First, I always review movies by 5 standards: 1. Plot/Story, 2. Characters/Acting skill, 3. Cinematography/Directing, 4. Sound (both music and general), 5. Overall enjoyability. Each of these categories can yield up to 2 points for a total of 10. It can be slightly more complicated, but I always explain those details in the review.
This is how you open a series. The unfortunate part about all of this is the fact that it is based on actual events. For those who are unaware of just how volatile the 80s were when it comes to the storage and handling of toxic chemicals and other hazards, you should probably Google EPCRA (and check out the disaster in Bhopal India that set this into motion). I'm hoping to write a review for the remainder of this series, but so far, this is just masterful at all levels. If you were to only watch this one episode, everything is packaged up so tightly that it could easily be a stand-alone short film.
Plot/Story: 2 An easy score to give, simply because the source material is so robust. They really did a great job of opening with Jared Harris (Legasov), which immediately paints the picture that the events at Chernobyl were more than meets the eye. Flashback to the events that took place involving the reactor, we really begin the story from the eyes of the scientists inside of the station. There is an immediate rush and a sense of urgency from all who stand inside, and there is amazing banter back and forth between a few. Following this was a very brief look into the personal lives of one of the firefighters. It wasn't forced, nor was there lot of heavy-handed dialogue. There was no need for this, and the writers did an excellent job of saying a little to say a lot, which is rare nowadays. The tension was almost palpable, as we scroll through all of the dilemmas that the scientists, state workers, and firefighters faced, which brings me to the characters and acting.
Characters/Acting Skill: 2 I've already mentioned Jared Harris, who is almost always brilliant, so HBO kind of cheated on getting him on board. You can tell that all of the people involved in this event could sense that there was something ominous, and they did so with their EYES, not their MOUTHS. Sometimes subtlety goes a long way and you do not need someone to come right out and state their intentions. Even the delirious Paul Ritter (Dyatlov), was nothing short of exceptional. Dyatlov was very fascinating, and I was not too familiar with Paul Ritter prior to the show. What I took away from this first episode's performance was that he was in a state of shock, mixed with a great fear that caused him to damn the workers, responders, and residents of Chernobyl in the process. Just Ritter's acting alone was so unique and interesting, but the rest all did a wonderful job.
Cinematography/Directing: 2 There is no question the level of competency in this project. If this first episode is a clue, then the rest of the series should clean house with great visuals and set design. The pace of this first episode was immaculate. There was perfect balance to dialogue and chaos that will grip you from the beginning and will not let go until the end. Speaking of the end, wow! Have you ever seen a disaster movie, such as 2012, or some crap like that? Well, Chernobyl delivers style without making you want to throw up from the unrealistic visuals. As the radiological smoke cloud hovers high in the clouds and begins to slowly creep into town, you begin to see the trees turn brown. The very last visual we see is a bird that falls from the sky and slams into the concrete below, gasping for breath and convulsing from the pain (no doubt caused by the bird's internal organs sludging from the inside). If that does not send chills down your spine, you may need to check and see if you're a replicant.
Sound: 2 No surprise here, the sound was a perfect complement to the well-scripted, well-directed, and well-edited episode. I would include the full name of the composer, but it is rather difficult, so please check the full cast and crew to get the right information. I will certainly be checking out other works by this individual and compare with what was done here on Chernobyl. Moments that were highlighted by tension were superb, but other moments were great as well. The addition of the sounds from each scene coupled nicely with this eerie score that made you feel the weight of this massive event taking place on screen.
Overall Enjoyability: 2 As I mentioned earlier, this episode is kind of bittersweet in that it is a retelling of such a horrific display of incompetence of real people. However, it is in my nature to appreciate a good show or movie that handles the source material with such delicacy as Chernobyl has done in this first episode. I loved everything about this episode, and am really fearful that it will eventually drop the ball (GOT flashbacks). Seriously though, this installment left me with my eyes open wide and my mouth gaped open, which is difficult to do. I would strongly recommend this to anyone with a brain. Don't skip over this gem! I'll be sure to continue the series so I can give reviews of the remaining content. Hope this helps!
