Featured Audience Ratings

• Bruce B

  
  Straight to the point: Chernobyl Diaries has some of the worst acting/script/motivations I have seen in a movie, along with incredibly predictable 'scares'. YET, it has probably the best untapped location of any horror. From the offset, you're introduced to some… More
  Straight to the point: Chernobyl Diaries has some of the worst acting/script/motivations I have seen in a movie, along with incredibly predictable 'scares'. YET, it has probably the best untapped location of any horror. From the offset, you're introduced to some 'cool' kids who'll annoy the hell out of you immediately. Nothing is believable, none of the characters connect with you or each other. I hated the characters so much I was literally waiting for them to be lynched by the monsters. The only characters/actors I appreciated was a tour guy who takes them to Chernobyl and a hippie Australian who tags along with his hollow girlfriend. Not surprising (and this was the reason I went to see the movie) was the fact the movie improved ten-fold when they arrive in Chernobyl. The location is astonishingly eerie and you can easily believe the myths of mutants living there. Here the film actually becomes scary to some extent and you feel yourself tensing up. Until of course, the actors interrupt your concentration with some appalling, predictable stuff. And so the finale winds down with your typical 'running blindly (literally at the very end), being chased by hordes of evil freaks'. And characters don't die so much as get whisked away into the darkness. Whenever the movie builds up to something scary, it's always undone by a disappointing result, leaving you a little bit deflated each time. 2 Stars 4-5-13

• Cynthia S

  
  The story of Chernobyl has always fascinated me. It was a complete surprise to me when I finished this film to find....it was a complete and utter turd. Great idea, but poorly executed mostly due to the script.

• Everett J

  
  "Chernobyl Diaries" is a movie by Oren Peli, the guy who created the "Paranormal Activity" series. Here, it is a similar concept in some ways. A group of young adults are touring Europe when they hire an "extreme" tour guide. He leads them to the city… More
  "Chernobyl Diaries" is a movie by Oren Peli, the guy who created the "Paranormal Activity" series. Here, it is a similar concept in some ways. A group of young adults are touring Europe when they hire an "extreme" tour guide. He leads them to the city of Pripyat, the home of workers during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The groups thinks they are alone in the abandoned city, but they aren't. Shot half as a found footage movie and the other half as your average horror movie, it isn't very effective. I found myself very bored and not really into it. It's very predictable and just a run of the mill story, with a pretty cool ending. I love horror movies, and while I didn't hate this movie, I don't think I really liked it that much either. It's one that I could see myself watching again eventually and having a different opinion. Or, I'll watch again and fall asleep. Watch this with low expectations.

• Josh L

  
  This is one of those horror movies where the characters do so many dumb things that it just drives you mad. I fully expect their to be bad decisions made in horror movies, but there is still a threshold and this movie passes it within the first 30 minutes. The setting and atmosphere… More
  This is one of those horror movies where the characters do so many dumb things that it just drives you mad. I fully expect their to be bad decisions made in horror movies, but there is still a threshold and this movie passes it within the first 30 minutes. The setting and atmosphere are actually pretty good and the movie has an interesting story, but the characters and dialogue can be quite stupid and it takes away from the good things the film accomplishes.

• Dean !

  
  It looked ok from the trailer, but having seen the whole film it's not that atmospheric as portrayed in the trailer. It's pretty straight forward run of the mill horror as mutated people attack some young people on an extreme tourism tour of the Chernobyl area. It has a few… More
  It looked ok from the trailer, but having seen the whole film it's not that atmospheric as portrayed in the trailer. It's pretty straight forward run of the mill horror as mutated people attack some young people on an extreme tourism tour of the Chernobyl area. It has a few good moments but I had hoped for a lot better.

• Manu G

  
  Experience the fallout. Good movie! This is a horror movie that is more for the "What you don't see is even scarier then what you do see" crowd. I felt like this was a very well-shot, tense thriller. The atmosphere of the film quite effectively isolated and creepy. The… More
  Experience the fallout. Good movie! This is a horror movie that is more for the "What you don't see is even scarier then what you do see" crowd. I felt like this was a very well-shot, tense thriller. The atmosphere of the film quite effectively isolated and creepy. The ending is a bit on the weak side, but it doesn't trump the journey to get there. I hope people who go to see this won't be expecting a intriguing movie with a deep story, and just go for the sheer excitement of the film. A group of six young vacationers who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an "extreme" tour guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago.

