Unfortunately, films and television series created in the genre of mystical and fantastic thriller of domestic film production are rarely released. But the film "Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone", which was broadcast by TNT as the first channel, was just a surprising exception. The ratings of the project are overwhelming, and the interest of the audience exceeded even the wildest expectations. In addition, the television project was highly and favorably appreciated by even the most picky film critics.
For the ignorant
The series “Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone” (season 1) begins its story with the fact that the five main characters - young people on the old parent Volga recklessly go in search of a thief who, taking advantage of the situation, stole a considerable amount from the apartment of one of the central characters. Moreover, the robber is an advanced metropolitan IT specialist, who, instead of hiding without too much fuss, sends a video message to the guys, indicating the place where he immediately goes - the ghost town of Pripyat and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. (Here, for the first time, the question arises among the audience: “Where did you shoot“ Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone ”?) The heroes, not thinking about the possible consequences, rush there, however, with each kilometer their journey becomes more dangerous and mysterious. Increasingly, mystical moments in the narrative appear.
Playing with movie genres is a dangerous experiment
Director Anders Banke in a creative "conspiracy" with screenwriters Ilya Kulikov and Yevgeny Nikishov boldly play with movie genres, turning the plot action from a road movie into a horror and mystical thriller, from a disaster movie into a furious action movie. At the same time, deliberately leaving the question of why precisely these five heroes should end up in the Chernobyl zone by the will of fate, to preserve the intrigue. “Chernobyl: exclusion zone” - the series (seasons, the structure of their narration, climax) is unique, if only because the Zone itself is a key character. She plays as heroes, changes both appearance and voices, comes to the rescue, saves, scares and ruins, because she also has a plan ...
How and how it all began
Initially, the creators of the series, who came up with the main idea more than eight years ago, wanted to shoot something in the style of the provocative painting “The Blair Witch”. After the release of the pilot series, the authors' vision changed slightly, the script was rewritten almost anew. Naturally, after watching the pilot series, all interested persons were worried by the question: “Where did you shoot“ Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone ”(trial episode)?” And where will the whole series be shot? It’s still extremely dangerous to use Pripyat and Chernobyl for shooting. Therefore, scenes in the Park of Culture and Rest were created in the town of Kolchugino, Vladimir Region. Most of the filming process took place in the abandoned ex-pioneer camp "Salute" of the Moscow region. Specialized pavilions of the TNT channel were also used. And to give realism, some moments were still captured in the real city of Pripyat. It should be noted that every second episode could not do without innovative special effects. So, this is the first domestic series in which digital graphics of the CGI level were used. The entire creative process lasted from 2012 to 2014. The release date for Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone (first season) is known to everyone on October 13, 2014, but the second season is expected in the fall of 2015.
Looking to the future
You can not say anything about the acting. All the main characters of the series were performed by inexperienced, novice actors, so in some episodes their game is pretty "green", however, with encouraging "prospects for the future." Only five central characters are shown in the frame. Of these, Sergei Romanovich (Lesha) and the performer of the role of his beloved girlfriend Nastya (Valeria Dmitrieva) stand out most clearly . But closer to the climax in the story, new characters appear, they are performed by masters of the class above - Evgeny Stychkin and Nikolai Pavlov. And then it becomes noticeable how young people are inferior to them in skill and how much more professional the “wise by experience” actors are. “Chernobyl: exclusion zone”, as a non-standard project, successfully presented the audience with young performers who could later become real stars of Russian cinema.
Characteristics
The characters of the television series did not become a revelation, they did not escape the cliches common for youth paintings: a nerd, a brutal bully, a good and right guy, as well as a couple of cute girls. The film “Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone” presents five heroes to the audience:
Pasha is an unhappy “owner” of stolen millions, restrained and calm, conscientious, but he’s “pulling” into the leadership role with difficulty.
Lyosha is a brutal bully who loves evil to play fun with nerds, it is because of him that most of the trouble occurs.
Nastya is Lesha’s beloved girl, smart enough and smart, she quickly finds a way out of the situation. Pretty controversial and interesting character.
Anya is the most beautiful and kindest of the whole company of guys. At times, her actions do not succumb to the laws of logic.
Gosh - the same nerd, the object of ridicule and jokes, cowardly. Throughout the series, he is afraid of everything. It does not change its line of behavior, the process of "hardening" does not benefit him.
These are the roles embodied by young actors. “Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone” gave fans five new names that have already gained popularity among young people and even got a lot of fan clubs.
Signal rocket
The Anders Banke series is of great importance for the Russian cinema and television industry. He argues that for a long time already it is necessary to create not only bored with the same type of suffering "soap operas", sitcoms and criminal epics. “Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone” (season 1) is a real flare, indicating the fact that the situation with the audience’s preferences is radically changing, the time has come for completely new concepts. At the moment, this project is the best of those that were broadcast on TNT, and indeed all Russian TV. A number of critics call the series a ray of reckoning in the darkness of dull plots, cheap special effects, stupid dialogs and cheap clowning with claims to cynical irony or killer humor. And it doesn’t really matter where they shot Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone, and most importantly, how!
Kinolyapy
Almost all the moments, one way or another connected with radiation, can be attributed to the most obvious and “cutting eye” mistakes of the series. At least, so say those who, in fulfilling their duty, had to face Pripyat and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. But if you do not relate to the storyline from the picky point of view of a researcher, but simply perceive the film as the post-apocalyptic mystical thriller declared by the creators, then it will soon be discovered that there are no unfortunate annoying moments and flaws!
Human nature
Nowadays, few people are interested in the question: “Where did they shoot“ Chernobyl: Exclusion Zone ”?” The other goes on the agenda: "When will the second season be released?" And will it not be a continuation of the story about the consequences of a man-made disaster, simply embellished with beautiful computer graphics. I would like to hope that in the foreground there will still be an attempt to reveal the human nature of the characters on which, perhaps, the fate of the whole of humanity depends, both in the past and in the future.