This is how you open a series. The unfortunate part about all of this is the fact that it is based on actual events. For those who are unaware of just how volatile the 80s were when it comes to the storage and handling of toxic chemicals and other hazards, you should probably Google EPCRA (and check out the disaster in Bhopal India that set this into motion). I'm hoping to write a review for the remainder of this series, but so far, this is just masterful at all levels. If you were to only watch this one episode, everything is packaged up so tightly that it could easily be a stand-alone short film.
Plot/Story: 2 An easy score to give, simply because the source material is so robust. They really did a great job of opening with Jared Harris (Legasov), which immediately paints the picture that the events at Chernobyl were more than meets the eye. Flashback to the events that took place involving the reactor, we really begin the story from the eyes of the scientists inside of the station. There is an immediate rush and a sense of urgency from all who stand inside, and there is amazing banter back and forth between a few. Following this was a very brief look into the personal lives of one of the firefighters. It wasn't forced, nor was there lot of heavy-handed dialogue. There was no need for this, and the writers did an excellent job of saying a little to say a lot, which is rare nowadays. The tension was almost palpable, as we scroll through all of the dilemmas that the scientists, state workers, and firefighters faced, which brings me to the characters and acting.
Characters/Acting Skill: 2 I've already mentioned Jared Harris, who is almost always brilliant, so HBO kind of cheated on getting him on board. You can tell that all of the people involved in this event could sense that there was something ominous, and they did so with their EYES, not their MOUTHS. Sometimes subtlety goes a long way and you do not need someone to come right out and state their intentions. Even the delirious Paul Ritter (Dyatlov), was nothing short of exceptional. Dyatlov was very fascinating, and I was not too familiar with Paul Ritter prior to the show. What I took away from this first episode's performance was that he was in a state of shock, mixed with a great fear that caused him to damn the workers, responders, and residents of Chernobyl in the process. Just Ritter's acting alone was so unique and interesting, but the rest all did a wonderful job.
Cinematography/Directing: 2 There is no question the level of competency in this project. If this first episode is a clue, then the rest of the series should clean house with great visuals and set design. The pace of this first episode was immaculate. There was perfect balance to dialogue and chaos that will grip you from the beginning and will not let go until the end. Speaking of the end, wow! Have you ever seen a disaster movie, such as 2012, or some crap like that? Well, Chernobyl delivers style without making you want to throw up from the unrealistic visuals. As the radiological smoke cloud hovers high in the clouds and begins to slowly creep into town, you begin to see the trees turn brown. The very last visual we see is a bird that falls from the sky and slams into the concrete below, gasping for breath and convulsing from the pain (no doubt caused by the bird's internal organs sludging from the inside). If that does not send chills down your spine, you may need to check and see if you're a replicant.
Sound: 2 No surprise here, the sound was a perfect complement to the well-scripted, well-directed, and well-edited episode. I would include the full name of the composer, but it is rather difficult, so please check the full cast and crew to get the right information. I will certainly be checking out other works by this individual and compare with what was done here on Chernobyl. Moments that were highlighted by tension were superb, but other moments were great as well. The addition of the sounds from each scene coupled nicely with this eerie score that made you feel the weight of this massive event taking place on screen.
Overall Enjoyability: 2 As I mentioned earlier, this episode is kind of bittersweet in that it is a retelling of such a horrific display of incompetence of real people. However, it is in my nature to appreciate a good show or movie that handles the source material with such delicacy as Chernobyl has done in this first episode. I loved everything about this episode, and am really fearful that it will eventually drop the ball (GOT flashbacks). Seriously though, this installment left me with my eyes open wide and my mouth gaped open, which is difficult to do. I would strongly recommend this to anyone with a brain. Don't skip over this gem! I'll be sure to continue the series so I can give reviews of the remaining content. Hope this helps!