Chernobyl

Chernobyl is not a series, but rather a gripping five-hour film that pays tribute to everyone involved in preventing a potentially even bigger environmental disaster than the one that actually occurred. It fantastically examines the various stages after the explosion, enabling us to experience the human tragedy and the national disaster from multiple perspectives (from firefighters to President Gorbachev). The shooting of contaminated dogs. Miners and their leaders helping out. The gradually emerging understanding and respect between the main male characters (the scientist played by Harris and Skarsgård’s politician). Decomposing bodies of irradiated people in hospitals. The casting and acting of the KGB chief and his appalling attitude… This film contains so many strong story elements that it is practically unbelievable. It is also a chillingly accurate reflection of the shoddy, dishonest and unscrupulous political system on which the Soviet Union built its “glory”, only to later rot away from the inside. (29.07.2020)

Human memory is set up in such a way that the major events around us are similar for most people; we remember exactly what we were doing that day. I have that with 11 September, 2001, and with Chernobyl. The day it went up, we had beautiful, cloudless, sunny weather and half the town was catching rays by the dam, myself included. A light rain fell in the evening, although according to the forecast it was not supposed to rain. And I believe that it’s not just my imagination, because it’s said by more witnesses, but the next weeks the milk tasted differently, probably the comrades put iodine in it or something. The comrades covered up and covered up, and then when it blew up, what I found terribly funny was that the first mention of the catastrophe was only on the third or fourth page of the newspaper, a little footnote. And about the series: excellent stuff, no-nonsense, heading straight for the chamber, without carrying any unnecessary plot ballast. That’s how it should be. (30.12.2019)

This is an event. The initial puzzlement has a quick half-life, as those disembodied moments eventually stand out more than the tangible pressure. It’s a screenwriting university on how to handle the "based on a true story" license while staying in observation mode. It’s a perfect study of human arrogance, lack of humility, and unwillingness to face the truth. A live broadcast of lies that has been coming to us for over thirty years. With all due respect to all the criticisms, the hype is well deserved. (05.06.2019)

Once again, HBO gave us their absolute best and introduced the viewers to an elaborate adaptation of the most significant nuclear catastrophe to ever happen on Earth. And even though they didn’t cover everything they could have in 5 episodes, they covered everything they needed so they could sell the idea and pass something on at the same time – the repulsiveness of the Soviet regime but also the proof that humanity and heroism exist everywhere. The first two episodes were probably the most important for me, the creators shocked me with the exteriors, which gave me the impression that the crew actually left for Pripyat and filmed theseries about the catastrophe there. The finale is very crucial as well; it shows what the Soviet regime was capable of doing to not only ordinary people but also intellectuals. After all of that, I am not at all surprised that Gorbachev said in the 1990s that Chernobyl was the fatal consequence of the fall of the Soviet Union. What they did there only underscores the whole effect of communism in Russia of the period, where the local “elite” thought they could do whatever they wanted and God in turn showed them that it wasn’t entirely true. Thankfully this didn’t mean the demise of all of us, it was “only” a warning concerning what we are doing wrong in the world. The fact that we are unable to learn our lessonis another matter. However, this is one of the reasons why the series is so important, which is why it is good to see, perceive, and experience it until the very end. The absolute best of this year’s series and in terms of the HBO production, it is the best that could have been created. Precise, accurate, and apt. (11.06.2019)

"Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later that debt is paid." One of those historical events that you think you know about, but you actually don't, even if you have read Alexijevic and watched Zero Hour. Much (if not everything) could be written and praised about Chernobyl: from the procedural focus to the horror styling, the cinematography, the actors' unforced, unintentionally ridiculous "as if Eastern" diction, to the impact on knowledge and emotion. The way the creators combine genres, with education, warnings, subtexts and tributes, is unparalleled in cinema or quality TV. The way… Well, I already mentioned that much could be written and praised, but there is no reason, because the result is an experience that gets under your skin and you just can't get it out of your head. It’s not 5/5, it’s 15,000/3.6. (12.06.2019)

I was going to write the event of the year, but this is the event of the century, because no series or movie has ever gotten more than 97% on FilmBooster, IMDB and similar ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, and the hype is well deserved. In five episodes, HBO serves us in detail the worst man-made disaster of 1986, and the series is a clear proof that the best screenplay is reality itself. The series features plenty of chilling, atmospheric and dense scenes (divers, disposal of infected animals, decomposing bodies in a hospital and self-sacrifice for humanity). Each episode is 100% and in each episode the series focuses on something different, all culminating in a tense trial where I forgot to breathe. The duo of Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård steal the show for themselves with their performances, and I really enjoyed the political meetings where the Soviet Union is shown in its true light. A proper piece of filmmaking and probably the most chilling, depressing and uncomfortable spectacle ever. A must see for all and I would make it mandatory at schools. 100% (06.06.2019)

Undeniably quality TV, which is almost impossible to follow with both an emotional and a rational perspective. As the number of episodes increases, the frustration factor is fanned from an enflamed injustice to almost a burning anger over all the cruel wrongs and resulting suffering. Because of this, I can't give it a fifth star on principle, even though the phenomenal Stellan Skarsgård deserves it with every (un)blinking look. (27.08.2019)

