“Colony” follows professor Se-jeong and a small group of survivors who must fight to stay alive inside of a sealed facility after a rapidly mutating virus is released at a biotech conference.
Most widely known for “Train to Busan,” co-writer and director Yeon Sang-ho is aware of what the audience came to see. Despite a lengthy 122-minute runtime, “Colony” wastes no time getting to the carnage. Within just 10 minutes, the outbreak begins. It’s a very succinct opening, quickly establishing bioterrorism motivations and character backstories before unleashing chaos.
The stunt work is immediately impressive, with dozens of people flailing their bodies around with no regard. This includes full-blown animalistic sprinting on all fours and contortionism. The practical effects shine as well, with a lot of blood (of course) and a white goo-like substance that spreads to almost every surface. What Yeon does so well is never keeping it the same. By the minute, it seems like the infected individuals are evolving. Because of this, there’s a constant sense of tension as you never know exactly what new change is going to occur next.
Since these are no ordinary zombies, “Colony” plays into science fiction more than traditional genre entries. Rather than being the usual mindless flesh-eaters, these monsters are part of a hive mind. It’s from this concept that the main theme of uniformity comes from. Here, it’s the undead that serve as a metaphor for humanity, as technology has resulted in mindsets of homogeneity. If we aren’t careful, Yeon warns that we may end up just like them — not literally, of course. Much like his other movies, he also adds in discussions about class disparity, corporate theft and other societal issues.
“Colony” shows plenty, but it also feels the need to tell, which is a big reason for its protracted length. Despite just being placed in this obtuse situation, characters have concrete reasons for what is happening and why. Taking place at a biotech conference full of qualified individuals gives Choi Kyu-seok and Yeon’s screenplay some leeway to include these expository blurbs, but it still ends up feeling unrealistic. It leads to some of the film’s pacing issues as well, making the moments in between the zombie action feel monotonous.
While Yeon largely keeps the narrative contained, there are still large-scale set pieces in place. Production designer Lee Mok-won builds the environment for these exhilarating scenes to succeed, both inside the facility and out in the open. Director of photography Byun Bong-sun captures the anarchic nature of the situation. As people sprint down hallways, the camera races along with them. When zombies approach, push-in shots are used to make the collision more impactful. Handheld footage is also incorporated as all Hell breaks loose. Outside of the thrills, however, it’s kept largely simplistic with close-up shots of characters interacting.
The sound design and lead composer Chai Min-joo’s score also add intensity. Even during quiet moments, you can still hear the moans, growls and movement of zombies in the background. As soon as the threat level rises, the music emphasizes it with siren-like noises and other kinetic sounds that make it feel like the bubble of safety is about to burst.
The conclusion will likely be polarizing. Rather than providing a traditional finale, “Colony” ends without a finite resolution. This leaves it feeling almost like a chapter, which is a frustrating takeaway from a two-plus-hour-long experience.
Starring are Jun Ji-hyun (Se Jeong), Koo Kyo-hwan (Seo Yeong Cheol), Ji Chang-wook (Choi Hyeon Seok), Kim Shin-rock (Choi Hyeon Hui), Shin Hyeon-bin (Kong Seol Hui) and Go Soo (Han Gyu Seong). Because “Colony” features more of an ensemble effort than an individual one, many of the characters are one-note. It’s Jun and Koo who stand out. Jun has both the brains and brawn, delivering long-winded monologues while also holding her own in the action. Koo is the quiet antagonist, remaining largely stoic outside of snarky quips.
“Colony” gets bogged down by logistics, but it’s still stuffed full of inventive zombie action. It has enough undead entertainment to satisfy genre fans and competent social commentary to make it relevant.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
