 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Chernobyl Diaries
- Review Date: May 24, 2012
- R
- Genre: Horror
- 2012
Common Sense Media says
Radioactive mutants attack in waste-of-time horror movie.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Chernobyl Diaries is a horror movie about young people who decide to tour the abandoned towns near the infamous nuclear power plant. Some of the violence, including attacks by wolves and radioactive mutants, is more suggested than shown, but the movie still has plenty of blood, gore, and dead bodies. A gun is also fired many times. Language is strong, with frequent uses of "f--k" and "s--t" throughout. There's some sexual innuendo and kissing in the beginning, as well as some drinking (and hangovers). Chernobyl Diaries comes from the creator of Paranormal Activity, but it isn't anywhere near as creative as that film or its sequels.
What's the story?
Chris (Jesse McCartney); his girlfriend, Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley); and their friend Amanda (Devin Kelley) travel to Kiev to visit Chris' brother, Paul (Jonathan Sadowski). After a night of partying, Paul proposes they take an "extreme tour" and visit Pripyat, the city where the workers and families of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant once lived before the infamous 1986 meltdown. After the tour, the group discovers that the van won't start, and they're forced to spend the night in the spooky old place. Hungry wolves are about, and there's something even worse lurking in the shadows, not to mention the threat of radiation poisoning. Can the friends make it out alive?
Is it any good?
Oren Peli, the creator of Paranormal Activity, co-wrote and co-produced this high-concept horror movie, but he forgot to write reasonable characters or situations after the concept. CHERNOBYL DIARIES is basically a generic "cabin in the woods" movie, in which the characters are not-very-bright young people who constantly make the wrong decisions. The dunderheaded plot doesn't particularly help, as when -- for some reason -- night falls after only a few hours, or things jump out practically on cue.
Making his directorial debut, Bradley Parker chooses a hand-held camera look, as if an invisible friend were filming nearby. This allows for some money-saving long shots, but the camera also ends up shaking and lurching, causing more upset stomachs than the subject matter. Nearly every scary moment is either right out of the horror textbook, or else it subverts logic for an easy shortcut. Finally, there's the bad-taste factor of using the actual site of a real-life disaster for an exploitation movie. Avoid this one.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the movie's violence. What's shown, and what's suggested? Which is scarier? Why? Is the movie scary? Or is it more suspenseful? What's the difference?
What do you think about the choice to set a horror movie in a place where a real-life disaster took so many lives?
Do the characters make reasonable decisions throughout the story? What are some choices they could have made differently?
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Teen, 16 years old
May 28, 2012
AGE
Chernobyl diaries was worth seeing.
Chernobyl Diaries is a good movie , however it has bad language including f**k , a** , s**t, p***y , d**m, h*ll. This movie may not be suitable for younger kids because it contains scenes that cause you to jump out of your seats, there is violence in the movie , but it is not to bad , there is some blood, adults drink beer, vodka.
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Parent
June 1, 2012
AGE
Agghhhhhhh......
Dumb, daaa-dumb bumbbbbbb ...... Need I say more! :/
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Teen, 14 years old
June 11, 2012
AGE
Amazing
Orem Peli makes another great movie. Very suspenseful throughout the movie.
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Teen, 17 years old
June 28, 2012
AGE
Chernobyl Diaries
Great but scary movie ! I advise to watch with someone, can be jumpy ! Overall well put together, great message, and teaches you things you may not have known.
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Teen, 17 years old
August 15, 2012
AGE
Too intense for younger kids
There's a lot o blood and swearing
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Teen, 14 years old
September 22, 2012
AGE
Opinion
I think its a great movie, because its a scary movie , people who like scary movies should see it
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Kid, 12 years old
November 4, 2012
AGE
Worst Attempt At A Horror Movie Ever... >:(
THIS... MOVIE... SUCKED. Absolutely NOTHING scary about this boring-a** movie. NOBODY SHOULD WATCH THIS UNLESS THEY ARE LOOKING TO WASTE THEIR TIME WITH A TERRIBLE MOVIE
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Teen, 13 years old
December 22, 2012
AGE
Don
I found this movie pretty scary, but afterwards it's okay. There isn't much other then this creepy feeling throughout the whole film.
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Teen, 16 years old
December 2, 2012
AGE
scary movie
good movie but i have to say it was scary to watch
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| Topics: | monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Bradley Parker |
| Cast: | Devin Kelley, Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Dudley |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 25, 2012 |
| DVD release date: | October 16, 2012 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | violence, some bloody images and pervasive language |
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