The Chernobyl series is considered by many TV series fans and journalists to be the event of the year, and they spare no praise for the work of Craig Mazin as a screenwriter and Johan Renck as a director. I am not going to ride on freely exalted enthusiasm, we have plenty of others for that. I'm not afraid to say that it is an impressive work and above-average spectacle, but that can be expected from HBO and its immense potential, where the dominant role is played by the catastrophe itself, with a great probability. Nevertheless, some aspects of the project seem somewhat schematic, exaggeratedly dramatized, played for effect, and do not correspond to the situation (the fact that I am a professional in the field also plays a role, and details that a layman easily overlooks disturb me). I have a definite opinion about some of the characters. I perceive them differently than how they are served to us by the series creators - see the character of Dyatlov - that guy was indeed an arrogant bastard, but also a fighter, and his defense and arguments were completely different. Although admiration is expressed for how perfectly the series imitates the Soviet reality, in my opinion, it is limited to visually depicting the environment, and I think that poverty and dilapidation are emphasized too much. Nuclear workers were among the privileged elite and Pripyat was a new and glamorous city of the regime. The spirit of the time, the position of the players in the story in the Soviet present, and their awareness of their own possibilities were different. Sometimes, unbelievably naive dialogues can be heard, instructive for today's, let's be openly honest, Western viewers of the series.  "Heartbreaking" sentimental scenes of the "execution" of cute puppies are also filmed for them, which also sounds quite funny to those who know. Do you have any idea how the selection of boars during the threat of swine fever, the reduction of pigeons in cities, or ducks in reservations, or the mass slaughter of herds when suspected of salivation, take place? Some elements are exaggeratedly emphasized, while others, which are much more interesting, are not explored. Generally, I have a feeling that five episodes were too few, and most of the characters with tremendous potential just passed by in the series and the viewer has no chance to develop a proper relationship with them. For me, my overall impression is still 80%, taking into account that I found my own thing in it, and a lot of what bothers me, I attribute to the effort to tailor the project to the taste of the target audience. (03.06.2019)

This captivating dramatization of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the de facto fall of the USSR is built primarily on precise acting performances, stark realism and on the logic of its appealing delivery. With any luck, the infallible Jared Harris is on his way to winning an award. The final summary of the events leading up to the explosion is flawless in its delivery. Excellent editing, a compelling visual style and superb work with the sound of dosimeters in important scenes build up maximum suspense. Even though Putin has his complaints, the series Chernobyl tries not to cut too deep into the Soviets and, on a political level, the focus is rather on deflection and half-truths in general. The creators were fair in this respect. The KGB easily could have been the CIA if of the meltdown had been in the US; it's highly probable that everyone would have acted the same way. People are people regardless of any affiliation with a political party and almost everyone wants a promotion. In both the state and corporate machinery, the results are the most important thing and security is just a word to people who are unable to comprehend it, and yet they try to climb to the top of the food chain. So the exceptional heroism doesn’t represent a fight against ideology, but against incompetent people with dangerous powers. Of course, it also answers the question of why it all happened, and the answer isn’t surprising at all. They cost less. (08.06.2019)

I'd be even happier if the series would be cast with less prominent stars. After all, Stellan Skarsgård is already unmistakable, Emily Watson's face also gives a hint in advance what kind of heroine her nuclear physicist will be (whether positive or negative), and Barry Keoghan, for example, has never made anything normal, so his presence alone implies certain associations. I would add to this criticism with a few obvious screenwriting crutches: It was as if the recruitment of the miners was taken from a classic western and a few other scenes were very much in the style of the American way of life and their understanding of law and morality. But these are all small things that have no chance to jeopardize an otherwise excellent whole. I myself belong to the Chernobyl generation and the vague news of what happened accompanied my entire childhood. I thus very much welcome the opportunity to experience five HBO-produced episodes on the theme of reconstructing the events and stories of the people immediately surrounding the disaster. I like the idea of just hinting at some key events in the first episode and only explaining them in the lavish conclusion. I also appreciate the individual story of the woman firefighter who lived through the whole tragedy, but above all also survived. And while I had hoped that the intrepid nuclear physicist might not be a piece of fiction, on the other hand, I understand that such knowledge and courage in real life does not belong to a single person. Chernobyl is an important event and if the Russians come up with their own version, I will be there to see it. (14.06.2019)

A perfect "based on a true story" blend of raw reality, Soviet feeling, perfect cast, and exemplary work with suspense and script. It's certainly not something to revisit and look for alternative paths and subtle script twists, like Game of Thrones, but the ambitions here are completely different: to remember, never to forget, never to repeat; and they managed that to absolute perfection. Although some moments are glossed over, they are outweighed by the urgency and narrative value of a deadly catastrophe in the history of mankind. On par with Schindler’s List. (20.06.2019)