• Mike S

  
  Some films you want to check out as soon as they hit the theatres. And then there's others like <i>Chernobyl Diaries</i>, that don't look all that great, yet somehow intriguing enough to prompt a rental. That being said, I managed my expectations to a range… More
  Some films you want to check out as soon as they hit the theatres. And then there's others like <i>Chernobyl Diaries</i>, that don't look all that great, yet somehow intriguing enough to prompt a rental. That being said, I managed my expectations to a range between low and mild, which is probably the main reason why it never struck me with any sort of disappointment. Except for the very ending that is, but I'll get to that later on. Created by Oren Peli, the man behind the <i>Paranormal Activity</i> series, it does sail in the same wake of the cinema verité genre, although isn't really a "found footage" film, as the handheld camera isn't operated by any of the characters. What is present, however, is many of the typical tropes, as a group of 20-something tourists venture without second thought to a hostile environment, packing themselves very lightly with only beef jerky to fill their stomachs with. Because apparently, that's all the sustenance they need. Besides the obvious lapses in logic, the story concept per se is pretty much a horror-maker's wet dream. Setting the stage in a venue as spooky as Chernobyl - which for those that don't know, was the site of a terrible nuclear disaster in the Ukraine in 1986 - infused the premise with amazing potential. The fact that it's partially shot on location, also bestowed it with the sensation of an exclusive tour in one of the world's most creepy locales. Granted that the final product isn't as frightening as it should be, but it's decently taut scare fare, that held my interest throughout. The <i>Fallout 3</i>-reminiscent ambience made for an exciting watch and the no-name cast perform their roles with solidity. The only segment that really bothered me was the lousy, unexplanatory ending, but I suppose that goes with the territory. The average viewer is likely to repel this film (God knows the critics did), but in my book it wasn't bad on the whole. An underrated horror expedition, that ironically enough, isn't a total disaster.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  two stars

• Liam G

  
  lol

• Jeff "

  
  Decent, but ultimately unsatisfying, Chernobyl Diaries is a bland scare free horror film that had the potential of being something much better. The film is interesting due to its concept, but lacks any effective scares or real moments of tension. As a whole, the film is a mixed bag of… More
  Decent, but ultimately unsatisfying, Chernobyl Diaries is a bland scare free horror film that had the potential of being something much better. The film is interesting due to its concept, but lacks any effective scares or real moments of tension. As a whole, the film is a mixed bag of clichés that we've seen many times before. Producer Oren Peli has made better films, and if you're looking for something scary, you won't find it here. Another thing worth noting is the cast who simply don't portray characters that simply aren't interesting. Chernobyl Diaries isn't that bad, but it could have been much better too. My expectations for this film were high, and overall I was disappointed, but not that much. I just felt that the trailer looked so good, and this could have been a truly terrifying film. Seeing this on the other hand, it left a lot to be desired. Was the film worth seeing? Well I personally feel it's not one worth seeing at the theatre and is worth more the price of a rental. To summarize this, it's a mindless horror flick that is underdeveloped and had so much potential. Not to mention that this is another run of the mill fond footage/monster flick that due to its limited use of good ideas shows that everything has clearly been done in the genre. This film's biggest flaw is its predictability; you know what will happen and know how it will end. Overall I thought it was a decent flick, but compared to The Cabin in the woods and Prometheus, the two must see horror films of 2012, and this is a step back.

• Randy T

  
  Mutated creatures chasing unsuspecting tourists through really dark places. Been there, seen that, bought the t-shirt.

• Jason C

  
  In 1986, the Chernobyl disaster rendered a large portion of the Ukraine uninhabited. Although, the most contaminated areas won't be fit for everyday human life for 20, 000 years, certain areas are open to tourists who wish to derive education from the disaster. Any area that is… More
  In 1986, the Chernobyl disaster rendered a large portion of the Ukraine uninhabited. Although, the most contaminated areas won't be fit for everyday human life for 20, 000 years, certain areas are open to tourists who wish to derive education from the disaster. Any area that is presumably vacant, should end up being a great setting for Horror. Right? Add the fact that possible residents suffer from mental and physical deformity from years of radiation exposure, and you have a very promising premise. Throw in a van full of teenage idiots, and it should be pretty easy to produce a competent scary movie, right? Well, not so fast. Unfortunately, the undertaking was written by Oren Peli, the hack responsible for the "Paranormal Activity" franchise. I took a chance on "Chernobyl Diaries", with the slight comfort in assuming, that at least, it wasn't a found-footage movie. Although, it isn't predominately found-footage, the movie can't help but interject the useless style into the proceedings. Not that it matters, director Bradley Parker, utilizes an irritating practice, where he's always shaking the camera. I have no idea why he thinks the style is effective, but it isn't. So this might as well, have been found-footage, after all. The writing and directing went on to prove that they don't actually understand Horror... at all. There isn't even the slightest trace of suspense to distract you, from the unforgivable error of having the fatalities occur off camera. They also squander the setting, since they don't have the imagination to produce any abnormal creatures to hunt the victims. Only slight glimpses of the antagonists are revealed, and what's shown isn't threatening to say the least. "Chernobyl Diaries" is utter garbage, and a slap in the face to anyone who enjoys this genre of movies. If you want to watch a gruesome movie, with characters victimized by radiation-produced mutants, stick to "The Hills Have Eyes". Actually, the best advice I can give, is to avoid anything that Oren Peli smears his name on.

