Chernobyl Diaries (2012) #379

"Chernobyl Diaries" is horror film that was written and produced by Oren Peli, the director and creator of "Paranormal Activity". Once again, Mr. Peli delivers a decent horror movie made with a minimal budget and sparse special effects. It was only a matter of time before someone created a wide released horror flick that took place at or around the old Chernobyl power plant. While the film doesn't take complete advantage with the possibilities presented, what the movie does contain is still fun and entertaining. The characters may not be fully developed or very interesting but I personally enjoyed seeing Ingrid Bolsø Berdal play such a different kind of character than I've previously seen in her other work such as "Frett Vilt" and "Frett Vilt ", and watching the commanding presence of Dimitri Diatchenko as the extreme tour guide who takes the group of friends on their ill fated trip.

"Chernobyl Diaries" is your typical horror flick about a group of friends going someplace that they have no right going to and getting killed off one by one. This time the setting takes place in the abandoned town of Pripyat, which sits in the shadows of the Chernobyl Power Plant. Four American friends, a Norwegian and and an Australian take an "Extreme Tour" led by Uri into Pripyat, having to bypass border patrol guards who would not allow the group to enter the city. Once inside, they explore the city and have a close encounter with a wild bear in an old apartment building. When they return to their van, Uri finds that engine has had it's wires cut and that the group is stuck until morning. Noises are soon heard off in the dark of the night, and Uri becomes the first victim of the inhabitants hiding in the darkness. Soon the group is attacked, mauled, and chased around the town, being killed off one by one.

Fritt Vilt 2 (2008)

"Fritt Vilt 2" aka (Cold Prey 2), is the 2008 follow-up that takes place immediately after the ending of the first film. The character Jannicke is the only survivor and is able to make her way to a road where she is eventually found and taken back to a small mountain town. She tells the authorities her story and they go up into the pass and retrieve the bodies of the hermit killer and her four friends. Of course the killer isn't dead, is revived, and goes on a killing spree murdering the understaffed hospital workers and the police officers that come to the rescue. The film is pretty straight forward and doesn't need much explanation; only the back story of the hermit is fleshed out a little bit more. The movie is less frightening than the original but it is still a very enjoyable movie to watch. I appreciated how they treated Jannicke with suspicion at first because it added a layer of "reality" to the film. I also really enjoyed the characters in both films that we got to see their relationships with each other for a little bit before they were killed off.

Fritt Vilt (2006)

"Fritt Vilt", also known as "Cold Prey", is a beautiful and suspenseful Norwegian slasher film shot on top of Jotunheimen. Because of this location, over 20 tons of equipment had to be flown in and the filming process took over two years to complete. The end result is well worth is because if you're going to do something you might as well do it right. The visuals and the sense of isolation is real and intense; I love movies and stories that involve snowy locations and this is perfect.

Five friends (it's always five!) are on a snowboarding trip in the Jotunheimen range. Morten badly injures his leg and the group is forced to find shelter for the night. Luckily they find an abandoned ski lodge nearby, unknown to them that it's the home of a very large, very violent hermit who is responsible for more than his fair share of murders of other skiers and snowboarders. The movie focuses Jannicke, whose boyfriend Eirik volunteers to go back to the car only to become the first victim. Jannicke does her best to protect the wounded Morten after the come to realize that they are being stalked and killed by the hermit.