Five hours of cold, creepy, chilling, bleakness, doom, fear, powerlessness, and hopelessness, and above all, recklessness and constant unbelievable lies. I don't know if I've ever seen anything like it that made me so sick, but at the same time I was unable to tear myself away from it. A true fascination with horror. If only we could learn. (17.06.2019)

Occasional factual deviations and over-simplifications are not important at all to this story. Crucially, the makers have succeeded in evoking the spirit of the times, using characters to help establish an impartial indictment of a mendacious ideology and pointing out how far they can go on messing around with natural elements as adherence to fulfilling a plan is involved - all in a downright naturalistic, indiscriminate form. From the first episode, it is an unpleasant and yet incredibly compelling spectacle, based on great acting performances (Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård are excellent, however, the phenomenal Paul Ritter perhaps struck me the most, as he accurately portrays a man who is the product of that regime). I have to say that the most stunning part was the last episode with the reconstruction of the safety test - knowing its consequences, I had goosebumps all the way through on the edge of my seat. In short, the makers chose the absolutely excellently constructed storyline, the beginning of which will amaze you, the middle will terrify you and the end will leave you devastated. This is a really high quality and consistent piece of work. (05.06.2019)

Chernobyl offers a breathtaking five hours that takes you back more than three decades in time to learn what preceded and followed the worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power through an authentic and extremely raw portrayal. Although Legasov's fate is revealed in the first few minutes, by not telling the story in a linear fashion, the creators managed to keep me riveted until the very end. In the ruins of the devastated power plant and its surroundings, to the tune of agonizing, metallic-sounding music (as if to evoke the explosion itself), a dual struggle is waged for life and for truth, and it is all the sadder to see death and lies winning. Judging the degree of responsibility of the various players and coming to terms with what actually led to the meltdown certainly couldn't have been easy or one-sidedly clear, but the series offers a truly realistic view of the event, no matter how much it deviates from or adheres to reality. I commend the creators for not only focusing on the investigation of the accident and its investigators, but for also offering a glimpse into the lives of the ordinary people affected by it, giving the whole thing a broader and more objective scope. The central trio of actors – Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson – and the supporting cast played their parts to perfection. I definitely consider the sequences from the hospital with the burned victims, the killing of the animals in the area and of course the final trial to be the most powerful, uncomfortable and chilling scenes of the entire miniseries. As ambiguous as the view of the infamous disaster may seem, the miniseries is clearly a very high quality piece of work that deserves attention without question. (22.07.2019)

The first two episodes are utter manna and you can’t help but admire how the filmmakers manage not to get tangled up in their own rules of dramatization. From a filmmaker's point of view, the assignment couldn't be more challenging – the deadly enemy is invisible and inconspicuous, the characters are multitudinous, they come and go, they have different functions, the scientific background of the event, so necessary to decipher it, is not easy. Yet the first two episodes consistently evoke a sense of desperate and inescapable unease, to the extent that I watched them with a filtration mask, and even then I could taste the asbestos on my palate. How did they do it? For example, by the fact that initially the scenes contained almost no spatial establishing shots at all to allow for orientation. This built up a sense of elusive chaos and danger that engulfed even the otherwise knowledgeable employees of the plant, and more importantly, the width of the frame could be gradually expanded as the characters' awareness of the scale of the disaster slowly grew. These moments, set in the dimly lit corridors with shattered windows and crumpled steel walls, are the strongest parts of the entire series. The series then reserves large sets with many extras and panoramic views for the iconic sequences that usually end the scenes. The chaotic, desperate, and utterly incompetent damage management of the first two seasons then makes for an excellent way to build the illusion of the Soviet Union as the most forgotten, saddest, and greyest place on earth, where nothing makes sense and the sun never shines again. The problems start from the third episode, where, quite surprisingly compared to the previous one, one-dimensional filmmaking shortcuts, clichés, and pandering suddenly start to appear, clearly identifying the target audience. I can still bear it when two nuclear scientists talk about how nuclear fusion works, but a bunch of miners are written like some dwarves from the Iron Mountains, an endless scene of Western-oriented game shooting, and heroism in the face of a horrific regime in its finest hour bring the whole built-up admiration for the previous one back down to earth. If I'm going to base my series on a quest for truth, I'd better be damn careful about copyright licensing. And compressing two dozen scientists into one character, who also becomes the catalyst for the plot from the third season onwards just to make the series include a female character, is hypocrisy and a disservice to those men and women from the staff. As much as I understand that if it weren't for these dramatic changes, the series might not have been as successful, and there wouldn't be more apple phones per square kilometer in Pripyat now than in Tokyo. (16.07.2019)

I often approach highly-rated films and series with caution because it’s happened to me more than once that my opinion completely differed from the majority. With Chernobyl, all my concerns quickly went away. Craig Mazin did an excellent job with the screenplay, the series was imbued with a fantastic atmosphere from start to finish, there was surprisingly little melodrama and an excellent cast as a bonus. Plus, the authors managed to make me remember the total brainwash by the media and school. The propaganda at the time must have broken all records for downplaying the actual events. (18.08.2019)