• Chris M

  
  Good. Scary. Interesting. Suspenseful. These are all the things Chernobyl Diaries tried to be and failed completely. First off the title to the film is a bit misleading. The name Chernobyl Diaries makes it sound like its going to be a found footage film. But it's not (Not being a… More
  Good. Scary. Interesting. Suspenseful. These are all the things Chernobyl Diaries tried to be and failed completely. First off the title to the film is a bit misleading. The name Chernobyl Diaries makes it sound like its going to be a found footage film. But it's not (Not being a found footage film is probably the most original thing about this movie, well you know and the whole Chernobyl part). Why didn't they just call it "Chernobyl Horrors" or "Chernobyl Mutants Attack Six Dumb People And These Mutants Aren't The X-Men!". What do horror fans want? Suspense or boredom? I'd say suspense, but the creators of this film seem to think moviegoers/horror fans/human beings want to be bored to death. They ruin the spooky atmosphere of the Chernobyl area by making it all lame pop up scares! If someone jumped at me from behind a brick wall and took me by surprise, I would've been more frightened then I was during the whole hour and a half of this movie. This film has cliches galore. Car wont stop? Boom, this films got it. Idiots getting killed off one by one? Boom, this films got it! Mediocre acting and wasted potential? BOOM, this films got it in tons. Though because I am forced to give credit where credit is due, the film did have some tense moments and a spooky atmosphere. But thats really all it has for it. It was fun to look at but not fun to watch. Also it has a horrible ending. Not an ending so scary you wont be able to sleep at night, an ending that just makes you say "Wow... that sucked". Overall- Of all the cliched horror films and generic cookie cutter money makers, this one takes the (not very delicious) cake. But, if you pretend like the guys from The Cabin in The Woods are behind the whole thing, it makes the film better. Though that only makes sense if you've seen The Cabin in The Woods.

• Tyler R

  
  Well, producers obviously wanted an excuse to kill a bunch of idot teens on screen again, so they used the Chernobyl Disaster. In this movie some teens want to tour the town that has been deserted since the Chernobyl incident. (Because you know, it's not like there's any… More
  Well, producers obviously wanted an excuse to kill a bunch of idot teens on screen again, so they used the Chernobyl Disaster. In this movie some teens want to tour the town that has been deserted since the Chernobyl incident. (Because you know, it's not like there's any left over radiation there.) They get a guide, they explore the city and the film just gets worse as it goes along. To start, the characters are complete dumbasses. Whenever anything bad happened to them, I thought "You know what you deserved that, you did the last thing any normal person would've done so you brought this on yourself." Not only are the characters morons, they're also pointless. As soon as everyone was introduced I knew that the only purpose they served was to be part of the body count. They didn't have any relevance other than moving along the stale storyline. The acting is also really bad. The only actor I recognized was Jesse McCartney and he was probably the worst actor in the entire movie. The rest of the cast was still pretty bad though. You would think that a movie with the atmosphere of isolation and darkness would find a way to creep you out and I was creeped out once for like five seconds but the rest of the movie is just an absurd plethora of cliches. It's predictable, drawn out, poorly acted, poorly written and the entire addition of the whole Chernobyl disaster is really forced.

• Tyler C

  
  I expected this to suck, and sure enough it did. Big Time! Unless you have friends to see this with to laugh at or facepalm at the many moments of stupidity these characters commit, don't even waste the Redbox price to see this. And that ending...(*cue sarcasm) so original.

• Dann M

  
  Though it's a bit stereotypical and formulaic, Chernobyl Diaries delivers a suspenseful and entertaining thriller. Filmed in a documentary style, the film follows a group of tourists that visit the irradiated city of Chernobyl and discover that something's still living… More
  Though it's a bit stereotypical and formulaic, Chernobyl Diaries delivers a suspenseful and entertaining thriller. Filmed in a documentary style, the film follows a group of tourists that visit the irradiated city of Chernobyl and discover that something's still living there. The film is formulaic to a fault, following the faux documentary style beat for beat. However, it does it well enough to create an air of mystery and draws out the suspense though quick, rapid cuts. But this is also the film's undoing, as it doesn't provide much of an explanation as to what the tourists encounter or its link to the Chernobyl meltdown. While it doesn't do anything new with the genre, Chernobyl Diaries delivers a fairly entertaining film with some good thrills.

