Chernobyl Diaries

This makes up for Dark Shadows, and I'm always a fan of movie monsters that aren't Zombies, in aside from World War Z, I think I'm done with zombie movies though I'll give rec 3 a shot. The deceptive trailers made this appear to be a found footage movie and it's not. Though it does have kind of raw cinematography to it that bring to mind 28 days later, Cloverfeild or Monsters. The premise is a little more Hostel at the beginning, the escapades of tourists in Russia. I assumed it to be a little more Silent Hill and though in tone that element is present in some ways it has more grit and not based in supernatural. Sure some mutant on tourist rape would have been a wonderful addition, what it doesn't show you is whats scary, the director plays his cards very close to his chest While the characters fall into the don't go into the basement victim cliches, the claustrophobic tension is maintained, not unlike the Descent. The scares are smart and effect minimal. The acting is convincing enough, even though only Devin Kelley's character comes across as likable, however, Olivia's Dudley's cleavage could have used higher billing and more of a starring role, here's where the mutant rape could have been put to good use. The gore is minimal, and the deaths happen off screen. The creatures for the most part are kept in the shadows and this plays to a effect than if they had shown up looking like the Toxic Avenger. The movie's atmosphere and the feeling of the characters peril is the movie's selling point. The only flaws really lie in how annoying some opf the characters becoming when they are coming unhinged, but perhaps his was what the director was trying to illicit. Considering the competition as far as horror goes this film is with out peer in the current market...unless you count Cabin in the woods, which almost seems like a different genre in comparison. So if you are a fan of horror who has been starving by the current drought of movies, then don't miss this ...as how sure can we be Prometheus is going to be horror and not sci-fi? Does Abraham Lincoln Vampire hunter even count ? All these questions and if the Apparition is going to be worth a damn will all be answered by the summers end.