Starring: Kevin Zegers, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Charlotte Sullivan, Dru Viergever
Directed by: Jeff Renfroe
Written by: Jeff Renfroe (screenplay), Svet Rouskov (additional writer), Patrick Tarr (screenplay & story), Pascal Trottier (screenplay & story)
Running time: 95 minutes
Rated: R (for adult language, graphic violence, scenes of terror)
Read our Exclusive interview with director Jeff Renfroe here!
I have always wondered what might happen to our society if some disaster were to happen either by man-made means or
a naturally occurring one. Whether it is a worldwide pandemic decimating the world’s population, weather related catastrophe or maybe even a zombie apocalypse, how would the remaining civilization make out in that type of situation? Would all of societies order break down causing mankind to revert back to our primordial instincts? The question poses purely hypothetical implications but ones that are explored in the new film The Colony. We would like to believe as a society, that we could weather whatever catastrophe comes our way and keep our humanity intact. But what if there was worldwide famine and everyone had to live underground due to harsh conditions where even a sneeze or cough could kill hundreds? What would be our next meal or WHO would be our next meal? These are just some of the thought-provoking questions explored in The Colony.
Set in a not too distant dystopian future where an unexpected weather phenomenon has caused the next ice age to envelop the world in arctic conditions, wiping out most of the population. There are small outposts of survivors across the country that live in colonies, trying to survive the best way they can. The last remnants of humanity have been driven underground to protect themselves from the unlivable and hostile conditions above ground. We are introduced to a small colony of inhabitants led by Briggs (Laurence Fishburne-Hannibal) and his cohorts Sam (Kevin Zegers-Dawn of the Dead remake), Kai (Charlotte Sullivan-Rookie Blue) and Mason (Bill Paxton-Aliens) who try to keep order and protect the colony.
When another nearby colony goes dark, Briggs and crew must investigate only to discover a new menace far more horrific than any delivered by nature that now threatens their colony.
On the outside, The Colony is a post-apocalyptic horror thriller reminiscent of films such as The Thing, The Day After
Tomorrow and others. It’s a fun thrill ride that keeps you in the middle of the action with a few chills thrown in for good measure. At its heart, there’s more to it. There are deeper questions at hand about what could possibly happen when mankind is faced with extinction and backed into a wall, metaphorically speaking. Do we step up and fight to save our humanity or do we give in to the most primal of urges?
I enjoyed The Colony; it was paced well enough to keep most viewers from becoming bored. It’s a fun movie where the story doesn’t get lost in overblown CGI effects and doesn’t shy away from its horror and sci-fi elements. The story itself is nothing new but the filmmakers keep it interesting enough for a film of this type. This isn’t an independent film but its budget is on the lower end for a Canadian film at under $20 million. The filmmakers make good use of their money, the film looks very well made without ever looking cheap.
The acting is very well done; the main leads especially turn in great performances. Fishburne, Paxton and Zegers all are worth watching in this one and play off each other wonderfully. The leads are the main reason the film doesn’t fall into the direct to video dreck that most films of this type are relegated to.
The film is not without its problems and does feature some noticeable plot gaps with a few scenes that may leave you scratching your head, but overall it’s a solid and well-made film with a fine cast. The Colony features an interesting horror element to it, but in order to keep this a spoiler free review, I will not comment on what that might be. You definitely will not be wasting your time in giving this a watch and I would recommend The Colony.
3 out of 5 Pentagrams!
Watch the trailer for The Colony here:
One Comment
Leave a Reply