• The Movie W

  
  If a movie portrayed the victims of September 11th or the holocaust in the crass and exploitative manner in which those of the Chernobyl disaster are subjected to here, this movie's American director Parker and Israeli writer Oren Peli would rightly be outraged. They may not… More
  If a movie portrayed the victims of September 11th or the holocaust in the crass and exploitative manner in which those of the Chernobyl disaster are subjected to here, this movie's American director Parker and Israeli writer Oren Peli would rightly be outraged. They may not share the mentality themselves but their film is aimed squarely at the sort of western xenophobe who still thinks the cold war is in full effect. Before the characters even get to Chernobyl itself, they find trouble with the locals in Kiev. Ukrainians are portrayed as disgusting stereotypes: surly waitresses and bomber jacket clad would be rapists. The movie's American characters come across as arrogant uncultured bigots, though that's no doubt purely down to poor writing. It's a shame Parker's movie is so mean spirited as he does show some potential. There are a handful of effective moments where the threat is kept in the shadows but as the story progresses it soon becomes apparent he's just transposed "The Hills Have Eyes" to Chernobyl for cheap shock value. Peli of course was responsible for the effective "Paranormal Activity" but since then he's been hurting his reputation with executive producer and minor writing credits on such awful fare as "Insidious" and the cancelled TV show "The River". His directorial follow-up "Area 51" is slated for release later this year but I fear it may be a rare case of a film-maker shooting his load before anyone has even seen his second film.

• Todd S

  
  Chernobyl Diaries is the Directorial debut from Bradley Parker and Written by the man who brought us four installments of Paranormal Activity, Oren Peli, but the only thing original about this film is it's location. A group of friends are traveling through Europe in what looks… More
  Chernobyl Diaries is the Directorial debut from Bradley Parker and Written by the man who brought us four installments of Paranormal Activity, Oren Peli, but the only thing original about this film is it's location. A group of friends are traveling through Europe in what looks like a shot for shot remake of Hostel, when they meet a man who gives tours of the abandon city near Chernobyl. After being rejected entry into the city, the group sneaks in and runs into a whole mess of trouble. This is your very basic zombie film, with nothing extraordinary about it. You've seen this story a hundred times, but what makes Chernobyl Diaries different is that it takes place in Russia and features a talent cast. What's interesting about this cast is that none of them have any background in horror. Jesse McCartney is a singer who does mostly voice over work, and Devin Kelley is almost strictly a TV actress. Taking these role was something new for them and they really put all they had into it. I feel like it was wasted effort though, as this film really is nothing different. Friends on vacation go to a unique location and run into something supernatural that tries to kill them, it's been done over and over again. The unique location made for a great start to something, unfortunately the writers didn't know what to do with that, and the result is another ordinary film that gets an average rating.

• Jacob P

  
  I liked it. Call me crazy, but I thought it was extremely creepy. This movie makes me want to take a shower...Aagh.

• Jeff B

  
  A found footage thriller without the benefit of a mocumentary feel or thrills, Chernobyl Diaries is pretty much a horrific meltdown of near-epic proportions. Sometimes, you just wish that found footage thrillers would remain lost. Oren Peli, the director of Paranormal Activity,… More
  A found footage thriller without the benefit of a mocumentary feel or thrills, Chernobyl Diaries is pretty much a horrific meltdown of near-epic proportions. Sometimes, you just wish that found footage thrillers would remain lost. Oren Peli, the director of Paranormal Activity, managed to produce this tale with little of the genre-defying flair afforded his unique twist on the Blair Witch recipe, despite the promising nuclear fallout zone hook. Instead, contrivance replaces innovation, bad acting replaces suspension of belief, and a Z-movie label replaces any chance of greatness being written in the stars for this entry in the Chernobyl Diarrhea. In this R-rated thriller, six young tourists (Sadowski, McCartney, et al) hire an "extreme tours" guide to take them through the site of Russia's Chernobyl disaster...only to find that the town might not be abandoned. Within the past year, The Darkest Hour played the same game, pawning post-Communist Russia off as the setting for a so-unreal-it-hurts horror show featuring nebulous villains. That horrible genre tale, however, was at least a straight-ahead alien invasion tale masquerading as a handheld thriller. This B-sting toss-off is just a waste of time. Shitty, er, shaky camerawork? Check. Placing the protagonists in a scarily isolated setting? Check. Picking off pretty people one by one? Check. Pitting shuffle-footed creeps against your worst fears? Check, please. These creature fissures are lead-footed, at best. Still, a few points get rewarded for the true ending, which delivers a helluva potboiler almost unworthy of the cliché-ridden hour and a half build-up. Bottom line: From Russia with flubs.

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