Ever have a vacation that you really looked forward to, but when you got there it either rained or snowed or your car broke down or you were sick or you found yourself stranded in the middle of a radioactive zone with unseen entities trying to kill you and your friends while your guide disappeared to who knows where? Well, this is a story about one of those times.
A group of kids who you would normally expect in these movies is touring a bunch of places. I didn't follow how they went from England to Chernobyl in Russia, but let's just agree that they did. Also, let's agree that they, and the guide they wind up with, make terrible decisions, can't think tactically, don't believe in making plans at all, don't react well to unexpected situations, and are generally the worst people you could ever get stuck in the middle of nowhere with.
So, this rag-tag group of youngsters follows Uri, the local former Russian Special Forces guy, around the official checkpoint and in through the back way, down a big hill, and into the abandoned apartment complexes of Chernobyl. So, this is a great idea, right? Well, Uri seems nervous for a good portion of the time, and there are a few indications that bad things will happen. And... they do.
There aren't many true scares in the whole movie. It startles you a few times, but that's about it. At one point, they happen upon a scene that requires a good amount of explanation, and the hints they are given really don't do a satisfactory job of explaining things. I'm pretty sure that's intentional.
All told, it's not a horrible movie, but it doesn't do much to enhance the genre.
The acting was passable
Direction was not great
Story was slow
Effects were sparse
Editing was okay
1.5/5