By Chris Summerfield
While on my recent shopping trip to Nottingham, l popped in to the, “Save and Trade,” better known as, “CEX” and while hunting through the many titles they have in there I came across this movie, and what persuaded me to purchase it was the fact the creator of the very popular Paranormal Activity had created this movie. And still slightly undecided whilst holding the movie in my hand, I overheard somebody stating, “Why on earth did anybody hand that movie in, it’s awesome.” That persuaded me to buy.
The movie begins with three American tourist, Chris (Jesse McCartney) and Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley) with Amanda (Devin Kelley) having travelled around Europe, and head out to Ukraine, to meet up with Chris’ brother, Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) who lives in Kiev. Paul wanting them to undertake an extreme tourist trip, out towards the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, though the others having other plans, however change them and go through with the extreme tourist trip, being joined by another couple, Michael (Nathan Philips) and Zoe (Ingrid Bolso Berdal). Their tour guide being an ex Elite soldier, Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko) their destination being, Pripyat, the former home of the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, a now deserted and daunting town that had remained empty for over 25years.
At first I was thinking along the lines of something between “Hostel” and “The Hills have eyes,” expecting mutants attacking them straight away, being caged up and tortured, but no that was not the case.
Uri, their tour guide promising them an interesting trip and on route they are stopped at a check point, daunting soldiers turning them away. Then of course as expected they take a less travelled route in to the city. The city, daunting and eerie. You just cannot help but feel the tension, and as they explore the buildings taking pictures, Uri, discovers a camp fire that had been burning though now out and he begins to believe they are not alone, in which he was so sure they were, as he was no stranger to the area and had never seen anyone around. And after a scare with a huge bear they head back to the van, Uri wanting to be out of there before night fall. That is when the first disaster strikes; someone had stole wires belonging to the ignition. They are stranded and alone. Though most of this is predictable as you can imagine, but there is a threat about the movie, one that keeps you tensed.
Uri, after desperately trying to call for help leaves the van, armed with a gun, though again as predictable is murdered, but by who? And where had they taken his body? Chris also having left the van is injured. The movie then begins to heat up as they desperately try to find a way out of where they are; discovering other abandoned vehicles nearby, possible other trapped people that had failed to escape? Time is ticking and one by one they are being taken, but by whom?
The movie as everything I like in a Thriller/Horror, keeps you at the edge of your seat, can be gory and frightening and more than anything can imagine it actually happening.
I will not give anymore away about this movie, but my advice is… If you want a cracker of a thriller to watch over the coming Holiday season, then grab this one, you will not be disappointed.
Rating: 8/10
