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Despite an interesting premise and spooky atmospherics, Chernobyl Diaries is mostly short on suspense and originality.
All Critics (89) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (73) | DVD (3)
There is a scary and surreal appearance by a bear. Jun 21, 2012 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
There is a scary and surreal appearance by a bear.
Peter Bradshaw
Doesn't set out to reinvent the horror wheel but succeeds as solid genre entertainment. Jun 21, 2012 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Doesn't set out to reinvent the horror wheel but succeeds as solid genre entertainment.
Martyn Conterio
Once the annoying, two-dimensional characters start getting bumped off one by one, it's just a relief that the actors have stopped improvising their own banal dialogue. Jun 19, 2012 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…
Once the annoying, two-dimensional characters start getting bumped off one by one, it's just a relief that the actors have stopped improvising their own banal dialogue.
Nigel Floyd
Director Bradley Parker shakes his camera around a lot. May 29, 2012 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
Director Bradley Parker shakes his camera around a lot.
Hank Sartin
The real stars of the movie are the tired devices and plot points. They're famous, but they're as old as Betty White: The Guide Is Dead, The Van Won't Start, Her Shirt Has a Plunging Neckline, Don't Go in There. May 28, 2012 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
The real stars of the movie are the tired devices and plot points. They're famous, but they're as old as Betty White: The Guide Is Dead, The Van Won't Start, Her Shirt Has a Plunging Neckline, Don't Go in There.
Wesley Morris
Standard-issue genre accessories (dank stairways, flashlights, overcast skies, frosty windows) abound; shocks are mild and few. May 25, 2012 | Rating: 1.5/5 | Full Review…
Standard-issue genre accessories (dank stairways, flashlights, overcast skies, frosty windows) abound; shocks are mild and few.
Andy Webster
The set piece needs more attention, but the attacks are done reasonably well, an instil of progressive tension reasonably effective. Feb 28, 2019 | Full Review…
The set piece needs more attention, but the attacks are done reasonably well, an instil of progressive tension reasonably effective.
Naila Scargill
The result, though no classic, is definitely enough to make you rethink going on a suspect European coach trip anytime soon. Jan 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
The result, though no classic, is definitely enough to make you rethink going on a suspect European coach trip anytime soon.
Cleaver Patterson
Basically a continually-shrinking bunch of tourists running around trying to find their way out of a Ukrainian ghost land. Fascinating. Sep 28, 2017 | Rating: 1.5/5 | Full Review…
Basically a continually-shrinking bunch of tourists running around trying to find their way out of a Ukrainian ghost land. Fascinating.
Yasmin Shehab
For all its familiar ideas, characters, and scares, Chernobyl Diaries earns points on restraint, mood, and location. Aug 26, 2015 | Full Review…
For all its familiar ideas, characters, and scares, Chernobyl Diaries earns points on restraint, mood, and location.
Scott Weinberg
A cool concept is compromised when this film descends into predictable territory. Jun 30, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…
A cool concept is compromised when this film descends into predictable territory.
John Hanlon
After one effective scene involving a radiated Russian bear, the quality of first-time director Bradley Parker's narrative starts melting down like a TEPCO facility. Feb 15, 2013 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
After one effective scene involving a radiated Russian bear, the quality of first-time director Bradley Parker's narrative starts melting down like a TEPCO facility.
Steve Newton
Cannot even believe I paid to see this.
Super Reviewer
Bad acting, predictable scares, insipid writing, and utterly devoid of any compelling suspense or surprises; this horror schlock wastes away its eerie premise to become a lackluster rip-off of 'The Hills Have Eyes'.
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
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.
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