IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
A gripping, award-winning documentary about an irradiated Ukrainian artist's search for the truth about Chernobyl and his prescient and powerful warnings about Putin's plans for a coming Rus... Read allA gripping, award-winning documentary about an irradiated Ukrainian artist's search for the truth about Chernobyl and his prescient and powerful warnings about Putin's plans for a coming Russian invasion.A gripping, award-winning documentary about an irradiated Ukrainian artist's search for the truth about Chernobyl and his prescient and powerful warnings about Putin's plans for a coming Russian invasion.
- Awards
- 9 wins & 8 nominations
Natalia Barabovskaya
- Chernobyl Historian
- (as Dr. Natalia Baranovskaya)
Fedor Chebanenko
- Duga Data Commander
- (as Lt-Col. Fedor Chebanenko)
Charlie D'Agata
- Self - CBS News Foreign Correspondent
- (archive footage)
Mikhail Gorbachev
- Former President Russia
- (archive footage)
Viktor Janoekovytsj
- Former President Ukraine
- (archive footage)
Vitali Klytsjko
- Mayor of Kiev
- (archive footage)
- …
Andrew Michtrowski
- Canadian Government Official
- (archive footage)
Vladimir Musiets
- Duga Commander
- (as Col. Vladimir Musiets)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFedor Alexandrovich, the hero of this film, did not see any version of the film (including controversial secret camera footage of him) until the film's premiere at Sundance. Upon learning that he had been filmed and presented in a negative light, and responding to a question from the audience about how he felt about this, he exclaimed: "At first was upset. But then I realized that not only am I the protagonist of this film, but also the antagonist! So I'm satisfied."
Featured review
Not sure what to think about this one...
Something feels inauthentic in how this is presented. Many scenes are set up in a way where information they receive seems too convenient. There are a lot of cuts, a lot of things that are said to have happened but weren't caught on camera, but we are expected to believe.
That said, I don't doubt how corrupt and disgusting the soviet system was and how that has in some ways continued to exist into the current day. This documentary just feels a bit unfocused and really tries to rely on a conspiracy theory for which not enough evidence is provided (though it is reasonable to assume that this evidence has been thoroughly covered up by the powers that be). There could be truth to it, or it could all be made up for sensationalism. It's hard to say.
The film could have benefited from focusing more on the details of the presenter's family history where his grandparents were sent to the gulags, the terrible things that happened to them and the various mass starvations caused by the soviet regime. It's in the film, but I feel it should have been elaborated upon much more. This could have then been shown in parallel to the fairly recent 2014 protests in Ukraine that resulted in deaths of hundreds of those protesters (which is really the most impactful element of the film, other than a few suspicious answers given during some of the interviews). The idea in the film that remnants of the Soviet Union are still alive and well and continue to be responsible for ongoing atrocities is a valid and important one to get across. I just don't think it was handled particularly well.
Even the official story of what happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, acknowledged by the Russian government, shows how incompetent and reprehensible the government was in their handling of the disaster. The film probably would have been taken more seriously and overall been more effective if they looked at things from this angle.
The Soviet Union and any government today, really, are without a doubt unworthy of trust. But I'm just not entirely convinced that I should trust the makers of this film, either.
5/10.
That said, I don't doubt how corrupt and disgusting the soviet system was and how that has in some ways continued to exist into the current day. This documentary just feels a bit unfocused and really tries to rely on a conspiracy theory for which not enough evidence is provided (though it is reasonable to assume that this evidence has been thoroughly covered up by the powers that be). There could be truth to it, or it could all be made up for sensationalism. It's hard to say.
The film could have benefited from focusing more on the details of the presenter's family history where his grandparents were sent to the gulags, the terrible things that happened to them and the various mass starvations caused by the soviet regime. It's in the film, but I feel it should have been elaborated upon much more. This could have then been shown in parallel to the fairly recent 2014 protests in Ukraine that resulted in deaths of hundreds of those protesters (which is really the most impactful element of the film, other than a few suspicious answers given during some of the interviews). The idea in the film that remnants of the Soviet Union are still alive and well and continue to be responsible for ongoing atrocities is a valid and important one to get across. I just don't think it was handled particularly well.
Even the official story of what happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, acknowledged by the Russian government, shows how incompetent and reprehensible the government was in their handling of the disaster. The film probably would have been taken more seriously and overall been more effective if they looked at things from this angle.
The Soviet Union and any government today, really, are without a doubt unworthy of trust. But I'm just not entirely convinced that I should trust the makers of this film, either.
5/10.
helpful•10
- Chronic_Johnson
- Jan 5, 2021
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Російський дятел
- Filming locations
- Chernobyl, Ukraine(location)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
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