Surviving Disaster (TV Mini Series) Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster (2006) User Reviews

Sombre but brilliant performance - don't miss

[tim_dearing-1 · 9/10 · 14 March 2009]

This program, broadcast some time ago, showed the events as they are know on the disastrous night in Chernobyl Russia on 26th April 1986

This event that shocked the World, and even now still effects in many ways the lives of so many people, is brilliantly portrayed by a small cast of actors, all of whom perform excellently.

Arguably however, it is Adrian Edumondson who turns in a frankly superb role as the professor Legasov trying in vain to control what is obviously becoming one of the Worlds greatest disasters.

It's difficult to watch this and not be touched by the ultimate real life bravery of a handful of men and women, most of whom died as a direct result of what happened.

If you get the chance to see it, don't turn it down.

Too far from reality

[Sabotazhnik · 13 June 2009]

I'm happy that here it's genre is called drama, because it's what it really is.

The biggest disappointment for me was that creators made it as pure documentary episode - with dates, facts and so on. It's just a shame to film episodes at location somewhere on ex-soviet union, mix it with few original frames and pretend what whole episode is genuine. I started to feel offended while watching this episode, because there are just few real facts, everything else are just made to make kind of thrilling story. It's definitely made by people who actually knows just a few things about that disaster and as i seems not more about whole soviet regime, because it's produced like some average spy movie about cold war times.

Well, the point i want to make is that it wouldn't be so bad if it didn't pretend to tell true story about real events and people watching this should remember not to take as truth. I personally found it sinful to tell stories so far from reality about such painful events.

Original and still the best version

[michaelstreet-75872 · 10/10 · 3 August 2019]

Without made-up sub plots or silly romance stories to get the required quota of women roles etc. Paints a chilling and factual retelling of the events leading up to and after the explosion. Adrian Edmonson (normally a comedian) shines here as he tells the story. I have no idea why two new films have just been made when this pretty much does the job of both of them.

Bit too british . Poorly acted re enactment.

[PatrynXX · 6/10 · 10 November 2018]

There's another one on youtube thats a bit better. And clearly lays blame the boss of the person who pushes the operators into doing the deed. And was shorter than this. But had interviews with actual people. Both the pusher and one of the men who bothered to survive but not well. I prefer that one. But I should have recognized the voice. Like sand in the wind. How did it come to this. Now for wrath now for ruin and red sun rises. LOTR of course and long after Titanic.

As for spoilers. This happened in 1986. I'm sure we'll continue to hear new ideas.

Awful and wrong-headed

[antimatter33 · 1/10 · 27 January 2010]

As Sabotazhnik said above - there are essentially no facts presented, simply a lot of uniquely English quivering hysteria, anti-tech in general and anti-nuclear power in particular. The statements as well as the dramatizations of the effects of radiation exposure are all complete nonsense. The film plays like a C-level 50s sci-fi movie. All that was missing was a walking tree or seven-legged cat. The English have become past-masters at disaster hysteria. The have done better than this with umpteen plane crashes and more mundane catastrophes. When you mention the word "nuke", they crawl into a ball and start crying for their mothers. Those looking for either history or drama are advised to look elsewhere.

-drl