rules” have changed in the last few
years. As for the actors, they do a
decent job. 
Q: What else?
A: I’m glad you asked. Another of the old rules is: There always has to be one female, preferably
blonde, who is a little dim and/or slutty.
And she must have large breasts.
One of the characters here is blonde, she has the largest bosom, however
she is fairly intelligent and not any more of a nitwit than any of the others -
I’m very happy to say. Q: Does this film remind you of any other movies?
A: Mostly it makes me think of "The Descent", which was a far, far better movie. Same kind of set up - young adventurers set out on what they think will be a fun afternoon at someplace a little different and exciting. It's dark. Very, very dark. Their flashlights are starting to fade. There are scary noises in the dark, and glimpses of something nasty. They eventually find themselves running deeper into the danger instead of to some way to get the heck out of there.
Q: Does the movie provide any moral at the end?
A: Yes. There
are several.
1. When traveling, always have a flashlight.
2. It’s best to travel with at least one person who is up on emergency first aid.
3. If you or ANY of your group has a gut feeling that whatever is being planned is not a good idea, listen.
4. If someone says something like:
“Hey! I just met this guy who has a terrific idea for a completely off-the-beaten-track adventure. He said he will take us there and it’s absolutely safe. He also said that if we are stopped at the entrance he knows another creepy, dangerous place to enter, which is far away from the guards who were telling us to go back for a good reason, so really nobody will know we are there. Oh, and he said that spending a few hours soaking up radiation is no big deal. Sounds great, huh? No, I don't know this guy at all, I just met him five minutes ago.”Don’t listen to him. Don’t go. Stay in the hotel and order room service.
5. If you are being chased through a dark tunnel by something horrible, and you keep going DOWN and DOWN instead of UP, you may want to consider the possibility that you are being herded and whatever you are going toward is much more horrible than whatever is behind you.
6. If you do have to go on the dumbly dangerous
excursion, make at least a dozen people aware of where you are going and when
to call the cops.
7. It might also be a good idea to send for your dental records. Just in case.
Q: Do you think it is a little creepy and
maybe downright unethical to make a horror movie which profits from the tragedy of
others?
A: Yes, but it happens all the time. There are plenty of movies about real people
or based on a true story, etc. The
problem with this movie is that it pretty cavalierly makes the on-going tragedy
of many the major plot point. Some
Q: Why is the name Oren Peli familiar?
A: He is the man who wrote and directed the
hugely successful film, “Paranormal Activity” in 2007. He also wrote and/or directed and/or
produced: “Paranormal Activity 2 and 3”,
and “Insidious”.
Q: Do you feel slightly nauseated right now?
A: Yes.
I’m not sure if it is because of the unpleasant fate of the characters,
or because of the constant jerky hand-held camera technique which is used for
absolutely no reason that I can come up with. At least in "The Blair Witch Project" and even in "Cloverfield" there was a plausible explanation for the hand held camera (even though in "Cloverfield" the guy with the camera was a moron who kept filming cars and buildings instead of the creature).
It might also be because I was very hungry and ate one of the concession
stand hot dogs.
Q: Thank you.
Any last thoughts?
A: Yes.
Stay away from the hot dogs. Go
for the popcorn instead.
Do you have any thoughts, questions or different opinions? I would love to hear from you! Please take advantage of the “Comment” area below. Thanks!!
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